ING Australia for business borrowers: commercial property loans and little else

ING built its name in Australia on savings accounts and home loans with very few fees. Its business offering follows the same instinct for simplicity: rather than trying to be everything to every small business, ING lends against commercial property, and does that well.

So the first question isn’t “will ING approve me?” but “is what I need a commercial property loan?” If yes, ING deserves a place on your shortlist. If not, you’ll save time by looking elsewhere straight away. Everything below comes from ING’s own websites as at October 2026; confirm the detail with ING or your broker before you commit.

What can a business borrow from ING?

Product	Who it’s for	Published amount	Terms
Priority Commercial loan	Trading businesses buying or refinancing commercial property, to occupy or invest	$500k to $8m	Variable up to 20 years; fixed for 1 to 5 years, then variable
Commercial Property Finance (investment)	Investors in logistics, industrial, retail, office and other commercial property	$5m or more	1 to 5 years, fixed or variable
Commercial Property Finance (development)	Developers of multi-dwelling residential, commercial and land subdivision projects	$5m or more	Interest can be capitalised; land loans up to 24 months
Business Green Upgrade Loan	Existing Commercial Property Finance customers	From $250k	Up to 5 years, interest only

Notice what’s missing. There’s no business overdraft, unsecured loan, equipment or vehicle finance, or invoice finance. ING does offer business savings accounts and term deposits, so some owners bank their reserves there and borrow for day-to-day needs elsewhere.

How do Priority Commercial loans work?

This is the product most small and medium businesses will look at. ING aims it at self-employed trading businesses buying or refinancing commercial premises, whether they’ll operate from the building or lease it out. Its broker site describes the target customer as professional investors and experienced owner-occupiers, which tells you ING expects a borrower who has done this before or has strong advisers around them.

Repayments. ING’s standard setting is to repay principal along with interest, with an interest-only period of as long as five years available to some borrowers. Interest only is reserved for investment purposes and is subject to credit criteria, so a business buying its own warehouse should expect to pay principal from the start.

Fixed or variable. A variable loan runs up to 20 years and allows redraw, at $50 per redraw with a $10k minimum. A fixed loan locks pricing for one to five years, then reverts to variable. Large extra repayments during a fixed period can trigger break costs, which ING warns may be substantial. Our comparison of fixed vs variable business loans walks through the trade-off.

Fees. ING charges no monthly account-keeping fee. You pay for the valuation when one is needed, and other commercial fees are available on request, so ask for a full schedule early.

Paperwork beyond the financials. For new applications above $2.5m, ING requires a Code of Conduct questionnaire, and every property offered as security needs an ESG questionnaire. Neither is hard, but both are easy to forget until they hold up an approval.

Planning a premises purchase and want to test the numbers? Our LVR calculator shows how deposit and loan size interact, and you can share your scenario with us if ING’s minimum or criteria don’t suit.

What sits above the $5m line?

Larger deals move to ING’s Commercial Property Finance team. On the investment side, it funds traditional commercial assets such as logistics, industrial, retail and office property, over terms of one to five years.

The development side is where ING shows real depth. It finances multi-dwelling residential, commercial and land subdivision projects, can capitalise interest during construction, and offers land loans of up to 24 months for future development sites. ING advertises fast-tracked indicative term sheets for these deals. If you’re earlier in the journey, our guide to construction and development finance explains how these facilities are usually structured.

Why the green upgrade loan stands out

Few banks tie a business loan this tightly to measurable energy results. The Business Green Upgrade Loan funds solar panels and batteries, solar hot water and heat pumps, and building monitoring systems on a property already financed by ING Commercial Property Finance.

It lends at least $250k, interest only, for up to five years, with a $1,000 application fee and a $250 discharge fee. ING pays suppliers directly against invoices. The catch is accountability: before the loan ends you must show either a better NABERS Energy rating or a verified drop in energy use. Miss the target and the loan reverts to a standard commercial loan for the rest of the term, without a penalty but without the discount.

Take an illustrative Adelaide investor holding a $9m office building financed through ING. A $400k rooftop solar and battery upgrade could lift the NABERS rating, cut tenants’ outgoings and qualify for green pricing. For smaller owners without an ING facility, our solar and energy upgrades page and the green business loans guide cover other routes.

Who suits ING, and who might not?

ING fits best for:

• established businesses buying their own commercial premises with a sizeable deposit;
• experienced commercial property investors refinancing or adding to a portfolio;
• developers with projects of $5m and up;
• owners who value low fees and plan to work through a commercial broker.

It’s not built for loans under $500k, businesses without commercial property security, owners who need working capital or an overdraft, equipment purchases, or anyone needing funds in days for a settlement.

Questions to ask ING or your broker

1. What maximum loan-to-value ratio applies to my property type and location?
2. What fees apply on top of the valuation, in total dollars?
3. Exactly when would break costs apply if I fix and later sell the property?
4. Will ING accept my business structure, such as a trust or an SMSF?
5. What timeline should I expect from lodgement to formal approval?

If ING said no, you’re in the right place

ING is a sharp, low-cost lender, and if your deal fits its commercial property box, its offer deserves serious consideration. A decline generally means the deal sat outside that box, and that’s where other lenders come in:

• Need under $500k, or don’t have commercial security? See secured business loans and home equity business loans.
• Buying through super? Compare SMSF commercial property loans.
• Settlement date looming? Read what to do when a settlement is about to fall over and our bridging finance guide.
• Need working capital rather than property? Start with working capital loans.
• Other banks worth a look: Macquarie Bank, Judo Bank and, for small app-based overdrafts, AMP Bank.

Property deal not quite in ING’s sweet spot? We can help find one that is

Commercial property deals rarely fit neatly. The amount is too small, the building’s a little unusual, or the timeline is tighter than a bank allows.

If that sounds familiar, our enquiry form needs only a minute or so, and sending it involves no credit check of any kind. You won’t be passed along to a string of lenders; your details stay with our team. A real person studies your deal, then calls to talk about the options. Give us the true picture of the property, the amount and the deadline, and we’ll be able to aim at the right lender immediately.

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