Bank said no? Find your next route

Why a bank decline isn't the end of the road

New Zealand banks lend to their own credit appetite. They like long trading histories, clean credit files, strong profit on paper and, usually, a mortgage over a home. Miss one of those and a perfectly workable plan can be turned down. The decline tells you about the bank's policy; it doesn't always tell you about your business.

The route finder works backwards from the reason. If security was the problem but you have equity in property, property-secured funding from $20,000 to $5,000,000 may suit, and it can consider bad credit or IRD debt case by case. If the business is trading well but has no property, a cash-flow or unsecured option sized on bank statements — typically $5,000 to $500,000 — may be the better road. If you invoice other businesses, the money owed to you can become the security. And if the ask was simply too big, the smartest move is often to remix first: shrink the gap with supplier terms, deposits and idle assets, then ask for less.

Fix the sticking point before the next ask

• Overdue returns: get GST and income tax returns filed. Many lenders won't look closely until they are.
• IRD debt: talk to Inland Revenue about a formal instalment arrangement. An agreed plan reads far better than silence.
• Thin profit: ask your accountant to explain add-backs such as one-off costs and owner drawings, so a lender sees real earning power.
• No plan: a one-page funding plan showing the goal, the mix and the gap answers most questions before they're asked. Our guide on writing a funding plan lenders read walks through it.

One careful approach beats five rushed ones

After a decline it's tempting to apply everywhere at once. Each formal application can add an enquiry to your credit file, and a cluster of them makes the next lender nervous. Our approach is the opposite: there's no credit check to start, your enquiry stays with one real person rather than being spread around a pile of lenders, and you only move to a formal application once the route makes sense. When you're ready, start your enquiry and answer the form as accurately as you can — the decline reason, your security and your trading history are exactly what helps us find the right road first time.

Prefer to read more first? See bank loan alternatives built as a stack or when a loan is the right piece.

Frequently asked questions

Does a bank decline mean other lenders will say no too?

Not necessarily. Banks work to their own credit policies, and many declines come down to one sticking point — security, trading history, a tax debt or how profit looks on paper. A route built around that sticking point can read very differently.

Should I apply to several lenders at once after a decline?

It's rarely a good idea. Multiple applications in a short space can leave a trail of credit enquiries and make you look desperate to the next lender. Work out the route first, then make one well-prepared approach.

Will the route finder check my credit?

No. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent. Enquiring with us doesn't involve a credit check either — that only comes up if you choose to go ahead.

What if the answer is 'remix first'?

That means the gap might shrink enough with non-loan pieces — supplier terms, deposits, idle assets — that a smaller, easier ask becomes possible. The funding remixer helps you test that.