FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Gracefield Small Business Loans
Let me know how you are able to avail the Gracefield Small Business Loans
Gracefield unsecured loans offers amounts 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 this Unsecured Loan different from the traditional business loan?
The application to get this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes online or over the phone, receive an answer within the same day and have the funds available in just 24 hours. Traditional business loans are based on an annual rate of interest plus other fees and charges. The company loan is a cash-based loan therefore you’ll be aware in advance of the total amount payable including the interest, fees and charges. Then, it is broken down into a daily or weekly payment amount.
What could be the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used for almost every company need, such as managing cash flows, business renovations, marketing to purchase inventory or new equipment, as general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal use.
About the Larger Gracefield Business Loans
What is the Larger Gracefield Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in business growth opportunities. Loans range between $100,000 and $500,000 for a fixed period of for up to 36 months. Repayments are either weekly or fortnightly to work with the flow of cash.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is determined at 2.5% of the loan amount.
Do I qualify for the Larger Business Loan?
In order to be eligible for a loan that is this large the business needs to be trading for at least 3 years with an annual turnover of $700K. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) with a minimum age of 18 years old as well as own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at minimum 12 months of business.
What can I use the funds for?
A Larger Business Loan can be used for nearly all business need, including business renovations, purchase of 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 requires security?
Asset security is needed to obtain funding above $150,000. It is usually as a result of an charge over assets and can be registered with the PPSR or registering as a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a promise to pay back a loan that is general in nature, rather than defining security over an asset. The person who signs the ensure is personally liable if the company creditor is unable to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central register run by the New Zealand Government. It records security interests that have been that are registered for personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR grants prioritisation over property that is personal to be assigned depending on the date that a security interest was registered.
Caveats are legal document filed to offer the public notice of a legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
If you’re seeking an enterprise loan that is greater than $250,000 we can offer an initial pre-approval to make the process. It is possible to apply for this without a credit check and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is made based on a preliminary assessment which includes answering a couple of financial well-being questions. This is not an offer or guarantee of credit. A conditional approval is subject an extensive credit evaluation and any offer that you may receive may be based on different conditions.
The application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for a business loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months worth of trade (for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K up to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and simple. Simply complete the online form in few minutes and a dedicated company lending specialist will contact you to guide you through the process.
To apply for up $100,000, you’ll need ID details (valid Driver’s Licence), an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months worth of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll also require:
$100K to $250K: Information about the application including credit approval, 6-12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if credit is over $150K).
$250K-$500K: Details for application including credit consent twelve month bank accounts, the IRD statement, last 2 years finalised financial statements, plus interim financial statements for the current year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables reports.
What speed will I be able to get a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) we typically provide an answer within one hour – as long as you submit your request during standard business timings and allow us to utilise the advanced bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you want to upload copies of your bank statements we can offer the decision in as little as the span of one company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K or more) we may be likely to offer the conditional pre-approval in about 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Some deals have been approved within less than 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply can be make sure you apply during normal business hours and let us use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us documents from your account statements it will take a little longer.
What is the time frame to receive the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K or more) we can often offer a response in one hour – as long as you submit your request in normal business timings and let us utilise the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you choose to submit copies of your bank statements, we are able to provide a decision within 1 business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we might be able to provide you with conditional pre-approval within 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, this can be faster depending on the circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved within 24 hours.
The fastest method would be to ensure you apply during normal business hours and allow us to use the advance bank verification to instantly verify your bank information online. If you send us documents from your account accounts, it takes a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We offer the loan amount between $5,000 to $500,000. If you apply for a specific amount we will consider a number of elements in order to assess how much we can lend you well-being of your business and the extent of payments your business can support. The amount you receive from your loan will depend on the specific circumstances that are unique to your company.
If you apply for a specific amount we consider a variety of factors to determine how much we can lend you such as health of the business and the extent of payments your company can afford. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances the company.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for a business loan?
If you decide to make an application for the business loans, we will assess the risk profile that you have for your business and offer you with a tailored proposal that includes the amount of loan, the term and interest rates. A business loan is a loan that is priced upfront which means you know in advance the total amount payable including any interest rates, fees or charges.
What is the factor that determines the price I am charged?
The interest rates on company loans rates vary due to factors such as the amount that is of money borrowed, the business assets the funds are used to purchase, the industry the company operates in, how long the business has been running, whether the company has sufficient cash flow to cover the loan, and overall health or financial standing of the company.
What are the fees?
There are no hidden costs for our business loans. You’ll know precisely how much you’ll be required to pay and at what time, from day one. There’s no compounding interest, and no additional fees (as long as you are able to make your payments on time).
We do not charge an application fee. You are able to apply for a loan with absolutely no upfront cost and no obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee covers the expenses involved in 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 the loan.
Can I pay off the loan earlier?
You may choose to pay back the entire amount of the advance loan at any time.
If you are deciding to pursue this option, please speak to our friendly company loans experts. We will provide you with repayment details and an early payment figure. It will be calculated using the sum of the principal balance plus any accrued interest as of the time of early payment in addition to 1.5 percent of the principal remaining and any fees that remain unpaid.
What is the process for repayments?
To help you avoid missing payment dates and to align your cash flow cycle we offer repayments either weekly or daily. These are automatically deducted from your designated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
Protecting your information, and making it clear the ways we gather data, process, exchange and protect your information, is of huge importance and is a crucial 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 sensitive, personal financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to security for our clients and security. We use an advanced banking verification system to instantly verify the bank account details online so we can provide an immediate response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when the company owner borrows from an asset they own to get a loan. The asset may be an individual asset, such as the family home, or it could be a business asset such as a truck or other piece of machinery.
The majority of the lenders including the major banks, prefer to make loans secured by an asset. If you have trouble paying back the loan, then the asset could be transferred to the lender. In essence, it’s means of securing new funding taking advantage of the value of what you already own.
Should I require security to get an business loan?
Up to $150K in loans there is no requirement for asset security in advance to gain access to the funds but we do require an individual guarantee. In the event that you fulfill the loan terms (as specified in the loan contract) Asset security will never be needed. If you take out loans in excess of $150,000 typically, you will need a personal guarantee and security is provided in the form of an asset charge.