FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Somerville Small Business Loans
Tell me what you think of the Somerville Small Business Loans
Somerville unsecured loans provides amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000, with terms ranging from 3 and 24 month and cash flow friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
What is this Unsecured Loan different from a traditional business loan?
It is possible to apply for the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or by phone. You will receive a same day response and funds may be on your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans refer to an annual rate of interest plus other fees and charges. We offer a business loan is a loan that is priced upfront which means you be aware in advance of the total amount to be paid, including any interest, fees or charges. This is then divided into a daily or weekly payment amount.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for almost every company purpose including control of cash flow business renovations, marketing to purchase inventory, new equipment, for general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
About Larger Somerville Business Loans
What is the Larger Somerville Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in business growth opportunities. Loans range between $100,000 and $500,000 for a fixed period of with a maximum of 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly, depending on your situation.
How is the Origination Fee determined?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee that is calculated at 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To qualify for a loan that is this large, your company needs to be operating for a minimum of 3 years and have an annual turnover of $700,000. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18 or have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at minimum 12 months of business.
What can I use the funding for?
A large business loan can be used for almost every business need, including business renovations, purchase of equipment or inventory for general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal use.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is required to obtain funding above $150,000. It’s by taking a charge over assets, which could also include registration on the PPSR or filing as a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a guarantee to repay a loan which is generally based rather than specifying security over an asset. The person who signs the ensure is personally responsible if the company the borrower fails to pay back the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online register that is operated by the New Zealand Government. It contains security interests granted to individuals who own personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR permits prioritisation over property that is personal to be assigned according to the date a registration of a security interest.
Caveats are legal form of document to offer the legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
If you’re applying for a Larger Business Loan that is greater than $250,000 it is possible to offer a preliminary pre-approval to help simplify the process. We might be able to do this without a credit verification and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is made based on an initial evaluation that involves the answer to a series of financial health questions. It is neither an offer nor a guarantee of finance. A conditional approval is subject an extensive credit evaluation and any offer that you might receive could have different terms.
The application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You may apply for a business loan if you
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months worth of trade (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and simple. Just complete the online application within a few minutes and a dedicated company expert in lending will be in touch to assist you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000 you’ll need ID details (valid Driver’s Licence), a valid NZBN/IRD as well as at least 6 months of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll also require:
$100K – $250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K to $500K: Details for application including credit consent as well as 12 months bank statement, an IRD statements and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financial statements for the current year including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables Summary.
How soon will I hear an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) we typically offer a response in one hour if you make your application within standard business time and allow us to utilise the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank details online. If you decide to upload copies of your bank statements , we are able to provide a decision within just an business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we may be likely to provide you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about 6 hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval form, it will take between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this could be shorter based on the specifics of each application. Certain transactions have received approval in the space of 24 hours.
The quickest method is to ensure you apply during standard business hours. You can also permit us to use the advanced bank verification system to verify your bank information online. If you choose to send us the copies of bank statements it may take a bit longer.
How quickly will I receive the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K to $100K) We can usually offer an answer within an hour if you make your application during standard business times and allow us to use the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statements, we’ll be able to provide the decision in just 1 business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval within about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed your pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval. However, this can be faster depending on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain transactions have received approval in just 24 hours.
The fastest way for you to apply is ensure you apply during normal business hours. Also, allow us to use our sophisticated bank verification to confirm your bank details online. If you decide to send us duplicates of your banking statements, it can take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We offer loans that range from $5,000 to $500,000. If you apply for a specific amount we will consider a number of variables to determine your health that is your business and the level of repayments that your company is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the specifics for your company.
When you make an application for a set amount, we take into consideration a variety of variables to assess how much we can lend you such as health of the business as well as the amount of repayments your business is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the particulars the business.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for a business loan?
If you decide to apply for our company loans, we will assess the risk profile that you have for your company and offer you with a tailored proposal that includes loan amount, term and the interest rates. A company loan is a loan that is priced upfront and you’ll know the exact amount to be paid, including any costs, fees, or interest rates.
What determines the rate that I pay?
Interest rates for company loans rates differ based on various variables like the amount to be borrowed, what company assets the funds are used to purchase, the industry the company operates in, the long the business has been running and how long the business has enough cash flow to fund the loan, and the general well-being or financial standing of the company.
What are the cost?
There are no hidden fees for our company loans, and you’ll be aware of the amount you’ll need to pay and when, from the day you sign up. There’s no compounding interest and no additional fees (as long as you are able to make your payments in time).
We don’t charge an application fee. You are able to make an application for loans with without any upfront costs or obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee covers the expenses involved with the setting up and management of the loan. The only way to pay this fee if you choose to proceed with the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan early?
You may choose to pay back the total amount of your advance loan at any time.
If you are deciding to do this please talk to one of our helpful company credit experts. They’ll provide you with details on repayment along with an early payout estimate. This will be calculated as the total of the principal remaining plus any accrued interest as of the time of the early payout plus 1.5% of the principal remaining as well as any outstanding fees.
What is the process for repayments?
To make sure that you don’t miss payments and to work with your cash flow standard, we provide repayments either daily or weekly. They are automatically deducted from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be secure?
The security of your personal information, as well as making it clear how we collect the information we collect, use, share and ensure the security of your information is of paramount importance and an integral part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We make use of industry-standard encryption standards to secure your personal, sensitive financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our dedication to protecting the security of clients and privacy. We make use of an advanced bank verification system that allows you to instantly verify your bank account information online so we can provide rapid response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where an company owner makes use of assets they own to obtain the funding. The asset can be an individual asset, such as the family home, or an company asset such as a truck or piece or equipment.
The majority of banks, not just the big banks, tend to make loans secured by assets. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan, your assets could be transferred to the lender. In essence it’s means of securing new financing by using the worth of the asset you already own.
What do I require security to secure a company loan?
For loans that exceed $150,000, the requirement for asset security is not required in advance to gain access to the funds however, we require a personal guarantee. need the personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as detailed in your loan contract document) the security of assets will never be required. For loans of over $150,000 generally, you can get an individual guarantee and security that is in the form a charge over assets.