Difficult business loans: your questions answered

Australian businesses with difficult loans: bad credit, defaults, ATO debt, thin or no cash flow, a short trading history, a loss year, stacked short-term loans, a past insolvency, a hard-to-fund industry, or a decline from the bank and other lenders.

Often, yes. Alternative lenders weigh your bank statements, security and the story behind the credit issues, not just the score. Property security can look past serious credit damage.

Usually, yes, if you choose the next lender carefully. Banks decline many good businesses on policy. Alternative lenders write their own rules. Tell us what the bank said and we'll know where to look.

For straightforward files with documents ready, funding is possible in as little as 24 hours once approved. Caveat loans and smaller unsecured loans tend to be the fastest.

Property-secured business loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000. Unsecured, cash-flow and line-of-credit options are typically $5,000 to $500,000, sized on turnover.

Not always. Trading businesses with steady deposits can qualify for unsecured loans and lines of credit. Property opens larger amounts and helps most when credit or cash flow is weak.

Yes. Smaller balances can sometimes be refinanced unsecured. Larger debts, or debts that have reached a garnishee or director penalty notice, are usually cleared with a property-secured loan.

Sometimes, if there's property equity and a clear exit, such as a sale, refinance or contract payment. Unsecured lenders generally need income to assess.

Yes. Farms, solar and battery installers, builders, hospitality, transport, seasonal, labour hire, online retail and regional businesses are among the industries we help most.

A short-term business loan secured by lodging a caveat on the title of a property you own. It can settle quickly and focuses on equity rather than credit history.

No. There's no credit check when you first enquire. A credit check only comes up once you decide to go ahead with a specific lender.

No. A real person matches your file to the one or two lenders most likely to approve it. No spray and pray.

Because every difficult file is priced on its own circumstances. We'd rather show you a real offer and explain every cost in dollars.

Usually, because they take on harder files or move faster. Use them for the job in front of you, compare the total cost, and plan to refinance to cheaper money as your file improves.

Yes, after discharge it's possible, particularly with property security. Lenders look at how long ago it was, what caused it and what you've done since.

Business purposes only. We don't arrange personal loans or home loans.

Usually six months of business bank statements and ID for each director. Property loans also need the address, a rates notice and any mortgage statement. Some loans need BAS or an ATO statement.

We'll tell you plainly. If a loan would make things worse, for example because the business is losing money at its core, we'll suggest talking to your accountant or another adviser first.