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What’s in this Guide?
| Products | Unsecured Business Loans Secured Business Loans Line of Credit Merchant Cash Advance Business Overdrafts Equipment Finance Debtor Financing |
| Funding Amount | $5,000-$250,000 (unsecured loans) |
| Loan Terms | 3 months - 5 years (unsecured loans) |
 Min. Trading Period | 3 months (unsecured loans) |
 Min. Trading Turnover | $75,000 p.a (unsecured loans) |
| Unsecured/Secured | Unsecured |
| Funding Speed | Medium |
Unlike most lenders FastBusinessLoans review, Valiant Finance is not a direct lender. Valiant Finance is a business loan marketplace that connects potential borrowers with over 80 SME lenders. With the Australian small business lending market saturated with non-bank lenders and SME Fintech, giving borrowers great diversity of lending choices and products, Valiant aims to help business owners find the best loan deals with ease.
Products – Valiant business loans available
- Unsecured Business Loans
- Secured Business Term Loans
- Line of Credit
- Merchant Cash Advance
- Business Overdrafts
- Equipment Finance
- Debtor Financing
- Business Credit Card
- Commercial Property Finance
What is Valiant Finance
Valiant Finance is a marketplace, that connects Australian small businesses with suitable products from a pool of over 80 lenders. In short, Valiant is a lending broker, with a team of lending experts that assist you with finding the right loan. application.
It can be confusing for small business owners to find the right loan so Valiant simplifies this process through its website. With a wealth of lenders and lending to choose from, small business owners will appreciate any tool the removes the clutter when choosing a lender.
Valiant’s website helps you find a lender by questions about your capital requirements and then providing the most suitable solutions from their marketplace. To bring the best matches, Valiant uses an intelligent loan matching algorithm to scan for the best solution among 80 lenders.
While Valiant uses automation to find the products, the second stage relies customer service.
The Valiant credit solution team works with you through the credit journey. This means answering any question about the loans the loan matching system shortlist that you may have. Once you have made a decision, the credit specialist will contact the lender, negotiate a deal for you and help you with your paperwork.
Valiant Finance lending marketplace
Based on the capital requirements you provide, Valiant finance will look for the best loans that fit from a pool of 80 lenders.
These lenders include all the major lenders in the market. Such as large banks like ANZ, Westpac, NAB and small banks like St George, Bankwest, and even digital banks like Judo Bank
The marketplace also includes non-bank lenders (FinTech lenders) such as Banjo, Prospa, onDeck, Prospa and Moula. Indeed many of these are lenders we AT FastBusinessLoans have done reviews about on our website.
Valiant Finance unsecured business loan details
Unsecured business loans are simply loans for business purposes that do not require collateral to secure the loan.
This type of loan option is ideal if your business lacks assets such as property or vehicles to guarantee the loan and you need funds fast. This is because the lender does not need to perform a valuation on the assets you will secure. As there is no collateral, the lender will look at the financial health of the business using measures such as cash flow and credit score.
On the flip side, as you do not need to provide collateral, business loan rates and costs can be high as the lender is taking on more risk. To help the lender minimise their risk, they will look at the creditworthiness of the business and require a personal or directors guarantee, this is an agreement obligating the guarantor to pay back the business loan personally in the event the business cannot to do so.
Valiant Finance secured term loan details
A secured business loan is a loan guaranteed with an asset of assessable value that will be repaid by a fixed date.
Backing the loan with assets such as property, equipment or machinery or vehicles can be an advantage as it may mean a lower interest rate and a longer loan term. Using security also allows your business to overcome issues such as lack of business creditworthiness and poor cash flow.
While the use of collateral has several benefits, your business needs to have assets it owns and be able to prove ownership of the assets. Some lenders may require full ownership of the asset while others may accept assets that still have a partial mortgage.
Another risk with using security is that your business can have its assets repossessed in the event loan obligations fall behind. If the business needs these assets to maintain operations, then the business needs to ensure it has a business continuity plan..
Lastly secured loan may not be the best choice if the business needs funding fast as there may be delays (and costs) while the lender values the assets you put up for collateral.
Valiant Finance line of credit details
A line of credit allows you to draw from a credit facility up to a set limit and pay back the debt within a pre-determined time. The advantage of this arrangement is flexible access to a credit facility and that you only pay interest on the funds that you borrow.
Using a credit facility gives the best flexibility for funding but it is important to know that this type of finance does come with fees for account maintenance and funding withdrawal. These fees can creep up on you, so it helps to be disciplined with your repayments as these have a flexible schedule.
When applying for a line of credit with Valiant, you can choose secured and unsecured options. If you choose an unsecured option, then you will need to show the business can satisfy the lender’s tough qualification criteria.
Valiant Finance merchant cash advance details
With a Merchant Cash Advance (MCA), the lender advances working capital to the business for a percentage of the daily sales by EFTPOS, credit, or credit cards.
Merchant finance is best for businesses that take a large portion of sales via card terminals. Examples of suitable businesses for an MCA include:
- Retails
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Online businesses
Should your business be suitable, you will also benefit from repayment that is matched to the daily sales of the business. An MCA repayment is a % of the daily takings, so is ideal for businesses with seasonal cash flow as you pay less when sales are low.
Getting an MCA is simple as you will not need to provide collateral. This is because your future revenue acts as security, for this reason, the application is usually simple and businesses with a bad credit score may be acceptable.
While an MCA is a very convenient financial solution, it can come with high costs as the lender is taking on higher risk. For this reason, an MCA is best as a short-term solution. Most terms require payment within 12 months.
Valiant Finance business overdraft details
An overdraft simply allows you to continue to draw funds from the businesses bank account (on credit) once savings have dried up.
By linking an overdraft account to the bank’s transaction account, you can access an open line of credit when the business no longer has its own funds to use.
A business overdraft means the business always has access to funds to pay expenses and maintain cash flow, despite no longer having savings to use. While an overdraft has high-interest rates, you only pay for what you borrow so this could be a better option than a lump sum loan.
When choosing an overdraft, watch out for hidden costs such as application fees and maintenance fees. Some lenders can require you to repay the loan on demand. which may leave the business in a difficult situation.
Valiant Finance equipment finance details
If your business needs equipment such as motor vehicles, machinery, business supplies and technology then equipment finance can be a good option.
Valiant Finance can help with equipment finance through a range of lending arrangements. These arrangements can include:
- Equipment loans (chattel mortgage) – With this arrangement, the business purchases the asset upfront. As the business owns the equipment, it acts as security.
- Hire-Purchase agreements – This agreement sees the lender loan equipment until there is no debt owing. The business will then own the asset.
- Lease agreement – The lender leases the asset to the business, sometimes the business can purchase the asset at its depreciated value.
Each asset finance option has benefits, so it is exploring each option.
Equipment loan / chattel mortgage
A chattel mortgage (sometimes called an equipment loan or asset loan) is a popular option to purchase equipment for outright ownership. Examples of equipment include motor vehicles, operating machinery, IT and software, and business-critical office tools.
A chattel mortgage work much the same as a fixed rate regular loan. The lender gives the business a lump sum of capital to purchase the asset and then uses the asset as security.
Hire-purchase agreement
Hire-purchase is like a chattel mortgage, the key difference is the lender purchases the asset and then leases the asset to the business. After the business leases the asset for an agreed period, they can then own rather than continue to hire the asset.
It is easy to get a hire-purchase arrangement with a lender. Since the lender can use the asset as security, the business just needs to show they can meet the rental payment commitments.
To begin a hire-purchase arrangement, the business will need to place a 10% or more deposit of the asset they wish to buy. Once you pay the deposit and receive the asset, regular monthly payments will occur while the business hires the equipment.
Upon completion of all installments, the business will pay a final fee (usually a % of the asset’s value) and gain ownership of the asset.
One advantage with a hire-purchase is that it is relatively simple to end the agreement. Since the lender owns the asset, they can sell the asset to recover costs. Most lenders, however, require you to complete at least 50% of the agreement before ending it. Before signing an agreement, make sure you are aware of the voluntary termination agreement terms.
Lease agreement (hire only)
Unlike other types of asset finance, lease-only agreements mean the business does not get to own the asset. At the end of the lease period, the asset goes back to the lender.
Lease agreements are best when the asset is of substantial size and/or has a very long repayment period. Unlike low-cost assets, where the business can reasonably expect to pay the cost of the asset with loan repayments, costly assets are unlikely to be repaid this way. So in this case, leasing may be preferable to hire-purchase or chattel mortgage.
Avoiding long-term commitments to paying off assets that will depreciate or become outdated can make pure leasing an attractive option. Small businesses may also prefer not to commit to paying off assets with enormous costs.
Valiant Finance debtor finance details
Debtor finance allows your business to unlock the value of outstanding invoices without needing to wait for clients to honour their debt obligations.
Valiant finance can help your business get immediate cash by allowing the business to use its accounts receivable ledger as security. This arrangement ensures your business can maintain cash flow rather than wait 30 to 90 days for clients to pay the invoice.
Debtor finance is best for a business that invoice for payment such as services, manufacturing, trade and transport.
Valiant Finance can help with two types of debtor finance, these are:
- Invoice discounting: Your business manages the collection of invoice payments
- Invoice factoring You business hands over the responsibility of collection of invoice payment to the lender
Valiant Finance business credit card details
A business credit card allows you to access funds on credit anytime for business purposes. Possibly the easiest form of a credit to apply for and most convenient as you can use the card to pay for purchases in-store or online, credit cards are best for making small to medium purchases.
While credit cards are safer than carrying cash and a better option than cheque books, a credit card can be misused by untrustworthy employees and come with high-interest rates and other fees. These issues can affect not only the businesses credit score but also personal credit, as business credit cards require a personal guarantee.
Valiant Finance commercial property finance
Commercial property finance gives you the capital you will need to purchase or invest in real estate that is used for commercial purposes.
Loan conditions will vary according to the type of property you intend to buy, the location of the property and how you intend to use the property.
Type of property
Tier-1 or standard property examples of commercial property include:
- Offices Space
- Warehouses / Storage
- Factories
- Shop fronts
- Shopping Centres
These type of properties are in high demand and can be used by a range of businesses so are come with more friendly financial conditions than tier-2 property. Lenders require a minimum deposit of 20-30% of the estate value meaning you can borrow 70 to 80% of the estate’s value.
Tier-2 or specialised property examples include:
- Accommodation (hotels, resorts)
- Hospitality (restaurants, cafe pubs)
- Gyms and recreation facilities
- Childcare centres
- Service stations
As these properties are for particular purposes, they can be difficult to finance because of a smaller potential pool of tenants. Expect lenders to only be willing to lend 50-65% of the property value. This means you may need to fund 35-50% of the estate yourself.
Location of the property
In addition to tier-1 and tier-2 types of property, the location of the property can also influence the lending conditions. Property in high demand areas such as a business district with high customer traffic will command better loan terms than rural property. Some lenders may not even consider lending to property in low demand areas.
Use of property
Property is purchased for one of two purposes. If you are looking to invest in property and lease it out then the loan process is simpler with better repayment. This is because lenders regard borrowers that invest in property as low risk so can offer better lending terms.
If you purchase property with the purpose of being an owner-occupier then lenders will have stricter eligibility and charge higher interest rates. This is because lenders consider these borrowers to come with a higher level of risk.
Paperwork requirements for a property loan
The following paperwork options are available for property:
Full-doc – If your business will allow a complete assessment of the businesses finances then the lender will offer you better rates and lending conditions
Low-doc -Requires less paperwork than a full doc. This arrangement only requires you to declare you (or the business) total income and show your ability to satisfy repayments.
No-doc – If you do not wish to use documentation then you (or the business) will need enough security to cover the loan. A no-doc loan has the fastest funding but comes with the highest rates
Applying with Valiant Finance
Valiant finance will ask you a series of questions to find out about your borrowing requirements for your business. The following questions are asked:
- What are you looking to use the fund for: You can choose from
- Day-to-day capital
- Vehicle or transport
- Equipment or asset
- Financing a property
- Starting a business
- Acquiring a business
- How much you need to borrow
- Your business ABN or business name
- Type of business you have
- How many years in business or experience in the business (if a new business)
- Average monthly turnover and accounting software you use (if an existing business)
- How good your credit history is: (do you have any unpaid defaults, fully paid defaults, no previous credit)
- If the business owns property
With all this information – you will then be provided with a quote for each type of loan available that matches your requirements.
Conclusions about Valiant Finance
It is easy to see Valiant Finance’s value proposition for business lenders. Instead of researching lenders individually, Valiant matches your loan requirements with over 80 lenders in their marketplace to find the right loan for your needs.
Valiant doesn’t just match you with a lender, it provides quotes for all the different loan options available. This allows you to compare costs between each type of loan and then decide if you prefer a term loan, line of credit, overdraft, or other types of loan.
The lender doesn’t just rely on algorithms to find the best quotes. The final part of the Valiant process involves working with a lending expert to answer any questions and concerns you may have.
There really isn’t anything quite like what Valiant offers and they do a good job helping to match you with a range of lending solutions. With a fast application process and solid customer service (backed with a strong TrustPilot score), there is little reason not to give Valiant a try.
About Valiant Finance
Valiant Finance is an SME Fintech lending specialist that was founded in Sydney, Australia in 2015. The lender aims to help Australian small businesses in Australia that traditionally struggle to get funding from major banks such as Westpac, NAB, and ANZ. The current CEO (co-founder) is Alex Molloy
Valiant finance operated with the following licence
CREDIT LICENCE
Valiant Finance Pty. Ltd. (ABN 95 606 560 150) holds Australian Credit Licence 500 888.
The lender is an accredited member of the Finance Broker Associated of Australia (FBAA)
