8 Reasons Green Business Loan Applications Get Rejected

Are you interested in starting a green business? This is a noble goal to consider! There are many great green business ideas that can be both profitable and help the planet.

This is one of the best times to start a green business, because support is higher than ever. A growing number of consumers are passionate about supporting green companies. Seventy-six percent of Americans will support businesses that help fight climate change.

Unfortunately, starting your very own business is not as easy as it may seem. Creating a green business can be even harder, because of the costs involved sourcing more expensive materials. It might require large amounts of capital, which is something that many individuals may not always have.

Here’s where a business loan can help get your eco-friendly business off the ground. It can not only help you set up your own business, but also take care of the various expenses that come as part of it as well.

However, when applying for a business loan, you have to be careful to not make any mistakes since it can lead to your application getting rejected. And the worst part of it all is that there might be several reasons for rejection too.

Mistakes to Avoid When Getting a Loan for Your Eco-Friendly Business

You don’t want to make common mistakes when seeking a loan for your green business. In this article, we’re going to take a look at 8 of the most common reasons why a business loan application can get rejected.

1.      Non-Satisfaction of Eligibility Criteria

Wouldn’t it be great if lenders issued loans to eco-friendly companies just because they wanted to help the environment? Sadly, that isn’t how things go. You need to show that your company will be both environmentally and financially sustainable.

Not all lending institutions have the same business loan eligibility criteria. In fact, depending on the lender that you approach, it can either be very stringent or very relaxed. If you apply for a business loan with a lender whose criteria is stringent, you may end up not satisfying it, which will ultimately lead to a rejection of your application.

2.      Low Credit Score or No Credit History

This is one of the major reasons for your business loan application getting rejected. Lenders generally take your or your business’ credit score and history into consideration before granting a loan. And if they find that your score or history is less than optimal, they might reject your application.

3.      High Debt Utilization Ratio

Another major factor that’s taken into account by lenders at the time of business loan application verification is your debt utilization ratio. If you’re found to have utilized a large part of the total amount of credit allotted to you, then the lenders may choose to reject your application. Ideally, your debt utilization ratio shouldn’t be more than 30%.

You will want to be efficient with how you use your money as a green business, which will help you accumulate less debt. You can save money in the long-run when you use eco-friendly business practices, such as using solar panels to save money on energy. However, you can’t justify these expenditures right away when seeking an eco-friendly loan, unless they are crucial for actually running your business.

4.      Too Many Loan Applications

Applying for many loan applications in quick succession can hurt your chances of getting a business loan approved since you essentially come across as being desperate. Also, when you apply for a business loan, lenders usually perform a hard credit score check, which is likely to impact your score as well.

5.      Not Enough Business Revenue

It would be great if eco-friendly companies drew in a lot more money from green customers. Sadly, that doesn’t always happen. Harvard Business Review discussed this in 2019 in their article The Elusive Green Consumer.

When your eco-friendly business doesn’t generate enough revenue, you may not be in a position to make the business loan EMI payments in a timely fashion. It is for this reason that lenders reject your business loan application if your business doesn’t generate any revenue or if it is found to be not enough.

6.      Incomplete or Wrong Information

Any mistakes or incomplete information in your business loan application can lead to the lender rejecting it. That’s not all. If the supporting documents that you provide are either incomplete or contain any errors, you might also face rejection as well. That’s why it is important to double-check all information before submitting your business loan application.

7.      Little to No Business Track Record

Lenders typically ask you to produce proof of the business’ track record by way of submitting its financials. If your business is very young and with little to no track record, many lenders may hesitate to give you a business loan and can even reject your application.

8.      Inability to Produce Collateral

Not all business loans are unsecured. Some lenders may even ask you to pledge an asset as a collateral for availing the loan, failing which your application can get rejected. However, you can circumvent this issue by applying for a unsecured business loan.

Avoid Common Mistakes When Seeking a Loan for Your Green Business

You will probably need financing for your eco-friendly business. Unfortunately, your loan might get denied if you don’t pay attention to what you are doing.

Now that you’re aware of the common reasons for business loan application rejection, make sure that you stay clear of them. This way, you can increase your chances of getting a business loan approved. Also, remember to always check the business loan eligibility criteria before applying for one.