A business loan offer can run to several pages of dense text. Most people skim to the amount and the repayment, sign, and hope for the best. You’ll do much better by reading it in a set order and checking a handful of things that matter.
This guide walks through a typical New Zealand business loan offer section by section. The layout varies between lenders, but the building blocks are the same.
Step 1: Who are the parties?
Start at the top. Check:
- The borrower is the right entity — your company’s exact registered name, or you personally if you’re a sole trader. A loan to the wrong entity can create tax and liability problems later.
- The lender’s name — the entity you’ll owe money to.
- Guarantors, if any, are named correctly.
- Security providers — the people or trust who own any property being mortgaged.
A mismatch here is surprisingly common, particularly when a business has changed structure. Fix it before signing.
Step 2: How much will you actually receive?
The offer will show a loan amount or facility limit. Look for whether any costs are deducted before funds are paid — establishment fees, legal costs, a prepaid amount. The net advance is what reaches you or your creditors.
If you need $150,000 to clear IRD and a supplier, make sure $150,000 is what arrives, not $150,000 less deductions.
Step 3: What does it cost in total?
This is where offers are hardest to read, because costs can appear in several places. List them:
| Cost type | Where it usually appears | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Interest or pricing | “Interest”, “Pricing” or schedule | How it’s calculated and whether it can change |
| Establishment or application fee | “Fees” | Paid up front or deducted from the advance |
| Broker or arranger fee | “Fees” or separate disclosure | Who’s paid what |
| Legal and registration costs | “Costs” | Estimate or fixed |
| Ongoing fees | “Fees” | Monthly, annual or line fees |
| Exit and discharge costs | “Repayment” or “Fees” | Charged at the end or on early repayment |
Then ask the lender, or your specialist, to confirm the total amount repayable in dollars over the full term. Every loan is priced on the individual situation, so that total is the only fair way to compare offers.
Step 4: How and when do you repay?
Check:
- Frequency — daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Daily deductions squeeze working capital more than the total suggests.
- Structure — principal and interest, interest-only with a lump sum at the end, or a line of credit with minimum repayments.
- Term — when the loan must be fully repaid. Short to medium term is typical for non-bank business lending.
- Early repayment — whether you can repay early, and what it costs.
If the loan is interest-only with the balance due at the end, make sure your plan to repay that balance is realistic: a sale, a refinance, a known payment.
Step 5: What security are you giving?
- Property. Which property, and whether the lender takes a first or second mortgage. Our guide on first vs second mortgages explains ranking.
- Business assets. A general security agreement, often registered on the PPSR, may cover all present and after-acquired property of the business. See our PPSR guide.
- Specific assets, such as a vehicle or machine.
Check whether the security is limited to this loan or secures “all monies” — every debt you owe that lender now and in future.
Step 6: Who’s guaranteeing it?
Guarantees are often the most consequential clause for directors and families. Look for:
- Who gives the guarantee.
- Whether it’s capped at an amount or unlimited.
- What it covers — just this loan, or all obligations to the lender.
- Independent legal advice requirements.
Our guide to directors’ guarantees goes into detail.
Step 7: What conditions are still open?
Most offers are conditional. “Conditions precedent” are things that must be satisfied before funds are released — a valuation, a title search, signed guarantees, legal advice certificates, evidence of insurance, or a payout letter from an existing lender. Tick them off one by one and know who’s responsible for each.
Step 8: What counts as a default?
The events of default clause lists what allows the lender to demand repayment or enforce security. Missed payments are the obvious one. Others often include:
- Defaulting on another loan.
- Insolvency events.
- A change in the ownership or control of the company.
- Selling or transferring secured property without consent.
- Providing incorrect information.
Also check default fees and default interest — what’s charged if you’re late — and whether there’s a grace period.
Step 9: Covenants and undertakings
Some loans include ongoing promises: keeping property insured, providing information on request, not taking on other secured debt without consent, keeping taxes current. Make sure you can comply with them in practice.
Step 10: Get advice, then sign
For secured loans, a lawyer will usually be involved to register the mortgage, and guarantors are normally required to get independent legal advice. Use that appointment properly — bring your questions. Our list of questions to ask any lender is a good starting point.
When our specialists present an option from our lending partners, we walk through each of these sections with you before you commit. Ring the Hotline, or request a call back.
Ready when you are. Ring 09 875 4577 or request a call back — a lending specialist will talk it through.