FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Information About The Otara Small Business Loans
Let me know more about Otara Small Business Loans
Otara unsecured loans provides the range of $5,000 to $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months, cash flow friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
How is the Unsecured Loan different from an traditional business loan?
You can apply for this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes over the phone. You’ll get an answer within the same day and the money could be available in just 24 hours. Traditional company loans reference an annual rate of interest together with additional fees and charges. Our business loan is a cash-based loan which means you know in advance the amount you will have to pay, including any fees, interest or charges. This is then divided into weekly or daily installment amount.
What can you use the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for almost every business purpose including control of cash flow business improvements, advertising, to purchase inventory or new equipment, or as general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
About the Larger Otara Business Loans
What is the Larger Otara Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support business expansion opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a term fixed for up to 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly to work with your situation.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
It is crucial to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, determined at 2.5% of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To qualify for a loan of this size, your business needs to have been in operation for at least 3 years and have an annual turnover of $700K. Your company must belong to a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18 as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at least 12 months of trading.
What can I use the funding for?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used to fund almost any business use, including company renovations, purchase of equipment or inventory for general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is needed for funding of more than $150,000. It is usually by way of charge over assets, and could include registering this in the PPSR or filing a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a guarantee to pay back a loan that is general in nature, rather than stating the security for a particular asset. The person who is signing the ensure is personally responsible if the company creditor is unable to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central register operated by the New Zealand Government. It records security interests that have been 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 the security interest has been registered.
A caveat is a legal form of document to offer the public notice of a legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
If you’re requesting the Larger Business Loan of $250K or more we may be able to provide an initial pre-approval to make the process. We may be able to get this done without a credit verification and within six hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on a preliminary assessment which includes answering a couple of financial well-being questions. This is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of credit. A conditional approval is subject an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you receive could be subject to different conditions.
The application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You may be eligible for a business loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are 18 years or older, have 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 up to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and easy. Simply complete the online form in just a few minutes, and an experienced business expert in lending will be in touch to assist you.
To apply for up to $100,000 you’ll need ID details (valid Driver’s License) as well as a valid NZBN/IRD and at least 6 months of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K – $250K: Application details including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if credit is over $150K).
$250K – $500K: Application details including credit consent as well as 12 months of bank records, IRD statements and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, as well as interim financials from the current financial year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables summaries.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) We can usually offer an answer within one hour if you apply in standard business timings and you allow us to utilise the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you opt to upload copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide a decision in as little as an company day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we could be likely to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, this can be quicker based on the particular circumstances of each application. Some agreements have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The fastest way is to ensure you apply during normal business hours. Also, allow us to use the advance bank verification link to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you send us duplicates of your banking statement, it may take a bit longer.
How fast will I get the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) We can usually provide an answer in just one hour if you apply at normal business timings and allow us to use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you decide to upload copies of your bank statements, we are able to offer the decision within one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we could be in a position to provide you with a conditional pre-approval within 6 hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval, however this could be shorter based on the particular circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The most effective method would be to make sure you apply during normal business hours. You can also allow us to use our sophisticated bank verification to instantly check your bank’s information online. If you send us documents from your account statements, it takes a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide loans that range from $5,000 to $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount, we take into consideration a range of variables in order to assess the health of your business as well as the amount of repayments that your company will be able to support. The total amount of your loan will depend on the specifics of your business.
If you apply for a set amount, we look at a range of elements to assess your well-being that is your company and the level of repayments that your company can afford. The total amount of your loan will be determined by the particulars of your company.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for the cost of a business loan?
When you request one of our business loans, we’ll assess the risk assessment for your company and provide you with a customised offer, including loan amount, term and the interest rates. A business loan is an upfront-priced loan which means you be aware in advance of the total amount payable including any charges or interest.
What is the basis for the rate I pay?
The interest rates on business loans rates vary due to variables like the amount to be of money borrowed, the business assets the money are used to purchase, the industry the business is operating in, how long the company is in operation for, what percentage of the business has sufficient cash flow to pay for the loan, as well as the general health and creditworthiness of the business.
What are the fees?
There are no hidden fees for our company loans. You’ll know precisely what you’ll be required to pay, and when, right from the day you sign up. There’s not any compounding interest and no additional fees (as as you make your payments in time).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You can make an application for loans with no cost upfront or the obligation to take action.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with setting up and managing the loan. This is only a fee if you proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Can I pay out the loan early?
You can choose to repay the entire amount of the advance loan at any time.
If you are deciding to take this route, please contact our helpful business loan specialists. They will provide you with the details of your repayment and an early payout figure. This will be calculated as the sum of the principal remaining plus any accrued interest as of the time of early payout, plus 1.5% of the principal remaining and any fees that remain unpaid.
What is the process for repayments?
To help you avoid missing due dates and also to be in line your cash flow schedule, we offer repayments either weekly or daily. These are automatically withdrawn from your nominated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as safeguard your data, is vital and a vital part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption standards to protect your personal, sensitive and financial data and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our dedication to customer security and privacy. We utilise a sophisticated bank verification system link to instantly verify the bank account details online. This allows us to provide quick responses.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when a business owner uses the assets they have to get the funds for a loan. The asset can be either a personal asset like the family home, or an business asset such as a truck or piece of equipment.
The vast majority of banks, even the largest banks, are inclined to secure loans against assets. If you’re having trouble paying back the loan then the asset could be taken over by the lender. In essence it is a way of securing new funding using the value of what you already have.
Do I require security for a company loan?
Up to $150K in loans it is not necessary to secure assets upfront to access the money, however we do need an individual guarantee. If you adhere to your loan commitments (as specified in your loan contract document) the security of assets will never be required. If you take out loans in excess of $150,000 typically, you will need an individual guarantee and security is provided in the form of the charge of assets.