Last year's tax return does not show this year's business. Lenders can read the current numbers.
- Indicative assessment within 2 business days, with funding typically in 1 to 6 weeks
- Loans from $100K to $10M, secured against property or business assets, or unsecured at the lower end
- Companies, trusts, partnerships and sole traders with an established ABN and steady deposits
- Expansion, a fit-out, equipment, stock, paying out existing business debt, or an ATO balance
- Full-doc (tax returns), low-doc or alt-doc (BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead), plus your ABN and GST registration history
The business is growing, the bank account shows it, and the paperwork has not caught up. Your accountant is still finalising last year's figures, or the most recent tax return reflects a smaller, earlier version of the business. A low-doc commercial loan is business finance assessed on current documents rather than a full set of financial statements and tax returns. That is what low-doc or alt-doc means. It is a lending approach, not a separate product, and it applies to secured and unsecured loans alike. Joseph Farhat and his team look at what you can provide today, then match it to lenders whose document policy fits.
Who we can help access finance
- A civil contractor whose turnover doubled after winning council work, while the last lodged return covers the year before the contracts started.
- A medical centre owner whose accountant is still preparing last year's financial statements, needing funds now to fit out a second consulting room.
- A food distributor whose taxable income was reduced by large equipment deductions, although cash flow through the account is strong.
- A family-run trust trading three retail stores, wanting to replace two short-term facilities with one loan secured against a commercial property it owns.
- A sole trader electrician with eight years on the same ABN, who keeps BAS up to date but has not yet lodged this year's return.
- An engineering firm that bought a competitor six months ago, so its financials show two separate businesses rather than the combined one.
How Low-Doc Commercial Loans Work
No law defines low-doc for business lending. A loan for business purposes sits outside the National Credit Code, which covers credit used mainly for personal, domestic or household purposes or for residential investment property. Each lender therefore writes its own document policy. Lenders commonly ask for 6 to 12 months of BAS, 6 to 12 months of business bank statements, and an accountant's letter or a declaration of income, alongside your ABN and GST registration history. Some take one or two of these, some want all of them, and requirements usually rise with the loan size. The consumer responsible-lending rules do not apply to business loans, so the criteria are the lender's own, and we still check the repayments suit your cash flow.
Security has the biggest effect on what a lender offers. Secured against property or business assets, a low-doc loan can reach larger amounts, because the lender relies partly on the asset. Many lenders apply a lower loan-to-value ratio (LVR), the loan as a share of the property's value, on low-doc than on full-doc. Unsecured, the loan is sized against turnover and usually needs a personal guarantee from the directors, which can reach their personal assets. Where a home is offered as security, it can be lost if repayments are not met, so get independent legal advice first. The trade-off is plain: full financials usually bring a sharper rate, and fewer documents usually cost more.
Joseph Farhat and his team review your BAS, statements and security, then place the file with lenders from a panel of 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders whose low-doc policy suits it. We arrange finance; we are not accountants. Your accountant prepares the letter and the BAS, and is the right person to talk to about your tax position.
What Lenders Assess for Low-Doc Commercial Loans
Trading history
BAS against bank statements
The accountant's letter
Security
Repayment capacity
Tax position
Purpose
The Low-Doc Commercial Loan Process: What to Expect
- Tell Joseph Farhat and his team the amount, the purpose, the security on offer, and which documents you have today.
- Send recent BAS, business bank statements and your ABN details. We tell you whether an accountant's letter is needed and what it must cover.
- Usually within 2 business days, you receive an indicative view of the lenders, rate range and loan size likely to fit.
- We lodge one complete application. Where property is offered, the lender orders a valuation and issues a formal approval with conditions.
- You review the loan documents, with independent legal advice where a home or guarantee is involved, and the loan settles.
Indicative Finance Options
| Lender Type | Indicative Rate | Security | Typical Loan Range | Loan Term | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | From ~7.5% p.a. | Property, usually with full financials; some accept an accountant's letter | $100K to $5M | 1 to 15 years | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Non-Bank Lenders | From ~9% p.a. | Property, business assets, or unsecured at smaller amounts | $100K to $10M | 6 months to 30 years | 1 to 4 weeks |
| Private Finance | From ~1.2% per month | Property | $100K to $10M | 1 to 24 months | Available for unique scenarios |
Indicative figures only. Actual rates and terms depend on your project, financial position, property location, and lender assessment at the time of application. Rates are subject to change.
