How it works

How Loanster works

You send a 60-second enquiry, a lending specialist calls to understand what you need, and you see options priced on your situation before deciding anything. Here's each step, and what happens behind it.

Start my enquiry
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What are the steps from enquiry to funding?

  1. 01
    Do the homework (optional)

    Use the loan library and free tools to understand the options, estimate equity, size a cash-flow gap or plan your GST and provisional tax.

  2. 02
    Send a 60-second enquiry

    Tell us what the funding is for, roughly how much, and whether property is involved. It's free and doesn't affect your credit score.

  3. 03
    Talk to a lending specialist

    A specialist calls to understand the business, the purpose and how the funding will be repaid, and explains the realistic routes.

  4. 04
    Review your options

    You see what's available for your situation, priced on your individual circumstances. You decide whether to proceed.

  5. 05
    Provide what's needed

    For property-secured loans, property details and ID — no financials for the initial assessment. For unsecured loans and lines of credit, bank statements and ID.

  6. 06
    Approval and funding

    Once approved and documented, funds are paid. Unsecured decisions are sometimes same day; property-secured loans can fund within 24 hours of approval in some cases.

What does the specialist ask on the call?

Expect a practical conversation, not an interrogation. The questions usually cover:

  • The purpose. What the funding is for, and why now.
  • The amount. A rough figure is fine — sometimes the conversation changes it.
  • The business. Structure (sole trader, company, partnership or trust), how long you've traded, rough monthly turnover.
  • Property. Whether you or a supporting party own NZ property, its rough value and what's owed on it.
  • Credit history. Anything you already know about — defaults, arrears, IRD debt. Being upfront helps.
  • The exit. How the funding will be repaid over a short to medium term.

How are options priced?

Every loan is priced on the individual situation: the route, the security, the amount, the purpose and how it will be repaid. We don't publish rate cards because they rarely match what a real business is offered. Instead, our specialists look for the sharpest option available for your circumstances and explain the total cost so you can compare properly.

What if nothing fits?

We'll say so. Sometimes the right answer is an instalment arrangement with IRD, tighter debtor management, or waiting until the business has six months of trading behind it. Our guides cover many of those alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

Is there any cost to enquire?

No. Enquiring is free and doesn't affect your credit score.

Do I have to go ahead once I've enquired?

No. The call is to talk through options. Nothing proceeds unless you decide it should.

What documents will I need?

It depends on the route. Property-secured loans need no financials or tax returns for the initial assessment — mainly property details and ID. Unsecured loans and lines of credit rely on recent business bank statements. Our application checklist has the detail.

How long does the whole process take?

It varies with the route and how quickly information is available. Unsecured decisions are sometimes made the same day; property-secured loans can, in some cases, fund within 24 hours of approval.