Everything people ask, before they apply.

Most pre-approvals come back inside an hour during business hours. Some complex commercial deals take longer because the lender needs to look at financials and security, but for personal, vehicle and standard business lending under $250,000 you'll usually have an indicative answer within an hour and a formal approval within one to three business days.

No. Initial quotes are run as soft enquiries, which are invisible to other lenders looking at your file. A hard enquiry only happens once you've chosen a lender and asked us to submit a formal application. That means you can shop around through us without leaving credit footprints all over your bureau record.

Yes. We have specialist self-employed and low-doc lenders for sole traders, contractors, sub-contractors, ABN holders under two years, and operators with non-standard income streams. We use BAS, bank statements, or accountant declarations where full tax returns aren't available. Self-employed clients are a sizeable share of our book.

For most personal and vehicle lending we need a driver's licence, three months of payslips or bank statements, and the asset details if applicable. Business and commercial lending typically needs financials, BAS, and details of the asset or property. Your broker will send you a short, scenario-specific checklist after the first call, so nothing gets requested that isn't needed.

We're a licensed Australian credit broker. We don't lend our own money; we shop your scenario across 74+ banks, non-bank lenders, and specialist financiers, and recommend the option that best fits your situation. The lender pays our fee, so our service is free to you on the vast majority of deals.

Tell us upfront. A late payment from three years ago is a very different story to an active default, and the right lender depends on the detail. We work with specialist credit-impaired and second-chance lenders who price these scenarios properly. Worst case, we'll be honest about timelines for getting you finance-ready.

For the overwhelming majority of personal, vehicle, and small business lending, no. The lender pays our commission and there's no cost to you. Some specialised commercial and asset finance scenarios involve a broker fee, which is always disclosed in writing before we lodge anything. No surprise fees, ever.

Most Australian personal lenders sit in the $10,000 to $250,000 range, depending on the lender, borrower profile and loan purpose. The amount approved depends on your income, existing debts, credit profile and the loan purpose. Tigris Finance can usually tell you your realistic borrowing capacity in the first call.

Most personal loans in Australia are fixed-rate, which means your repayment doesn't change for the life of the loan. A few lenders offer variable personal loans, which can make sense if you expect to repay early. We'll explain the tradeoff for your specific scenario.

Yes, on most products. Some older lenders still charge early repayment fees, especially on fixed-rate facilities. We'll filter for no-penalty products if early payout is part of your plan.

No. Tigris Finance uses soft credit enquiries during the quote stage. Only when you choose a lender and ask us to submit a formal application do we trigger a hard enquiry on your file.

Yes. We work with several lenders who price self-employed personal loans properly, including specialist low-doc options for clients with strong cashflow but non-standard tax returns.

Unsecured business loans typically range from $5,000 to $500,000 depending on lender, time in business, turnover and credit profile. Secured business lending (with property or assets as security) can go much higher. Tigris Finance can give you a realistic ceiling in the first conversation.

Not always. For loans under $250,000, many lenders accept three months of business bank statements as the primary income proof. Larger loans, longer terms or property-secured deals usually require BAS, tax returns and management accounts.

Interest on a business loan is generally tax deductible, but the principal repayment is not. Always check with your accountant for your specific structure (sole trader vs company vs trust).

Yes, through specialist business lenders who price credit-impaired scenarios properly. The rate will be higher than prime, but the deal is available. We'll be upfront about what to expect.

Same-day to 72-hour settlement is realistic for unsecured business loans under $150,000 from non-bank lenders. Bank facilities, property-secured deals and larger commercial structures take 1-4 weeks.

Commercial property typically maxes out around 70-75% LVR for prime metro deals. Regional or specialist assets (childcare, service stations, hospitality) usually cap at 60-65%. We'll tell you the realistic LVR for your asset before you commit deposit funds.

Most commercial loans run 15-25 years amortising, or 3-5 year interest-only with a refinance event at the end. Shorter than residential, but matches the depreciation profile of commercial assets.

Yes, typically 0.5-1.5% above comparable residential investment rates, reflecting the higher risk and shorter lender terms. Non-bank commercial lenders sit higher still but move faster on approvals.

Yes, via a limited recourse borrowing arrangement (LRBA) through a bare trust. There are strict ATO rules, and not every lender plays in SMSF lending. We work with specialists in this space.

Typically 25-40% of the property value depending on asset type, your serviceability and the lender. SMSF commercial usually needs 30-40%. Development finance needs 30-40% of total project cost.

Australian vehicle lenders typically finance from $5,000 to $250,000+ for personal vehicles, with no real ceiling on business commercial vehicle finance. Approved amount depends on serviceability and the asset itself.

If you're a business buyer (sole trader, company, trust) and using the vehicle for business, a chattel mortgage usually beats a consumer car loan on tax treatment. If you're a PAYG employee, a novated lease or consumer car loan is the right comparison.

Yes, and you should. Pre-approval gives you 30-60 days to shop with a maximum budget locked in, and lets you negotiate with the dealer as a cash buyer. Tigris Finance does pre-approval inside an hour in most cases.

Maybe. A balloon (residual) lowers your monthly repayment by deferring 20-40% of the loan to a single payment at the end. It can be smart if you plan to sell or refinance the car before that date. It's a trap if you just want to own it and stop paying.

Rarely. Dealer finance is a commission product for the dealership, not the customer. There are exceptions (manufacturer subsidised rates on slow-moving models) but the default assumption should be that a broker beats dealer finance on rate.

A chattel mortgage means you own the asset from day one with the lender holding security; the asset sits on your balance sheet and you claim GST upfront and depreciation. An equipment lease means the financier owns the asset and rents it to you; lease payments are tax deductible but the asset doesn't appear on your balance sheet. Different accounting outcomes, different cashflow profiles.

Yes. Most asset lenders finance used equipment with sensible age limits (commonly 15-20 years at start of term, 25 years at end). Older niche equipment with strong resale value can still get financed through specialist lenders.

Sometimes. New assets from dealers don't need inspection. Used assets above certain values (typically $50,000+) often need a third-party valuation or inspection report. Tigris Finance arranges this where required.

Yes, with conditions. Newer businesses (under 12-24 months) may need a director's guarantee, a property security position, or a higher deposit contribution. We'll be honest about what's realistic for your stage.

Yes. We can package multiple assets into a single facility, or run them as separate facilities with the same lender for tracking. The right structure depends on tax treatment and your accountant's preference.

Usually, for asset-heavy businesses where you want depreciation on the balance sheet and an upfront GST claim. Equipment leasing is better when you want operating-expense treatment, off-balance-sheet financing, or short-term use of fast-depreciating assets. Your accountant has the final word.

A residual lump sum due at the end of the term, typically 20-50% of the original asset value. It lowers your monthly repayment by deferring a chunk of the principal. At term-end you either pay it out, sell the asset to clear it, or refinance the balloon onto a new term.

Yes, where the asset and your business qualify under the relevant ATO instant asset write-off threshold (rules change year to year). Since you own the asset from day one under a chattel mortgage, write-off rules apply directly. Confirm with your accountant for the current threshold.

Yes. The asset is your business's, the chattel mortgage is your liability. This is one of the main differences from a true operating lease, which can be off-balance-sheet under some accounting standards.

Yes, provided the asset is used in the business. Sole traders, partnerships, companies and trusts can all use chattel mortgage structures. Tax treatment varies, so your accountant should confirm.

Yes. Lease rentals are operating expenses and fully tax deductible as a business expense. This is one of the main attractions of leasing over owning.

Depends on the lease type. Operating leases give you the option to walk away. Finance leases and hire purchases typically have a residual buyout. We structure the right one for your intent at end of term.

Yes, GST is claimable on each lease payment (rather than upfront as with a chattel mortgage). This can be a cashflow advantage or disadvantage depending on your BAS position.

Under modern accounting standards (AASB 16), most leases longer than 12 months now appear on balance sheet as a right-of-use asset and corresponding lease liability. The old 'off-balance-sheet operating lease' treatment is largely gone for reporting entities. Smaller businesses may have different effective treatment.

Yes, but usually with a termination fee covering the lessor's residual exposure. Early termination is rarely cheap, so model the realistic minimum lease term carefully upfront.

Yes. The employer has to agree to deduct the lease payments from your pre-tax salary and remit them to the lease company. Most Australian employers are set up for this with at least one novated provider. Some have an exclusive arrangement; others let you choose.

The lease is yours, not your employer's. If you change jobs, you take the car and the lease with you. Your new employer either novates the existing lease (most do) or you self-finance the lease privately until you find one that does.

Almost any new or used passenger vehicle under 4.5 tonnes, including utes (within personal-use limits). Some lenders restrict on age (typically no more than 7-12 years old at end of lease term) or vehicle type.

Substantial. Under the FBT exemption, a $60,000 EV on a 5-year novated lease can save a 37% marginal-rate taxpayer $20,000-$30,000+ over the lease term versus owning outright. The savings model is highly individual; we'll run the actual numbers for your situation.

ATO-set guidelines based on lease term: roughly 56.25% residual at 2 years, 37.5% at 4 years, 28.13% at 5 years. At end of term you can pay the residual to own the car, refinance it, sell to clear, or trade up to a new novated lease.

It depends on the gap between your current rate and the best available rate, the remaining balance, and the term. A 0.5% rate drop on a $500,000 loan saves around $2,500/year in interest. Tigris Finance models the realistic savings before you commit to anything.

Yes, though often less than people expect. Typical costs: discharge fee on the old loan ($200-$400), establishment fee on the new loan ($0-$600 depending on lender), valuation fee ($0-$500), government registration ($150-$300 in QLD). Many lenders offer refinance rebates that fully cover these costs.

A formal application triggers a hard credit enquiry, which has a small short-term effect on your score. The benefit of paying down the new loan on time substantially outweighs the temporary hit. We use soft enquiries during the benchmark stage.

Yes, into specialist credit-impaired lender products, though the rate available will reflect the credit profile. Sometimes the smarter play is to wait 6-12 months while rebuilding credit, then refinance onto a mainstream product. We'll be honest about which is the better move.

Personal loans and unsecured business loans: 3-7 business days. Vehicle and asset finance refinance: 5-10 business days. Property-secured commercial or home loan refinance: 3-6 weeks depending on lender and property valuation.