FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Information About The Russell Lea Small Business Loans
Tell me what you think of the Russell Lea Small Business Loans
Russell Lea unsecured loans provides amounts between $5,000 and $100,000. Terms range from 3 and 24 months and cash flow-friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
What makes the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional company loan?
The application to the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or by phone. You will receive an answer within the same day and funds may be on your account within 24 hours. Traditional business loans are based on an interest rate per annum as well as other fees and charges. Our company loan is a pre-paid loan therefore you’ll know in advance the total amount to be paid, including any interest, fees or charges. Then, it is divided into weekly or daily amount to be paid back.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost every business need, such as the management of cash flow, business remodeling, marketing to purchase inventory, new equipment, or as general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
About Larger Russell Lea Business Loans
What is the Larger Russell Lea Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in company growth opportunities. Loans are between $100,000 and $500,000 with a fixed-term for up to 36 months. Repayments are either weekly or fortnightly, depending on you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
It is important to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, determined at 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To qualify for a loan of this size, your company needs to be in operation for at least 3 years, and have an annual income of $700K. The applicant must also be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) with a minimum age of 18 years old or have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to demonstrate at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
What can the funding be used for?
A large company loan can be used to fund almost any business reason, such as company remodeling, buying new equipment or inventory, as general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is required to access funding over $150,000. It is usually in the form of a charge on assets and can include registering this through the PPSR or filing a caveat.
A director’s or personal ensure is a guarantee to pay off a credit line that is generally in nature rather than stating security over an asset. The person signing the ensure is personally liable in the event that the company lender is not able to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register that is operated by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests registered in respect of personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR grants the priority of personal property granted in accordance with the date on which a security interest was registered.
An affidavit is an official document filed to offer notice of a legal claim to property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
If you’re seeking an enterprise loan of more than $250,000, we may offer an initial pre-approval that will help smooth out the process. We may be able to get this done without a credit verification and within 6 hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on an initial assessment that includes you answering a few financial well-being checks. It’s neither an offer nor a guarantee of credit. Unconditional approval is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you receive could be on different conditions.
Application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You can apply for a company loan if you
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over the age of 18 and own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months’ worth of transactions (for for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K up to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and easy. Just complete the online application in few minutes and a dedicated business expert in lending will call you to guide you through the process.
For a loan of up to $100,000, you’ll need ID details (valid Driver’s Licence), an active NZBN/IRD, and at least 6 months of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K to $250K: Application requirements, including credit approval, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if credit is over $150K).
$250K-$500K: Details for application including credit consent twelve month bank accounts, the IRD statements, last 2 years finalised financial statements, plus interim financials for the current financial year including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables reports.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K and up) we typically offer an answer in just one hour – as long as you submit your request at quality company timings and you allow us to use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statements we can offer a decision within just an business day.
If you are applying for a Larger Business Loan ($100K or more) we may be capable of provide you with a conditional pre-approval within six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are around 2-3 days for final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the specifics of each application. Certain transactions have received approval in 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply for you to apply is make sure you apply during normal business hours. You can also permit us to use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you opt to upload copies of your bank statements it may take a bit longer.
How soon will I receive the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we can often provide an answer in just one hour if you make your application at standard business time and permit us to make use of the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you decide to submit copies of your bank statements, we are able to offer a decision in as little as an business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we might be able to provide you with conditional pre-approval in around six hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval document, you will require to wait approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, it could be faster based on the specifics of each application. Certain offers have been approved in the space of 24 hours.
The fastest method would be to make sure you apply during standard business hours, and permit us to use the modern bank verification to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you choose to upload documents from your account statement, it will take a little longer.
What is the maximum amount I can borrow?
We provide loan amounts between $5,000 to $500,000. If you apply for a particular amount, we consider a variety of aspects in order to assess what is the well-being that is your business as well as the amount of repayments your business is able to afford. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances that are unique to your business.
When you submit an application for a particular amount, we consider a variety of elements to assess the well-being of the business and the amount of payments your company can support. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the particular circumstances for your company.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for a business loan?
If you decide to make an application for our company financing, we’ll assess the risk assessment the business and provide you with a customised offer, including the amount of loan, the term and interest rates. The company loan is an upfront priced loan therefore you will be aware of the total amount payable including any costs, fees, or interest rates.
What is the basis for the rate I’m charged?
The interest rates on business loans rates depend on several factors like the amount of money that is borrowed, what business assets the money are used to purchase in addition to the industry that the company is in, how long the business has been operating as well as what percentage of the business has sufficient cash flow to support the loan, as well as the overall well-being and creditworthiness of the business.
What are the cost?
There are no hidden costs for our company loans, and you’ll be aware of the amount it is that you be required to pay and when, from day one. There’s no compounding interest, and the loan comes with no additional fees (as long as you make your payments punctually).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You are able to get a cash loan with without any upfront costs or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with establishing and managing the loan. The only way to pay this fee if you proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percent of the amount of loan.
Can I pay off the loan early?
You can choose to repay the entire amount of your loan early at any time.
If you decide to pursue this option, please talk to one of our helpful company loans specialists. They’ll offer you with details on repayment and an early payment figure. The figure will be calculated as the total of the remaining principal amount and the accrued interest up to the time of the early payout, plus 1.5% of the principal remaining as well as any outstanding fees.
What are the repayment methods?
In order to help you avoid missing repayments and to fit in your cash flow cycle we provide payments that are either weekly or daily. They are automatically deducted from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
The security of your personal information, as well as being transparent about the ways we gather information, use it, and exchange it, as well as ensure the security of your information is of huge importance and a vital element of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We utilise industry-recognised encryption standards to protect your sensitive, personal financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to protecting the security of customers and security. We use an advanced bank verification system that allows you to instantly verify the bank account details online so we can offer an immediate response.
About business loans
What exactly is an asset-based loan (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when an company owner borrows from an asset that they own to make the funding. The asset could be an asset belonging to the personal, like the family home or it could be a business asset such as a vehicle or piece of equipment.
The vast majority of lending institutions, even the major banks, prefer to make loans secured by assets. If you have trouble paying back the loan then the asset could be taken over by the lender. In essence it is a way of securing new funding making use of the value of what you already have.
What do I require security to get a business loan?
For loans of up to $150K, no asset security is required prior to the loan’s access, however we do require a personal guarantee. So long as you comply with the terms of your loan (as detailed in your loan contract) and you are able to meet your obligations, asset security is not needed. For loans that exceed $150K, typically, you will need a personal ensure and security is provided in the form of a charge over assets.