FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Westmeadows Small Business Loans
Tell me how you can avail the Westmeadows Small Business Loans
Westmeadows unsecured loans provides the range of $5,000 to $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 month and cash flow friendly repayments which can be made daily or weekly.
What is the Unsecured Loan different from the traditional company loan?
You can apply for this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or over the phone, receive an immediate response, and have the funds available in just 24 hours. Traditional company loans reference an annual rate of interest along with other charges and fees. Our company loan is a loan that is priced upfront and you’ll be aware in advance of the amount you will have to pay, including any interest, fees or charges. Then, it is broken down into either weekly or daily repayment figure.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for virtually every company need, such as cash flow management, business remodels and marketing to purchase inventory or new equipment, as general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
About Larger Westmeadows Business Loans
What is the Larger Westmeadows Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support business growth opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a term fixed that can last up to 36 months. Repayments are scheduled weekly or fortnightly to work with your cash flow.
How’s the Origination Fee determined?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, which is calculated at 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To qualify for a loan that is this large the business needs to have been trading for at least 3 years with an annual turnover of $700K. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18 and have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at minimum 12 months of business.
What can the funds be used for?
A large business loan is a great option for almost all company reason, such as business improvements, purchasing new equipment or inventory for general working capital and much more. The loan is not available to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that requires security?
Asset security is necessary to access funding over $150,000. This can be done by way of charge on assets, and may include registration on the PPSR or filing a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a guarantee to repay credit that is general in nature, rather than defining security over an asset. The person signing the ensure is personally liable if the business the borrower fails to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central register operated by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests which are registered with respect to personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR gives preference over private property granted according to the date a security interest that is registered.
An affidavit is an official document lodged to offer notice of a legal claim to property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
When you’re applying for a Larger Business Loan of more than $250K it’s possible to offer a preliminary pre-approval to help make the process. We could be able to make this decision without credit checks and within six hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on an initial assessment that includes answering a couple of financial health checks. It is neither an offer nor a guarantee of finance. Acceptance without condition is subject to an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer you receive could be on different conditions.
The application process
Can I be eligible for funding?
You may be eligible for an company loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months worth of trade (for for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and simple. Just fill out the online application in just a few minutes, and a dedicated business lending specialist will be in touch to help you.
To apply for up to $100,000 you’ll require proof of identity (valid Driver’s License) as well as an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months worth of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K to $250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if you have a loan of more than $150K).
$250K – $500K: Information on the application including credit consent twelve months of bank statements, IRD statements, last 2 years finalised financial statements, in addition to interim financials for the current financial year such as age-related payables and aged Receivables summaries.
How fast will I get an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) we typically provide an answer within an hour, provided you make your application in quality company times and permit us to use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank details online. If you want to upload copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide a decision in just the span of one company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K to $500K) we may be in a position to provide you with conditional pre-approval in about six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this could be shorter based on the circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved within 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard company hours. Also, allow us to use our advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to upload the copies of bank accounts, it will take a little longer.
How fast will I get the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we can often provide an answer within an hour – as long as you apply within normal business timings and permit us to use the bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statements we can offer the decision in just one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we may be likely to provide you with a conditional pre-approval within about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is between 2 and 3 days for the final approval. However, this can be faster depending upon the circumstances for each application. Certain transactions have received approval within 24 hours.
The most efficient method would be to make sure you apply during standard business hours. You can also allow us to use our sophisticated bank verification to instantly confirm your bank details online. If you decide to send us copies of your bank statements it may take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide the loan amount between $5,000 to $500,000. If you apply for a specific amount we take into consideration a range of variables that determine what is the well-being of your company and the extent of repayments that your company can afford. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances for your business.
When you apply for a specific amount we consider a variety of variables to assess how much we can lend you such as health of your business and the extent of repayments your business can afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the particular circumstances the company.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for the cost of a business loan?
If you decide to make an application for one of our company loans, we will assess the risk profile that you have for your business and offer an individualised offer, including the loan amount, the terms and the interest rates. The business loan is an upfront-priced loan therefore you will know in advance the total amount due, which includes any costs, fees, or interest rates.
What determines the amount I will be charged?
Business loan interest rates differ based on various factors like the amount of money of money borrowed, the company assets the money are used to purchase in addition to the industry that the company operates in, the long the company is in operation as well as in the event that the company has sufficient cash flow to fund the loan, as well as the general health or financial standing of the company.
What are the fees?
There are no hidden fees for our business loans, and you’ll know exactly how much it is that you need to pay and when, starting from day one. There’s not any compounding interest and there are no additional charges (as as long as you pay your payments on time).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You can apply for a loan with no upfront cost or obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee covers the costs associated with establishing and managing the loan. It is only charged for this cost if you take out the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5% of the amount of loan.
Can I pay out the loan early?
You can repay the entire amount of your loan in full at any time.
If you choose to take this route, please call our helpful business loans professionals. They’ll offer you with repayment details and an early payment figure. This will be calculated as the sum of the principal balance and accrued interest to the time of early payout, plus 1.5 percent of the principal remaining and any outstanding fees.
How do repayments work?
To help you avoid missing payment dates and to align your cash flow cycle we provide repayments either daily or weekly. These are automatically withdrawn from your nominated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
Protecting your information, and knowing how we collect data, process, exchange and ensure the security of your information is of paramount importance and a vital part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We make use of industry-standard encryption protocols to safeguard your sensitive, personal financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to security for our customers and privacy. We employ an exceptionally sophisticated bank verification system that allows you to immediately verify the bank account details online so we can provide rapid response.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when a company owner makes use of an asset that they own to make the loan. The asset can be either an asset belonging to the personal, like the family home or a business asset like a truck or piece of equipment.
The majority of lending institutions, even the largest banks, are inclined to guarantee loans against assets. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan, then the asset might be taken over by the lender. In essence it’s the process of securing new funding using the value of what you already own.
What do I require security for a company loan?
For loans up to $150K there is no requirement for asset security before you are able to access the money However, we require a personal guarantee. require a personal guarantee. As long as you follow the terms of your loan (as stipulated in your loan contract), asset security is not required. For loans of over $150K generally, you are able to get an individual guarantee and security that is in the form an asset charge.