# Separating household seeking to retain the home

Home lending · Borrower profiles · P10

One partner in a separating couple with a joint mortgage, hoping to keep the home; support questions describe the mortgage already in that partner's name.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending#borrowers)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions | 13 |
| captured answers | 80 |
| AI platforms | 4 |
| collected | 11 Oct 2026 |

## Read what this borrower asked.

### HL-Q070: Borrower journey

My partner and I are separating and have a joint mortgage. I'd like to keep the house if I can. What do I need to work out before speaking to the bank?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q070.md)

### HL-Q071: Choosing a loan

I'm separating from my partner and hoping to keep our home. Which lenders would you suggest I speak to about taking on the mortgage myself?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q071.md)

### HL-Q072: Borrower journey

We're separating and own a mortgaged home. How do I compare keeping the house and taking on the loan with selling it, without overlooking the ongoing costs?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q072.md)

### HL-Q073: Borrower journey

I'm hoping to take over our joint home loan after a separation. What information should I get together so a lender can assess whether I can manage it on my own?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q073.md)

### HL-Q074: Borrower journey

After our separation, a lender has conditionally agreed to a mortgage in my name for our home. What needs to be coordinated before the joint mortgage and ownership arrangements change?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q074.md)

### HL-Q076: Borrower journey

My partner and I are separating and disagree about who should pay the joint mortgage on our home while we sort things out. Who should I speak to first?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q076.md)

### HL-Q187: Choosing a loan

I'm separating from my partner, we have a joint mortgage and I want to keep the home by taking on the loan myself. Which lenders would you recommend for the mortgage in my name, and why?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q187.md)

### HL-Q188: Choosing a loan

What's the best bank for taking over a joint mortgage on your own after a separation?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q188.md)

### HL-Q189: Choosing a loan

best bank to refinance joint mortgage into one name after separation

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q189.md)

### HL-Q190: Support after purchase

After separating, I kept our home and the mortgage is now in my name alone, on one income. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in my situation, and why?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q190.md)

### HL-Q191: Support after purchase

I kept the house after my separation and the mortgage is now just in my name. Managing it on one income is new for me, and I don't find my bank very helpful. Are some banks better at supporting people in this position?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q191.md)

### HL-Q192: Support after purchase

Which bank is best for someone paying a mortgage on their own after a separation?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q192.md)

### HL-Q193: Support after purchase

best bank for single income mortgage after separation

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q193.md)

## Which lenders AI put in front of this borrower

The national loan-choice and support answers, with the lenders each assistant recommended.

| Lender or party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BNZ | 16 | 30 |
| Kiwibank | 14 | 30 |
| ASB | 13 | 30 |
| Westpac | 12 | 30 |
| ANZ | 9 | 30 |
| Resimac | 5 | 30 |
| Co-operative | 4 | 30 |
| Avanti Finance | 2 | 30 |
| Pepper Money | 2 | 30 |
| TSB | 2 | 30 |
| Aster Group | 1 | 30 |
| First Mortgage Trust | 1 | 30 |
| Liberty Financial | 1 | 30 |
| SBS | 1 | 30 |
| Squirrel | 1 | 30 |

## Which lenders AI recommended for the loan.

National choice answers for this borrower. Open a lender to read the evidence.

| Topic | Lender or party | Recommended or named answers | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separation | ASB | 8 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Separation | BNZ | 8 | 15 | 11 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| Separation | Kiwibank | 8 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Separation | Westpac | 7 | 15 | 9 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Separation | ANZ | 5 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Separation | Resimac | 5 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Separation | Avanti Finance | 2 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Separation | Pepper Money | 2 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Separation | Aster Group | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Separation | First Mortgage Trust | 1 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Separation | Liberty Financial | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Separation | SBS | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Separation | Squirrel | 1 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Separation | TSB | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Separation | Co-operative | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Who AI recommended for ongoing support.

National support answers for this borrower, after the lending decision.

| Topic | Lender or party | Recommended or named answers | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separation | BNZ | 8 | 15 | 25 | 15 | 3 | 1 |
| Separation | Kiwibank | 6 | 15 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Separation | ASB | 5 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 4 | 1 |
| Separation | Westpac | 5 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 1 |
| Separation | ANZ | 4 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 4 | 1 |
| Separation | Co-operative | 3 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Separation | TSB | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |

## The reasoning behind the recommendations.

The initial decision is feasibility: whether the person can keep the home, how a lender assesses one income and how ownership and mortgage changes are coordinated. ASB, BNZ and Kiwibank jointly lead named choice inclusion. Every collected national choice answer nevertheless puts the existing lender first among lender routes.

AI frequently proposes legal and mortgage-adviser involvement. Those recommendations support the transaction; they are not votes for the institution that will ultimately fund it. Named specialist alternatives are retained only as the route actually proposed in the answer.

The support setup moves the story forward. The home has been kept and the mortgage is already in one name, so the questions concern managing one income and obtaining ongoing help. BNZ leads named support inclusion, followed by Kiwibank. Answers that return only to buying out the former partner or gaining approval do not supply evidence about post-transfer support. The same person can need a different answer after the ownership decision is complete.

ChatGPT: “These are the lenders I'd consider first for a New Zealand borrower looking to take over a joint home loan after separation.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q187.md) · Answer ID: 26c28434-d4cb-451d-a1bb-0ad1cf2dca58

Gemini: “They are well-versed in handling transfers of equity and removing a departing partner from a title and loan, *provided* you meet single-income serviceability rules.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q187.md) · Answer ID: c279995c-104a-456a-bf9d-8c874c1000f1

Google AI Mode: “_Why consider them:_ They offer competitive cashback offers, flexible revolving credit facilities, and standard structures.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q187.md) · Answer ID: f21aaf4f-6e86-4392-ada4-29b15da58cd3

AI Overviews: “However, they do carry higher interest rates.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q189.md) · Answer ID: 5b3bde55-a121-4560-bee5-b7f877543c10

ChatGPT: “Based on the latest 2026 customer-satisfaction and home-loan research, I'd start with these three lenders, then compare them with your current bank.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q190.md) · Answer ID: 3bfdd488-bccf-4f72-a022-7688e8e8d892

Gemini: “They offer the most robust digital platforms, flexible revolving credit facilities, and offset account structures.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q190.md) · Answer ID: cfabeef9-e675-4997-84f3-79910eb98db2

Google AI Mode: “BNZ's mobile banking platform is rated well for tracking daily spending, giving solo homeowners clear visibility to adjust cash flow dynamically.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q190.md) · Answer ID: fee67b3b-b6fa-4896-bd1b-783a85f27aeb

AI Overviews: “highly receptive to working alongside specialized advisory services to find alternative solutions if standard servicing calculations fall just short.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/banking/home-lending/editions/1/questions/HL-Q190.md) · Answer ID: 502e93b8-edce-40a2-9b4b-2f3682ab103b

## Where the answers to this borrower came from

The websites each assistant drew on, and what kind of publisher they are. Pick a question group to compare the websites.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| bankomb.org.nz | 12 |
| justice.govt.nz | 10 |
| bnz.co.nz | 9 |
| consumerprotection.govt.nz | 8 |
| fma.govt.nz | 8 |
| anz.co.nz | 7 |
| govt.nz | 6 |
| kiwibank.co.nz | 6 |
| asb.co.nz | 5 |
| canstar.co.nz | 3 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| thehomeownersclub.co.nz | 9 |
| homeloanfactory.co.nz | 8 |
| agreeable.co.nz | 5 |
| mortgagelab.co.nz | 4 |
| wwl.co.nz | 4 |
| bankomb.org.nz | 3 |
| calculate.co.nz | 3 |
| canstar.co.nz | 2 |
| metafinancial.co.nz | 2 |
| moneyhub.co.nz | 2 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| homeloanfactory.co.nz | 9 |
| agreeable.co.nz | 4 |
| reddit.com | 4 |
| mortgagelab.co.nz | 3 |
| bankomb.org.nz | 2 |
| calculate.co.nz | 2 |
| canstar.co.nz | 2 |
| globalfinance.co.nz | 2 |
| lawsociety.org.nz | 2 |
| metafinancial.co.nz | 2 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| homeloanfactory.co.nz | 10 |
| agreeable.co.nz | 6 |
| globalfinance.co.nz | 6 |
| reddit.com | 6 |
| squirrel.co.nz | 6 |
| bankomb.org.nz | 5 |
| mymortgage.co.nz | 5 |
| bnz.co.nz | 4 |
| facebook.com | 4 |
| metafinancial.co.nz | 4 |

A website counts once per answer, however many claims cite it. 78 of 80 answers have recorded sources.

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