Wellington business owners know their market is different. The capital runs on professional services, government work, hospitality, tech and creative industries, backed by a strong trade and manufacturing base out in the Hutt Valley. When one part of that mix slows down, the ripples reach everyone. fundU offers business loans in Wellington from $20,000 to $1m, secured against property, with decisions made by our own credit team rather than passed around a panel of lenders.
We lend against property in Wellington and right across the region, from Kāpiti and Porirua to Upper Hutt, Petone and over the Remutaka Hill into the Wairarapa. Our central lending team handles everything by phone and online, so you can talk to us from your office on Lambton Quay or your workshop in Seaview.
What's changed for Wellington businesses?
Wellington's economy leans more on the public sector than anywhere else in the country. When government departments cut jobs and trimmed budgets in recent years, the effect was felt well beyond the departments themselves. Consultants and contractors saw work paused or cancelled. City-centre cafés, bars and retailers lost weekday foot traffic. Suppliers who relied on government clients had to find new customers fast.
Many of those businesses are fundamentally sound. They've simply been caught between a slower market and fixed costs that didn't slow down with it. That's exactly where a short-term, property-secured loan can help: it buys time and breathing room while the business adjusts.
A slow year shows up in your financial statements long after the recovery has started. Because we don't need financial statements for the initial assessment, we can look at where your business is heading, not just where it's been.
Which Wellington businesses do we fund?
We work with owners across the whole region, including:
- Professional services firms such as consultants, engineers, architects, IT contractors and accountants in the CBD and Thorndon, especially those rebuilding after losing government contracts.
- Hospitality businesses in Te Aro, Cuba Street, Courtenay Place and suburban centres like Miramar, Petone and Johnsonville.
- Builders and trades working on renovations, seismic strengthening and new housing in Porirua, the Hutt and Kāpiti.
- Manufacturers, engineers and distributors in Seaview, Gracefield, Petone and Upper Hutt.
- Screen and creative businesses in Miramar and around the city, where project-based income makes cash flow lumpy.
- Wine, tourism and farming businesses in the Wairarapa, from Martinborough vineyards to Masterton contractors.
Hospitality owners will find more detail on our hospitality and tourism page.
What Wellington property can be used as security?
Most of our loans are secured on the owner's home or an investment property, because that's where most owners hold their equity. We consider:
- Villas, bungalows and workers' cottages across the hillside suburbs
- Apartments and townhouses, assessed on location and marketability
- Commercial and mixed-use buildings in the city and suburban centres
- Industrial units and yards in the Hutt Valley
- Lifestyle blocks and some rural land in Kāpiti and the Wairarapa, case by case
Wellington has a particular wrinkle: seismic risk. Older commercial buildings with earthquake-prone notices, or those needing strengthening, can be harder to value and to sell. We'll still look at them, but we're upfront that it can reduce how much we can lend. Offering residential property alongside, or instead, often gives a better result. If your home already has a bank mortgage, a second mortgage lets you use the remaining equity without touching the bank loan.
What are the most common reasons Wellington owners call us?
The mix changes over time, but these come up again and again:
| Situation | What a fundU loan can do |
|---|---|
| Behind on GST or PAYE after a slow patch | Pay Inland Revenue out and stop penalties and interest compounding |
| Bank has declined a new facility | Give you an independent decision based on property and exit |
| Government contract paused or cancelled | Bridge wages and overheads while you win new work |
| Strengthening or fit-out costs on a commercial building | Fund the works, secured on the building or other property |
| Buying a business or a second site | Provide the deposit or full purchase funding against property |
| Several expensive short-term debts | Roll them into one loan with a single repayment plan |
Tax arrears are one of the most common. Our guide to fixing GST and PAYE arrears explains your options, and our IRD tax debt loans page shows how property-secured funding clears the debt in one go.
Example scenario
A small engineering consultancy based in the CBD had most of its revenue tied to two government projects. When both were paused, income dropped sharply while salaries and rent carried on. Within a few months the company was behind on GST and PAYE, and its bank declined an overdraft increase. The two directors owned a home in Karori with a bank mortgage and good equity. We lent $95,000 by second mortgage on capitalised interest terms, so there were no monthly repayments during the term. The loan cleared the IRD debt and covered wages for three months while the firm won private-sector work. The exit was a refinance with their bank once two strong quarters were on the books.
How does the process work for a Wellington business?
It's straightforward, and none of it needs you to leave your desk:
- Make an enquiry online or call 09 875 4577. It takes a couple of minutes and doesn't affect your credit score.
- Chat with a lending specialist about what you need, the property and how you'll repay.
- Receive indicative terms if the loan fits what we do.
- Valuation and credit decision. A registered valuer reports on the property and our credit team makes the final call.
- Your lawyer signs the documents and we settle. Once approved, funding can happen in as little as 24 hours in some cases.
Is a property-secured loan right for my Wellington business?
It suits owners who have equity in property, a clear business purpose and a realistic way to repay within a short to medium term, such as a sale, a refinance, a contract payment or improving cash flow. It's less suited to long-term borrowing with no end date. If you're not sure, that's what the first conversation is for. Our guide on how a second mortgage works for business is a good primer.
Whether you run a café in Te Aro, a workshop in Gracefield or a vineyard in Martinborough, start your enquiry and we'll give you a straight answer.
Frequently asked questions
Can fundU help if my Wellington business lost government work?
Often, yes. If a paused or cancelled contract has left you short on cash flow or behind with IRD, a property-secured loan can bridge the gap while you rebuild your client base. We focus on the property, the purpose and a realistic plan to repay, rather than last year's accounts alone.
Do you lend against earthquake-prone buildings in Wellington?
We look at every property case by case. A building with an earthquake-prone notice can still be considered, but its value, the cost and timing of strengthening, and how easily it would sell all affect how much we can lend. Offering a home or other property as security as well can help.
Do you lend in the Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa?
Yes. We lend against property in Wellington and right across the region, including Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Petone, Porirua, the Kāpiti Coast and Wairarapa towns such as Masterton, Carterton, Greytown and Martinborough. Lifestyle and rural property is considered case by case.
Will I need to meet someone in person in Wellington?
No. fundU works from one central lending team, so everything is handled by phone, email and online. A registered valuer inspects the property where needed, and your own lawyer handles the mortgage documents and settlement for you.
A practical next step
Ready to see what's possible?
Tell us what the business needs, when you need it and what property is available. A fundU lending specialist will call you back to talk it through — enquiring is free and won't affect your credit score.