For business owners who don’t have a company track record, low-doc and no-doc business loans can be a viable commercial finance option. Here at HH Finance we will explain how they work and what’s required to get a no-doc or low-doc commercial loan.

What is a Low-Doc Commercial Finance Loan?

When you approach a bank for a traditional business loan, you will be required to provide tax returns from the previous two years, financial statements (including Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement) and proof of consistent income. You could also be asked to provide a business plan, especially if you’re a new business.

So, if you are new in business, it’s a good idea to create a business plan, but it can take several weeks to do this and you probably don’t have the time when you’re just starting out. It’s possible you don’t have the detailed accounting data that lenders require which goes back for two years, especially if you’re in a new Australian business which you operate on your own.

Established businesses can have challenges getting loans as well. This can include not showing a high income due to large write-offs or reinvesting funds in the business. You could also be late in paying taxes to the ATO (Australian Taxation Office).

HH Finance can assist you with Low-doc business finance loan to solve these challenges. With a low-doc commercial finance you don’t need to provide detailed documentation. For start-ups and small businesses that don’t have the track record and documentation to apply for a traditional bank term loan, this is an ideal solution.

Advantages And Disadvantages of Low-Doc Commercial Finance

• Besides being simpler and taking less time to get approval and funds, most low-doc commercial loans are unsecured. This means you don’t have to pledge collateral and provide supporting documentation.
• If you have bad credit or no credit history, you can still qualify for a low-doc loan, however this might mean you need to pay a higher interest rate.
• Disadvantages of low-doc business loans are that they have higher interest rates compared to traditional loans and larger down payments may be required.

What Is a No-Doc Business Loan?

• No-doc commercial loans are not offered through banks but through specialist lenders who are willing to take on the risk. With this type of loan, the borrower self-declares their business income and no documentation is required.
• No-doc business loans are asset-backed, with the value of the property used as security at a higher value than the loan amount. This is why they are also called ‘asset-lend’ loans. Although there’s no documentation, no-doc lenders will usually do some type of credit assessment before approving the loan.

Advantages And Disadvantages of No-Doc Loans

• The main advantages of a no-doc loan are that it doesn’t require any documentation and can be fairly quick to get approved.
• One disadvantage of no-doc commercial loans is that they have higher interest rates due to their higher risk. They generally have a term of six to twelve months, so you will need to find a new loan relatively quickly after the term is up. No-doc loans also require property as security.
• A no-doc business loan can be used to buy a commercial investment property, with a loan to value ratio of between 60% and 80% used, depending on the type of lender.

Another disadvantage of no-doc loans is that they are not regulated by the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009. This means that lenders can charge expensive exit fees if extra payments are made or if the loan is refinanced before its fixed-rate term ends.