FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Forest Hill Small Business Loans
Let me know how you are able to avail the Forest Hill Small Business Loans
Forest Hill unsecured loans offers amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000. Terms range from 3 and 24 months, cash flow friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
What is how is the Unsecured Loan different from an traditional company loan?
It is possible to apply to the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes via the internet or over the phone, receive an immediate response, and funds may be on your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans refer to an interest rate per annum as well as other fees and charges. The company loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore 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 a daily or weekly amount to be paid back.
What could you use the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost any business purpose including managing cash flows, business remodeling, marketing, to purchase inventory or new equipment, as general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used for personal purposes.
About larger Forest Hill Business Loans
What is the Larger Forest Hill Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support company expansion opportunities. Loans range between $100,000 and $500,000 with a fixed-term that can last up to 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly, depending on the flow of cash.
How is the Origination Fee determined?
It is crucial 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?
To be eligible for a credit of this size the business needs to have been operating for at least three years and generate an annual revenue of $700,000. It is necessary to be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) with a minimum age of 18 years old or have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able of proving at minimum 12 months of business.
How can the funding be utilised?
A large business loan can be used to fund almost all business purpose including business improvements, purchasing inventory or new equipment for general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that requires security?
Asset security is necessary to obtain funding above $150,000. This is by taking a charge against assets, which could also be registered in the PPSR or filing a caveat.
A director’s or personal ensure is a guarantee to repay a loan which is general in nature, rather than specifying the security for a particular asset. The person signing the guarantee is personally liable in the event that the company borrower is unable 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 lists security interests that are which are registered with respect to personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR allows prioritisation over property that is personal to be granted depending on the date that a security interest that is registered.
The caveat can be described as a formal form of document to offer the public notice of a legal claim on a property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
When you’re applying for a Larger Business Loan of more than $250K it is possible to offer an initial pre-approval in order to ease the process. We may be able to make this decision without credit checks and within six hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is made based on an initial evaluation that involves you answering a few financial well-being checks. It is not an offer of credit or guarantee of funds. Acceptance without condition is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you are offered could be subject to different conditions.
The application process
Are I eligible for funding?
You can apply for an company loan if you
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over 18 years, have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months’ worth of transactions (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is quick and easy. Just fill out the online application in few minutes and a dedicated business credit specialist will contact you to guide you through the process.
To apply for up to $100,000 you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s Licence) and an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K – $250K: Details of application, including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K-$500K: Application details including credit consent, 12 months bank statement, an IRD statements as well as the two most recent years’ financial statements, in addition to interim financials for the current financial year including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables summaries.
What speed will I be able to get an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K and up) we can often offer an answer within an hour, provided you make your application in standard company hours and you allow us to use the advanced bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you opt to send us copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide a decision within just the span of one business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K and up) we could be capable of provide you with a conditional pre-approval within about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval document, you will need to wait about 2-3 days for final approval. However, this can be quicker based on the specifics of each application. Some agreements have been approved within less than 24 hours.
The most efficient method would be to ensure you apply during standard business hours and let us use the modern bank verification link to verify your bank information online. If you decide to send us documents from your account statements , it can take a bit longer.
How quickly will I receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we typically offer an answer within an hour – as long as you make your application during standard business timings and allow us to use the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to upload copies of your bank statements we can offer the decision in as little as 1 business day.
For the Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) we could be likely to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed your pre-approval, the turnaround time is approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the specifics of each application. Some offers have been approved within just 24 hours.
The most effective method can be make sure you apply during standard business hours. You can also permit us to use the advance bank verification link to check your bank’s information online. If you opt to send us the copies of bank statements it takes a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We offer loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a certain amount we take into consideration a range of variables in order to assess the well-being that is your business as well as the amount of payments your business is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will depend on the particular circumstances of your company.
If you apply for a set amount, we take into consideration a variety of elements to assess your health of your company and the level of repayments that your company can support. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the specific circumstances for your company.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for a company loan?
When you make an application for business loans with us company credit, we will assess the risk assessment that you have for your company and offer an individualised proposal that includes loan amount, term and interest rates. A business loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore you will know in advance the total amount due, which includes any charges or interest.
What is the basis for the rate I pay?
Interest rates for company loans rates depend on several variables like the amount to be borrowed, the company assets the money are used to purchase as well as the field the company operates in, the long the business is in operation as well as what percentage of the company has sufficient cash flow to fund the loan, as well as the overall health as well as creditworthiness business.
What are the fees?
There are no hidden fees with our business loans. You’ll know exactly how much you need to pay, and at what time, from the day you sign up. There’s no compounding interest and no extra fees (as long as you are able to make your payments on time).
We don’t charge an application fee. You are able to apply for a loan with no cost upfront or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee covers the expenses involved with establishing and managing the loan. It is only charged for this cost if you take out the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5 percent of the amount of loan.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan early?
You can decide to repay all of your loan in full at any time.
If you do decide to pursue this option, please contact our helpful company loans professionals. We will provide you with the details of your repayment along with an early payout estimate. It will be calculated using the total of the principal balance and the accrued interest up to the time of the early payout plus 1.5 percent of the remaining principal plus any outstanding fees.
What is the process for repayments?
To ensure that you don’t miss payments and to work your cash flow schedule, we offer repayments that are either daily or weekly. They are automatically deducted from the nominated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be secure?
Protecting your information, and being transparent about the ways we gather, use, exchange and protect your information, is of huge 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 techniques to protect your personal, sensitive and financial data and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our dedication to protecting the security of clients and privacy. We employ a highly sophisticated banking verification system to immediately confirm your bank account information online so we can offer quick responses.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when a company owner uses assets they own to get the loan. The asset may be an asset belonging to the personal, like the family home, or it could be a company asset such as a vehicle or other piece of machinery.
The vast majority of lending institutions, not just the largest banks, are inclined to make loans secured by an asset. If you have trouble paying back the loan then your asset may be sold by the lender. In essence it’s the process of securing new funding using the worth of the asset you already own.
What do I need security to get a company loan?
Up to $150,000 in loans the requirement for asset security is not required upfront to access the money however, we do require a personal guarantee. If you adhere to your loan obligations (as detailed in your loan contract) Asset security will never be required. For loans of over $150,000 generally, you are able to get the option of a personal guarantee and security in the form of a charge over assets.