FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Ashgrove Small Business Loans
Tell me about the Ashgrove Small Business Loans
Ashgrove unsecured loans offers amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
What is what makes the Unsecured Loan different from an ordinary company loan?
It is imaginable to apply for the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or by phone. You will receive a same day response and funds may be on your account within 24 hours. Traditional business loans refer to an interest rate per annum plus other fees and charges. The business loan is a pre-paid loan therefore you’ll be aware of the total amount to be paid, including any fees, interest or charges. Then, it is broken down into either weekly or daily payment amount.
What could be the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for nearly every company purpose including managing cash flows, business renovations, 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 Ashgrove Business Loans
What is the Larger Ashgrove Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help business expansion opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 for a fixed period of with a maximum of 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly, depending on your situation.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
A Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, determined at 2.5% of the loan amount.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan in this amount the company needs to be 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 or have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able of proving at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
How can the funding be used for?
A larger business loan can be used to fund almost every business need, including business remodeling, buying inventory or new equipment for general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed to obtain funding above $150,000. This can be done by taking a charge over assets, and could include registration with the PPSR or filing a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a commitment to repay credit that is general in nature rather than stipulating security over an asset. The person who signs the ensure is personally accountable if the business lender is not able to re-pay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central registry run by the New Zealand Government. It contains security interests granted to individuals who own personal property (including items or assets). The PPSR grants the priority of personal property assigned depending on the date that a security interest was registered.
A caveat is a legal document that is filed to offer the legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval that does not require Credit Check?
When you’re applying for an enterprise loan of more than $250K we can offer a preliminary pre-approval to help smooth out the process. It is possible to make this decision without a credit check, and within six hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on an initial evaluation that involves the answer to a series of financial well-being questions. It is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of finance. Acceptance without condition is subject to an extensive credit evaluation and any offer that you may receive may have different terms.
Application process
Can I be eligible for funding?
You can apply for a 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)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months of trading (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K to $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and easy. Simply complete the online form within a couple minutes, and a dedicated business credit specialist will call you to assist you.
To apply for up $100,000, you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s Licence) along with a valid NZBN/IRD and at least six months worth of bank statements.
Otherwise, for larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K-$250K: Details of application, including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if loan above $150K).
$250K – $500K: Information on the application including credit consent, 12 months of bank statements, IRD statements as well as the two most recent years’ financial statements, plus interim financials for the current financial year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables summaries.
How soon will I hear a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) we can often provide an answer within an hour – as long as you make your application within quality company timings and let us use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank details online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statements we can provide the decision within 1 business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) we may be likely to provide the conditional pre-approval in about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this can be quicker based on the specifics of each application. Some deals have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply for you to apply is ensure you apply during normal business hours. Also, allow us to use the advanced bank verification system to verify your bank account information online. If you opt to upload duplicates of your banking statement, it may take a bit longer.
How quickly will I receive the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we usually provide an answer within an hour, provided you make your application within normal business time and allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you decide to upload copies of your banking statements, we are able to provide the decision in just an business day.
For the Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we may be likely to provide you with a conditional pre-approval within about 6 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 can be faster depending on the specifics of each application. Some deals have been approved in the space of 24 hours.
The quickest method is to ensure you apply during standard business hours, and allow us to use our advance bank verification to instantly confirm your bank details online. If you choose to send us the copies of bank statements, it can take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We offer loans that range from $5,000 to $500,000. When you make an application for a specific amount we will consider a number of aspects in order to assess how much we can lend you well-being of the company as well as the amount of repayments your company is able to afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the specifics that are unique to your business.
When you make an application for a specific amount we consider a variety of factors to determine how much we can lend you such as well-being that is your company and the extent of the repayments your business is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will be determined by the specifics the business.
Fees & repayments
How much do you charge for an business loan?
If you decide to apply for one of our business credit, we will assess the risk profile of your company and provide you with a tailored offer that includes loan amount, term and the interest rates. This business loan is an upfront priced loan so you will know in advance the total amount to be paid, including any interest rates, fees or charges.
What is the basis for the rate I pay?
Interest rates for business loans rates vary due to factors such as the amount that is borrowed, the company assets the money will be used for and the sector the company operates in, the long the business is in operation for, in the event that the company has enough cash flow to fund the loan, and also the general well-being and creditworthiness of the company.
What are the fees?
There aren’t any hidden charges for our company loans, and you’ll be aware of the amount you’ll need to pay, and when, starting from day one. There’s no compounding and no additional fees (as as you make your payments on time).
We don’t charge an application fee. You can get a cash loan with no upfront cost or the obligation to take action.
The Origination Fee covers the expenses involved in establishing and managing the loan. It is only charged for this fee if you decide to take the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Can I pay out the loan in advance?
You can choose to repay the entire amount of your advance loan at any time.
If you are deciding to take this route, please speak to our friendly company lending professionals. They will offer you with the details of your repayment along with an early payout estimate. The figure will be calculated as the sum of the principal remaining plus any accrued interest as of the time of early payment in addition to 1.5 percent of the remaining principal plus any outstanding fees.
How do you make repayments work?
To make sure you do not miss repayments and to fit in your cash flow cycle we provide repayments either weekly or daily. These are automatically deducted from your nominated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
Security of your data, and making it clear the ways we gather, use, exchange and secure your information, is crucial and an integral part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We employ industry-recognised encryption standards to protect your personal, sensitive financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to customer security and privacy. We use an advanced bank verification system to instantly confirm your bank account information online, allowing us to offer a fast response.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where the business owner uses assets they own to obtain the loan. The asset may be a personal asset like the family home, or an company asset such as a truck or piece or equipment.
The majority of lenders, not just the largest banks, are inclined to guarantee loans against an asset. If you have trouble paying back the loan then your assets could be sold by the lender. In essence it is means of securing additional financing using the worth of the asset you already have.
Should I require security for an business loan?
For loans that exceed $150K, it is not necessary to secure assets prior to the loan’s access however, we do need an individual guarantee. So long as you comply with your loan obligations (as specified in your loan contract document) the security of assets is not needed. If you take out loans in excess of $150K generally, there is personal guarantee and security in the form of charges on assets.