FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Waterways Small Business Loans
Tell me more about Waterways Small Business Loans
Waterways unsecured loans provides amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000, with terms ranging from 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow-friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
How is what makes the Unsecured Loan different from an ordinary company loan?
Apply to your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes via the internet or by phone. You will receive an instant response and the money could be available in just 24 hours. Traditional business loans are based on an annual interest rate along with other charges and fees. The business loan is a loan that is priced upfront and you’ll be aware of the total amount payable including any fees, charges or charges. Then, it is broken down into a daily or weekly amount to be paid back.
What could you use the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for virtually every company need, such as control of cash flow business remodels and marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, to fund general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
About larger Waterways Business Loans
What is the Larger Waterways Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in business growth opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 over a fixed term with a maximum of 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly, depending on your cash flow.
How is the Origination Fee determined?
A Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, determined at 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a credit in this amount, your business needs to be trading for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of $700K. The applicant must also be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to demonstrate at least 12 months of trading.
What can I use the funding for?
A large business loan can be used to fund almost all business reason, such as company remodeling, buying equipment or inventory as well as for general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that requires security?
Asset security is required to access funding over $150,000. This is by way of charge against assets and can include the registration of this with the PPSR or filing as a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a commitment to pay back a loan that is general in nature, rather than specifying security over an asset. The person who signs the guarantee is personally accountable if the business creditor is unable to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central registry run by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests which are registered with respect to personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR gives priority over personal property to be assigned according to the date a security interest has been registered.
Caveats are legal form of document to provide the legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval that does not require Credit Check?
If you’re seeking an enterprise loan of more than $250K we may be able to provide a preliminary pre-approval to help ease the process. We might be able to make this decision without a credit check, and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is made based on a preliminary assessment which includes the answer to a series of financial health checks. This is not an offer of credit or guarantee of finance. The approval of a conditional loan is subject to an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer that you may receive may be subject to different terms.
The application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You may apply for a business 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)
- you must prove at least 6 months of business (for a unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and simple. Just complete the online application in few minutes and an experienced company lending specialist will contact you to help you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000, you’ll require the right identification documents (valid Driver’s Licence) as well as a valid NZBN/IRD as well as at least six months of bank statements.
Otherwise, for larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K-$250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K to $500K: Information on the application including credit consent and 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financials from the current financial year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables Summary.
How quickly will I receive an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) we can often provide an answer in just one hour if you submit your request during quality company hours and let us use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you choose to send us copies of your bank statement, we’ll offer an answer in just the span of one business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K to $500K) we could be able to provide you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the circumstances of each application. Certain agreements have been approved within less than 24 hours.
The fastest way is to ensure you apply during normal company hours. Also, allow us to use the advance bank verification to verify your bank account information online. If you upload duplicates of your banking statement, it may take a bit longer.
How fast will I get the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we can often offer an answer within one hour if you make your application at standard business hours and you allow us to use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank details online. If you choose to submit copies of your bank statements, we are able to offer an answer within 1 business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we could be in a position to offer you with conditional pre-approval within about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take between 2 and 3 days for the final approval. However, it could be faster based on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain deals have been approved in just 24 hours.
The fastest way for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard business hours, and allow us to use our sophisticated bank verification to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us the copies of bank statement, it takes a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We provide loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount, we will consider a number of aspects for determining your health of your business and the amount of repayments your business is able to afford. The amount you receive from your loan will depend on the particular circumstances the company.
If you apply for a certain amount, we look at a range of elements to assess how much we can lend you such as well-being of your company and the extent of repayments that your business can support. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the particulars of your business.
Fees & repayments
How much do you charge for the cost of a company loan?
When you apply for our business credit, we will assess the risk profile the business and offer you with a customised offer including the loan amount, the terms and interest rates. A company loan is an upfront priced loan therefore you will be aware in advance of the total amount due, which includes any charges, interest rates or fees.
What determines the amount I’m charged?
Interest rates for company loans rates depend on several factors such as the amount that is of money borrowed, the business assets the money are used to purchase in addition to the industry that the business is in, how long the business has been operating for, what percentage of the business has sufficient cash flow to pay for the loan, and the overall health or financial standing of the company.
What are the charges?
There are no hidden fees with our company loans, and you’ll know exactly how much 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 as long as you pay your payments on time).
We do not charge an application fee. You can apply for a loan with absolutely no upfront cost and no obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee covers the costs associated in 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 percentage of the loan amount.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan early?
You can repay the entire amount of the advance loan at any time.
If you choose to pursue this option, please talk to one of our helpful business loan professionals. We will offer you with details for repayment as well as an early payout amount. It will be calculated using the total of the principal balance and the accrued interest up to the time of early payout plus 1.5 percent of the principal remaining and any fees that remain unpaid.
What is the process for repayments?
To make sure that you don’t miss payments and to work with your cash flow standard, we provide payments that are either daily or weekly. These are automatically withdrawn from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
The security of your personal information, as well as being clear about the ways we gather information, use it, and exchange it, as well as secure your information, is vital and a vital element of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption standards to secure your personal, sensitive financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our dedication to the security of our clients as well as their security. We use an advanced bank verification system to instantly confirm your bank account information online. This allows us to provide a fast response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
An asset-based loan is when the company owner uses assets they own to make the funding. The asset can be an individual property, such as the family home, or a business asset such as a truck or piece of equipment.
The majority of the lenders not just the banks with the biggest size, prefer to secure loans against assets. If you have trouble paying back the loan, the asset might be taken over by the lender. In essence it is the process of securing new financing taking advantage of the value of what you already own.
Do I need security to get a company loan?
For loans that exceed $150K, no asset security is required in advance to gain access to the funds, however we require a personal guarantee. need a personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as stipulated in the loan contract) the security of assets is not required. For loans that exceed $150K, generally, you are able to get personal ensure and security is provided in the form of a charge over assets.