FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Information About The St Marys Small Business Loans
Let me know what you think of the St Marys Small Business Loans
St Marys unsecured loans offers the range of $5,000 to $100,000. The terms range between 3 and 24 month and cash flow-friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
How is the Unsecured Loan different from an ordinary business loan?
You can apply for this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes online or on the phone. You’ll receive an answer within the same day and funds may be available in just 24 hours. Traditional company loans reference an annual rate of interest together with additional fees and charges. The company loan is an upfront priced loan and you’ll be aware in advance of the amount you will have to pay, including any fees, interest or charges. This is then divided into weekly or daily installment amount.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for almost any business need, such as managing cash flows, business remodeling, marketing to purchase inventory, new equipment, to fund general working capital and much more. The loan is not available to fund personal expenses.
About larger St Marys Business Loans
What is the Larger St Marys Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in company expansion opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 over a fixed term up to 36 months. Repayments are either weekly or fortnightly depending on your situation.
How’s the Origination Fee determined?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is determined at 2.5 percent of the loan amount.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan that is this large the company needs to have been operating for a minimum of 3 years and have an annual turnover of $700,000. The applicant must also be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) with a minimum age of 18 years old, own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to demonstrate at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
What can the funds be used for?
A larger business loan is a great option for almost every company purpose including business remodeling, buying new equipment or inventory as well as for general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal use.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed for funding of more than $150,000. It’s by way of charge against assets, and could be registered through the PPSR or registering a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a commitment to pay off a credit line that is general in nature rather than defining the security for a particular asset. The person who is signing the guarantee is personally responsible if the business the borrower fails to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online registry run by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests that are registered for personal property (including items or assets). The PPSR grants preference over private property assigned according to the date a security interest has been registered.
The caveat can be described as a formal document that is filed to provide notice of a legal claim against a property.
What is a pre-approval that does not require Credit Check?
When you’re applying for an enterprise loan that is greater than $250,000 we can offer a preliminary pre-approval to help simplify the process. We may be able to apply for this without a credit verification and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on an initial assessment, which involves answering a couple of financial health checks. It’s neither an offer nor a guarantee of financing. Unconditional approval is subject to an extensive credit evaluation and any offer you are offered could have different conditions.
The application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for a company loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- must show at least six months of business (for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is fast and easy. Simply complete the online form in few minutes and an experienced business lending specialist will be in touch to assist you.
For a loan of up to $100,000 you’ll need identification details (valid Driver’s License) along with a valid NZBN/IRD as well as at least 6 months’ worth of bank statements.
Otherwise, for larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K – $250K: Application details including credit approval, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if credit is over $150K).
$250K – $500K: Application details including credit consent twelve months of bank records, IRD statements as well as the two most recent years’ financial statements, and interim financial statements for the current year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables summaries.
How soon will I hear a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) we typically provide an answer in just one hour – as long as you make your application at quality business timings and let us utilise the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you decide to upload copies of your bank statements we can offer a decision within just 1 company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K and up) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval within about six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take about 2-3 days for final approval, however this could be shorter based on the particular circumstances of each application. Some deals have been approved in the space of 24 hours.
The most efficient method can be ensure you apply during standard company hours and allow us to use our modern bank verification link to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you opt to send us documents from your account statements it will take a little longer.
How soon will I receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we can often offer an answer within an hour – as long as you submit your request within normal business times and let us use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statements, we are able to offer the decision within the span of one business day.
For the Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) we might be capable of offer you with conditional pre-approval within about six hours. Once you’ve signed your pre-approval, turnaround times are around 2-3 days for final approval, however this can be faster depending on the circumstances of each application. Some transactions have received approval in 24 hours.
The quickest method is to make sure you apply during normal business hours, and allow us to use the advance bank verification link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you decide to send us documents from your account statements it will take a little longer.
How much can I borrow?
We offer loans that range from $5,000 to $500,000. When you submit an application for a specific amount we look at a variety of factors for determining the health of the business and the level of repayments your business will be able to support. The total amount of your loan will depend on the particular circumstances for your business.
If you apply for a set amount, we take into consideration a variety of aspects to assess how much we can lend you such as health of your company and the extent of repayments your business can support. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the specific circumstances of your business.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for the cost of a business loan?
If you decide to request the company financing, we’ll assess the risk profile of your business and provide you with a customised offer, including loan amount, term and the interest rates. A business loan is an upfront cost loan and you’ll know the exact amount you will have to pay, including costs, fees, or interest rates.
What is the factor that determines the price I am charged?
Business loan interest rates differ based on various factors such as the amount that is that is borrowed, what business assets the funds will be used for in addition to the industry that the business is in, how long the business has been in operation and whether the company has enough cash flow to fund the loan, and also the general well-being or financial standing of the business.
What are the costs?
There are no hidden costs with our company loans. You’ll know precisely how much it is that you need to pay and at what time, from day one. There’s not any compounding interest and no extra fees (as long as you are able to make your payments punctually).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You can apply for a loan absolutely no upfront cost and no commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated in establishing and managing the loan. The only way to pay this fee if you choose to proceed with the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Can I pay out the loan in advance?
You can decide to repay the total amount of your loan early at any time.
If you choose to take this route, please speak to our friendly business loans experts. They’ll provide you with details for repayment as well as an early payout amount. The figure will be calculated as the total of the principal amount remaining plus any accrued interest as of the time of early payout and 1.5% of the principal balance and any fees that remain unpaid.
How do you make repayments work?
To help you avoid missing payment dates and to align with your cash flow cycle we offer repayments either daily or weekly. These are automatically withdrawn from your nominated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
Making sure that your information is secure, and knowing how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as safeguard your data, is of paramount importance and an integral element of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We utilise industry-recognised encryption standards to secure your personal, sensitive financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to the security of our customers as well as their privacy. We utilise a sophisticated bank verification system that allows you to instantly verify your bank account details online to offer rapid response.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
An asset-based loan is when the company owner makes use of an asset they own to secure the funding. The asset can be either an asset belonging to the personal, like the family home, or a company property like a truck as well as a piece of machine.
The majority of lending institutions, even the banks with the biggest size, prefer to guarantee loans against an asset. If you’re having trouble paying back the loan, then the asset might be sold by the lender. In essence, it is a way of securing new financing using the value of what you already own.
Should I require security for an business loan?
For loans that exceed $150,000, it is not necessary to secure assets prior to the loan’s access however, we do require an individual guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as stated in your loan contract) Asset security will never be required. For loans of over $150K generally, there is an individual ensure and security in the form of the charge of assets.