FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Puni Small Business Loans
Tell me what you think of the Puni Small Business Loans
Puni 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 per day or weekly.
What makes the Unsecured Loan different from an traditional business loan?
Apply to get this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes via the internet or over the phone. You’ll get an answer within the same day and the funds could be available in just 24 hours. Traditional company loans reference an annual rate of interest as well as other fees and charges. The business loan is a pre-paid loan so you will know ahead of time the total amount payable including any interest, fees or charges. This is then divided into weekly or daily repayment figure.
What can you use the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost every business purpose including the management of cash flow, business remodeling, marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, as general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
About larger Puni Business Loans
What is the Larger Puni Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help company expansion opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 for a fixed period of for up to 36 months. Repayments are scheduled weekly or fortnightly, depending on you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee determined?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, calculated at 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan that is this large the business needs to be operating for at least three years and generate an annual revenue of $700K. It is necessary to be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) with a minimum age of 18 years old or have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
How can the funds be utilised?
A large company loan can be used for almost every company need, including business improvements, purchasing new equipment or inventory, as general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is necessary to access funding over $150,000. This is by taking a charge over assets, and could be registered with the PPSR or the registration of a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a commitment to pay off a credit line that is generally based rather than specifying security over a particular asset. The person who is signing the ensure is personally accountable if the company lender is not able to re-pay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register run by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests registered in respect of personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR allows preference over private property assigned according to the date the security interest that is registered.
The caveat can be described as a formal document lodged to offer the legal claim on a property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
If you’re requesting an enterprise loan of $250,000 or more it is possible to offer an initial pre-approval in order to simplify the process. We could be able to do this without credit checks and within 6 hours of the initial application. The pre-approval is based upon a preliminary assessment which includes answering a couple of financial well-being questions. It is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of funds. Unconditional approval is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer you may receive may have different terms.
The application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You can apply for an company loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, 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 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is quick and simple. Simply complete the online form within a few minutes and a dedicated company lending specialist will be in touch to guide you through the process.
To apply for up $100,000 you’ll need the right identification documents (valid Driver’s Licence) along with a valid NZBN/IRD and at least 6 months’ worth of bank statements.
If you’re looking for loans with larger sizes, you’ll need:
$100K-$250K: Application requirements, including credit consent, 6-12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if credit is over $150K).
$250K-$500K: Information on the application including credit consent twelve months bank statement, an IRD statement, last 2 years finalised financial statements, plus interim financials for the current financial year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables summaries.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) We can usually provide an answer within one hour if you submit your request at standard business time and let us make use of the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to send us copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide the decision in as little as an business day.
If you are applying for a Larger Business Loan ($100K up to $500,000) we may be in a position to offer you with a conditional pre-approval in around six hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is around 2-3 days for final approval. However, this could be shorter based on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain agreements have been approved within just 24 hours.
The fastest way would be to ensure you apply during normal business hours. You can also permit us to use the advance bank verification link to verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us the copies of bank statement, it may take a bit longer.
What is the time frame to receive the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we typically provide an answer within an hour, provided you make your application at normal business time and let us make use of the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statements, we are able to offer the decision within 1 business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) We may be in a position to provide you with conditional pre-approval in around six hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the specifics of each application. Some agreements have been approved within just 24 hours.
The fastest method can be make sure you apply during normal business hours. Also, let us use the advance bank verification to check your bank’s information online. If you opt to send us documents from your account statements, it can take a bit longer.
What is the maximum amount I can borrow?
We provide the loan amount between $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a particular amount, we take into consideration a range of variables in order to assess how much we can lend you well-being that is your business and the extent of payments your company will be able to support. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the particular circumstances that are unique to your business.
When you make an application for a specific amount we take into consideration a variety of factors to assess how much we can lend you such as health of the business and the amount of the repayments your business can support. The total amount of your loan will depend on the particular circumstances of your business.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for a company loan?
If you decide to request one of our business loan, we’ll assess the risk assessment that you have for your business and offer you with a customised proposal that includes loan amount, term and the interest rates. The company loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore you will be aware in advance of the total amount payable including any charges, interest rates or fees.
What is the basis for the rate I’m charged?
Business loan interest rates differ based on various variables like the amount to be borrowed, the company assets the funds will be used for and the sector the business is operating in, how long the business has been operating as well as in the event that the company has enough cash flow to pay for the loan, and the general well-being as well as creditworthiness business.
What are the charges?
There aren’t any hidden costs for our business loans. You’ll know precisely how much it is that you need to pay and when, starting from the very first day. There’s no compounding and there are no additional charges (as as long as you pay your payments punctually).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You are able to make an application for loans no cost upfront or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated with the setting up and management of the loan. It is only charged for this cost if you take out the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percent of the amount of loan.
Can I pay out the loan early?
You may choose to pay back the total amount of your advance loan at any time.
If you do decide to take this route, please speak to our friendly company lending specialists. They’ll provide you with details for repayment along with an early payout estimate. This will be calculated as the sum of the principal remaining and the accrued interest up to the time of early payout plus 1.5% of the principal amount remaining as well as any outstanding fees.
What are the repayment methods?
To make sure that you don’t miss payment dates and to align your cash flow schedule, we offer repayments either weekly or daily. They are automatically deducted from your designated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be secure?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as protect your information, is of huge importance and is a crucial element of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption techniques to protect your personal, sensitive and financial data and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to customer security and privacy. We use an advanced bank verification system that allows you to instantly verify your bank account information online to offer a fast response.
About business loans
What exactly is an asset-based loan (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where a business owner makes use of an asset they own to make the funds for a loan. The asset can be either an individual property, such as the family home, or it could be a business property like a truck or piece or equipment.
The vast majority of the lenders even the largest banks, are inclined to make loans secured by an asset. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan then the asset could be sold by the lender. In essence, it’s means of securing new funding taking advantage of the value of what you already own.
Should I need security to get a business loan?
For loans that exceed $150K, the requirement for asset security is not required upfront to access the money but we do require the personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as stipulated in your loan contract) the security of assets will never be needed. For loans that exceed $150K, generally, you are able to get the option of a personal guarantee and security is provided in the form of a charge over assets.