FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Information About The Lota Small Business Loans
Let me know what you think of the Lota Small Business Loans
Lota unsecured loans offers 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 how is the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional business loan?
The application to your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes via the internet or by phone. You will receive a same day response and have the funds on your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans are based on an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. This business loan is a cash-based loan therefore you’ll know ahead of time the amount you will have to pay, including any interest, fees 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 company reason, such as the management of cash flow, business improvements, advertising for purchasing inventory or new equipment, as general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
Concerning Larger Lota Business Loans
What is the Larger Lota Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help business expansion opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term with a maximum of 36 months. Repayments are scheduled weekly or fortnightly, depending on your cash flow.
How’s the Origination Fee determined?
It is important to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is calculated at 2.5% of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To qualify for a loan of this size the business needs to be operating for a minimum of 3 years with an annual turnover of $700,000. It is necessary to be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years or have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to demonstrate at minimum 12 months of business.
What can I use the funding for?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used for almost every company purpose including company improvements, purchasing equipment or inventory for general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that requires security?
Asset security is necessary for funding of more than $150,000. It is usually in the form of a charge on assets, and could include registering this in the PPSR or the registration of as a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a guarantee to pay off a credit line that is general in nature rather than defining security over an asset. The person who signs the guarantee is personally liable if the company creditor is unable to repay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online register run by the New Zealand Government. It lists security interests that are that are registered for personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR allows prioritisation over property that is personal to be assigned in accordance with the date on which a security interest has been registered.
An affidavit is an official document lodged to offer an official notice of a claim to property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
If you’re seeking a Larger Business Loan that exceeds $250,000, we may offer a preliminary pre-approval to help make the process. It is possible to do this without a credit check and within six hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on an initial assessment, which involves you answering a few financial health checks. It’s not an offer or guarantee of credit. Unconditional approval is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you receive could have different conditions.
The application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for an 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’ worth of transactions (for for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is fast and simple. Simply complete the online form within a couple minutes, and an experienced business expert in lending will be in touch to guide you through the process.
For a loan of up to $100,000 you’ll require ID details (valid Driver’s Licence), a valid NZBN/IRD and at least 6 months of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K to $250K: Details of application, including credit approval, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K – $500K: Details for application including credit consent, 12 months of bank records, 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 an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) we typically offer an answer within an hour – as long as you submit your request during standard company timings and let us make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you decide to upload copies of your banking statement, we’ll offer a decision within the span of one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we may be likely to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take around 2-3 days for final approval. However, this could be shorter based on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain offers have been approved within just 24 hours.
The quickest method can be ensure you apply during standard business hours. You can also allow us to use the advance bank verification link to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you decide to upload copies of your bank statements 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 a response in one hour – provided you apply during normal business hours and permit us to use the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank details online. If you decide to upload copies of your banking statements, we are able to offer a decision in as little as an business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) We may be capable of offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within 6 hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval form, it will take approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the particular circumstances of each application. Some deals have been approved within the space of 24 hours.
The fastest method can be make sure you apply during normal business hours. Also, allow us to use our modern bank verification link to confirm your bank details online. If you decide to send us duplicates of your banking statements, it takes a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We offer loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a specific amount we look at a variety of variables to determine the well-being of the business as well as the amount of payments your business is able to afford. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances of your business.
When you submit an application for a particular amount, we look at a range of elements to assess your well-being of the business and the extent of the repayments your company is able to afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be determined by the specifics the business.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for a business loan?
If you decide to make an application for the company financing, we’ll assess the risk assessment of your company and provide you with a customised offer, including the loan amount, the terms and interest rates. A company loan is an upfront-priced loan and you’ll be aware of the total amount due, which includes any interest rates, fees or charges.
What is the basis for the rate I pay?
Interest rates for business loans rates differ based on various factors such as the amount that is that is borrowed, what business assets the funds will be used for and the sector the business is operating in, how long the business is in operation, whether the company has enough cash flow to cover the loan, and the general well-being and creditworthiness of the company.
What are the charges?
There are no hidden fees with our company loans. You’ll know precisely how much it is that you need to pay, and when, right from the very first day. There’s no compounding interest, and the loan comes with no additional fees (as as you make your payments on time).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You can apply for a loan no cost upfront or the obligation to take action.
The Origination Fee covers the expenses involved with setting up and managing the loan. It is only charged for this fee if you choose to proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5% of the loan amount.
Can I pay off the loan earlier?
You can decide to repay all of your loan in full at any time.
If you do decide to do this please contact our helpful business loan experts. The specialists will offer you with the details of your repayment as well as an early payout amount. It will be calculated using the total of the principal remaining and the accrued interest up to the time of early payout plus 1.5 percent of the principal balance as well as any outstanding fees.
What are the repayment methods?
To help you avoid missing repayments and to fit in your cash flow schedule, we offer repayments that are either weekly or daily. They are automatically deducted from your nominated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
Making sure that your information is secure, and making it clear how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as safeguard your data, 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 use industry recognised encryption standards to protect your sensitive, personal financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to security for our customers and security. We make use of an advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account details online, allowing us to offer quick responses.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where a company owner utilises assets they own to get the funding. The asset can be an individual property, such as the family home, or an business property like a truck or piece of equipment.
The vast majority of the lenders not just the big banks, tend to make loans secured by assets. If you have trouble paying back the loan then your asset may be sold by the lender. In essence it’s an opportunity to secure new financing by using the worth of the asset you already have.
Are I require security to secure a company loan?
For loans that exceed $150,000, it is not necessary to secure assets prior to the loan’s access but we do require the personal guarantee. As long as you follow your loan commitments (as specified in your loan contract) the security of assets will never be needed. For loans over $150,000 generally there is a personal guarantee and security is provided in the form of an asset charge.