FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Houghton Small Business Loans
Tell me how you can avail the Houghton Small Business Loans
Houghton unsecured loans offers amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000, with terms ranging from 3 and 24 months and cash flow-friendly repayments which can be made daily or weekly.
What makes this Unsecured Loan different from the traditional company loan?
The application to get this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes via the internet or over the phone, receive an instant response and funds may be available in just 24 hours. Traditional business loans reference an annual rate of interest along with other charges and fees. This company loan is a cash-based loan and you’ll be aware in advance of the amount you will have to pay, including the interest, fees and charges. Then, it is divided into weekly or daily repayment figure.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for nearly any company purpose including control of cash flow company remodels and marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, to fund general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal purposes.
Concerning Larger Houghton Business Loans
What is the Larger Houghton Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in business expansion opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a term fixed up to 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly, depending on you cashflow.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
It is important to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee that is determined at 2.5 percent of the loan amount.
Do I qualify for the Larger Business Loan?
In order to be eligible for a loan that is this large, your business needs to have been operating for a minimum of 3 years and have an annual turnover of $700K. The applicant must also be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at minimum 12 months of business.
How can the funds be utilised?
A Larger Business Loan can be used to fund almost all business use, including company improvements, purchasing inventory or new equipment or as general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal use.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is required for accessing funds over $150,000. It’s as a result of an charge on assets, and may include the registration of this with the PPSR or the registration of a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a promise to pay back a loan that is general in nature rather than specifying the security for a particular asset. The person signing the guarantee is personally responsible if the business the borrower fails to repay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central register operated by the New Zealand Government. It records security interests that have been registered in respect of personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR allows priority over personal property to be granted depending on the date that a security interest that is registered.
The caveat can be described as a formal document filed to offer notice of a legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
If you’re seeking an enterprise loan that is greater than $250,000 it is possible to offer an initial pre-approval in order to smooth out the process. It is possible to get this done without a credit check and within six hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on a preliminary assessment which includes the answer to a series of financial well-being checks. This is neither an offer nor a guarantee of funds. Unconditional approval is subject to a full credit assessment and any offer that you may receive may have different conditions.
Application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You are eligible to apply for a business loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over the age of 18 and have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months’ worth of transactions (for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and easy. Complete the online form within a few minutes and a dedicated business loan specialist will be in touch to guide you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000, you’ll require identification details (valid Driver’s License) along with an active NZBN/IRD, and at least 6 months of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll also require:
$100K to $250K: Application details including credit approval, 6-12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if credit is over $150K).
$250K-$500K: Details for application including credit consent, 12 months bank statement, an IRD statements and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financials for the current financial year including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables summary.
How fast will I get a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) we typically offer a response in one hour – as long as you apply within quality company times and let us make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us copies of your bank statements , we are able to offer the decision within just 1 business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we could be able to provide you with a conditional pre-approval in about six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval document, you will need to wait between 2 and 3 days for the final approval. However, this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Some deals have been approved in just 24 hours.
The most effective method for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard business hours and let us use the advance bank verification to instantly verify your bank information online. If you upload the copies of bank statements it will take a little longer.
What is the time frame to receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) We can usually offer a response in one hour, provided you make your application at normal business times and you allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank details online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statements, we are able to offer a decision in just one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we could be capable of provide you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about 6 hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval document, you will require to wait around 2-3 days for final approval. However, this could be shorter based on the circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved within the space of 24 hours.
The fastest method for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard business hours. Also, allow us to use the modern bank verification to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you upload the copies of bank statements, it may take a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We provide loans that range from $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a certain amount, we consider a variety of aspects to determine what is the health of the business and the level of payments your business can afford. The total amount of your loan will depend on the specific circumstances that are unique to your company.
When you apply for a certain amount, we will consider a number of variables to assess the health for your business and the extent of repayments your company can support. The total amount of your loan will be determined by the particulars for your business.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for a business loan?
When you apply for the company loans, we’ll assess the risk assessment the business and provide you with a customised offer that includes the amount of loan, the term and interest rates. The company loan is an upfront cost loan which means you know in advance the total amount to be paid, including any charges, interest rates or fees.
What is the factor that determines the price I am charged?
The interest rates on business loans rates depend on a variety of factors like the amount of money borrowed, the business assets the funds are used to purchase, the industry the company operates in, the long the business has been running as well as in the event that the company has enough cash flow to fund the loan, and the general well-being or creditworthiness of the business.
What are the fees?
There aren’t any hidden costs for our company loans. You’ll know exactly how much you’ll need to pay, and when, from the day you sign up. There’s no compounding interest, and the loan comes with no additional fees (as as you make your payments on time).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You can apply for a loan no cost upfront or any obligation to sign up.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with the setting up and management of the loan. It is only charged for this fee if you choose to proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Can I pay out 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 contact our helpful business loans experts. They will offer you with details for repayment as well as an early payout amount. This will be calculated as the sum of the principal balance and the accrued interest up to the time of the early payout in addition to 1.5% of the principal balance and any fees that remain unpaid.
How do you make repayments work?
To make sure you do not miss payments and to work with your cash flow general, we provide repayments either daily or weekly. These are automatically deducted from the nominated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be secure?
Protecting your information, and making it clear how we collect data, process, exchange and protect your information, is of huge importance and is an essential part of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We utilise industry-recognised encryption protocols to safeguard your personal, sensitive financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our dedication to security for our customers and security. We make use of an advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online to provide an immediate response.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when the company owner uses an asset they own to make the funding. The asset may be an individual property, such as the family home, or a company property like a truck or other piece of machinery.
The vast majority of the lenders even the major banks, prefer to make loans secured by assets. If you’re having trouble paying back the loan, then your asset may be taken over by the lender. In essence it is a way of securing additional financing using the worth of the asset you already own.
Are I require security for an business loan?
For loans of up to $150K, it is not necessary to secure assets in advance to gain access to the funds but we do require a personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as stated in your loan contract) Asset security will never be required. If you take out loans in excess of $150K typically, you will need an individual guarantee and security in the form a charge over assets.