FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The St Johns Small Business Loans
Tell me more about St Johns Small Business Loans
St Johns unsecured loans offers the range of $5,000 to $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
How is the Unsecured Loan different from an traditional company loan?
Apply to get the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes online or over the phone, receive an instant response and have the funds in your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans are based on an interest rate per annum along with other charges and fees. This company loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore you’ll know in advance the amount you will have to pay, including any interest, fees or charges. This is then broken down into either weekly or daily payment amount.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost any business reason, such as the management of cash flow, company renovations, marketing to purchase inventory or new equipment, as general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
About larger St Johns Business Loans
What is the Larger St Johns Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size of loan that can be used to fund business expansion opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 for a fixed period of that can last up to 36 months. Repayments are either weekly or fortnightly depending on your situation.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, calculated at 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan of this size, your company needs to be operating for at least three years and have an annual turnover of $700,000. It is necessary to be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) at least 18 years old and have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able of proving at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
What can I use the funding for?
A Larger Business Loan can be used for almost any business use, including company remodeling, buying inventory or new equipment or as general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed to access funding over $150,000. It is usually in the form of a charge over assets, which could also include the registration of this in the PPSR or filing as a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a guarantee to pay off a credit line that is generally in nature rather than defining the security for a particular asset. The person who is signing the ensure is personally accountable if the business the borrower fails to re-pay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register run by the New Zealand Government. It records security interests that have been which are registered with respect to personal property (including items or assets). The PPSR allows the priority of personal property assigned depending on the date that a security interest was registered.
An affidavit is an official document lodged to provide the public notice of a legal claim to a property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
When you’re applying for the Larger Business Loan that is greater than $250,000 we can offer an initial pre-approval that will help smooth out the process. It is possible to apply for this without a credit check, and within six hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on an initial assessment, which involves you answering some financial health checks. It’s not an offer or guarantee of credit. Acceptance without condition is subject to a full credit assessment and any offer that you are offered could be subject to different conditions.
The application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for a business loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over 18 years, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months of business (for a unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is quick and easy. Simply complete the online form in just a few minutes, and a dedicated company credit specialist will be in touch to guide you through the process.
To apply for up to $100,000, you’ll require ID details (valid Driver’s License) as well as an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months worth of bank statements.
If you’re looking for loans with larger sizes, you’ll also require:
$100K – $250K: Application requirements, including credit approval, 6-12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if you have a loan of more than $150K).
$250K-$500K: Details of the application, including credit consent as well as 12 month bank accounts, the IRD statements and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, plus interim current financial year financials including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables summaries.
How quickly will I receive an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) We can usually offer an answer within one hour, provided you make your application in standard business times and let us make use of the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank details online. If you decide to send us copies of your bank statements , we are able to provide an answer in as little as 1 business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K or more) we may be capable of provide you with a conditional pre-approval in around 6 hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval, the turnaround time is around 2-3 days for final approval, however it could be faster based upon the circumstances for each application. Certain agreements have been approved within the space of 24 hours.
The quickest method is to make sure you apply during normal company hours, and allow us to use the advanced bank verification system link to check your bank’s information online. If you opt to send us copies of your bank statements it will take a little longer.
How fast will I get the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually provide an answer within one hour, provided you apply during standard business hours and permit us to use the bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you decide to submit copies of your bank statements, we will be able to offer the decision within an business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) we may be capable of offer the conditional pre-approval in about 6 hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Certain deals have been approved within just 24 hours.
The fastest method can be make sure you apply during standard business hours and let us use the advance bank verification to check your bank’s information online. If you upload documents from your account accounts, it takes a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We offer loans ranging from $5,000 to $500,000. If you apply for a certain amount, we consider a variety of elements in order to assess the well-being that is your business and the level of the repayments your company will be able to support. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the particular circumstances that are unique to your business.
When you make an application for a specific amount we take into consideration a variety of aspects to determine the well-being of the business and the extent of repayments your company will be able to support. The amount you receive from your loan will be determined by the specific circumstances for your company.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for a company loan?
When you apply for one of our company loans, we’ll assess the risk profile that you have for your business and offer an individualised offer including the loan amount, the terms and interest rates. A company loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore you will be aware in advance of the total amount due, which includes any interest rates, fees or charges.
What is the basis for the rate I pay?
Business loan interest rates depend on several factors like the amount of money borrowed, what company assets the money will be used for, the industry the company operates in, how long the business has been operating and in the event that the company has sufficient cash flow to pay for the loan, and the general health and creditworthiness of the business.
What are the charges?
There are no hidden costs for our company loans. You’ll know precisely what it is that you be required to pay and when, starting from the first day. There’s not any compounding interest and no extra fees (as long as you are able to make your payments in time).
We do not charge an application fee. You can get a cash loan with no upfront cost or any obligation to sign up.
The Origination Fee covers the expenses involved with setting up and managing the loan. You are only charged this fee if you choose to proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan in advance?
You may choose to pay back the total amount of your loan in full at any time.
If you choose to take this route, please speak to our friendly business loan professionals. We will offer you with details for repayment and an early payout figure. The figure will be calculated as the total of the principal balance and any accrued interest at the time of the early payout plus 1.5% of the principal balance plus any outstanding fees.
How do repayments work?
To ensure that you don’t miss payments and to work with your cash flow cycle we offer repayments either weekly or daily. They are automatically deducted from your nominated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be secure?
Protecting your information, and knowing the ways we gather information, use it, and exchange it, as well as secure your information, is of huge importance and an integral part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption standards to secure your personal, sensitive and financial data and our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our dedication to the security of our customers as well as their privacy. We make use of an advanced bank verification system that allows you to instantly verify your bank account details online, allowing us to offer rapid response.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
An asset-based loan is when a business owner makes use of an asset that they own to get the funding. The asset may be an individual asset, such as the family home or an business property like a truck or piece of equipment.
The vast majority of the lenders including the big banks, tend to secure loans against an asset. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan then your assets could be taken over by the lender. In essence, it’s a way of securing new funding making use of the value of what you already have.
Do I require security to secure a company loan?
For loans up to $150,000 the requirement for asset security is not required in advance to gain access to the funds However, we require a personal guarantee. require a personal guarantee. So long as you comply with the terms of your loan (as stated in your loan contract document) and you are able to meet your obligations, asset security is not needed. For loans of over $150K generally there is the option of a personal ensure and security is provided in the form of a charge over assets.