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Evidence · Home lending

The questions and original answers

Explore every question and captured response in the home-lending study, including answers asked nationally and from four cities.

questions
193
captured answers
1,094
AI platforms
4
collected
11 October 2026

01

Every question, with its answers

Each question was written as a voter would ask it and went to all four assistants. Some were also asked from a town. Open a question to read every answer to it in full.

Showing 20 of 193 questions

Show all 193

02

The tables behind the study

Every figure on the study page comes from these tables. They are CSV files, which open in any spreadsheet.

  • Question catalogue

    questions.csv

    One row per question.

    Question ID, borrower, exact question, group and collected answers

    193rows

    Download question catalogue (CSV)

  • Answers

    answers.csv

    One row per answer, with its full text.

    Answer ID, question ID, borrower, assistant, city, words, coded recommendations, showed a link and full text

    1,094rows

    Download answers (CSV)

  • Sources by answer

    sources.csv

    One row for each website recorded as a source of an answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, assistant, city, website and publisher type

    4,574rows

    Download sources by answer (CSV)

  • Checks against official sources

    checks.csv

    One row per statement checked.

    Check, answer ID, assistant, what the answer said, verdict, what the source says, source and date

    4rows

    Download checks against official sources (CSV)

  • Recommendation coding

    recommendation-coding.csv

    One row per coded national loan-choice or support answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, borrower, assistant, question group, recommended lenders and supporting passages

    360rows

    Download recommendation coding (CSV)

  • Platform comparisons

    platform-recommendation-counts.csv

    One row per platform, lender and question group.

    Matched panel, recommended answers, denominator and supporting answer IDs

    105rows

    Download platform comparisons (CSV)

  • City comparisons

    city-recommendation-counts.csv

    One row per city, lender and question group.

    Matched panel, recommended answers, denominator and supporting answer IDs

    112rows

    Download city comparisons (CSV)

Use these tables to trace findings back to the original questions and answers. The full text of each answer is also on this page, under its question.

03

Read in full and checked

Some answers were read in detail or checked against official sources. Those appear on the study page, beside the findings they support.

ChatGPT · National

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

If you’re in New Zealand and want to take over a joint mortgage in your own name after a separation, the best bank is usually the one most willing to assess your income on its own, release your ex-partner from the loan, and let you keep the home without making the process unnecessarily expensive.

I wouldn’t automatically switch banks. Start by asking your existing lender whether it will let you take over the mortgage as the sole borrower. A competing bank may offer a better deal, but refinancing can involve legal costs, valuation fees and potentially break fees on a fixed-rate loan.

The key distinction is that taking over the mortgage is not just changing whose name is on the loan. The bank must agree that you can afford the debt independently, and your ex-partner generally needs to be formally released from their mortgage obligations.

Which NZ banks would I approach first?

I’d compare these four, starting with your existing lender. I can’t verify that one bank is consistently the easiest for separation-related mortgage transfers, because approval depends heavily on your finances and the bank’s lending assessment.

  1. ANZ New Zealand

A sensible first call if your current mortgage is with ANZ. Ask about restructuring the loan into your sole name, its affordability assessment and any costs associated with changing the lending. ANZ offers home-loan restructuring support. Manage your home loan

ANZ home-loan support

  1. ASB

Worth comparing if you want a fresh assessment or already bank with ASB. It has specific separation and divorce guidance, which can help you organise the wider financial changes. Managing finances through separation or divorce

ASB separation support

  1. BNZ

Worth including in a competitive comparison, particularly if your current bank won’t approve the loan on your income alone. Ask whether it can refinance the existing balance and what equity and affordability requirements would apply.

BNZ financial support

  1. Westpac New Zealand

Include Westpac in your comparison if another lender offers a better overall deal. Have it assess the proposed sole-borrower arrangement before committing to a refinance.

Westpac website

What matters most for getting approved?

The bank will generally want to understand:

  • Your income: whether your salary or other reliable income can cover the mortgage and normal living expenses.
  • Your remaining mortgage: the amount you owe and the repayments at the applicable interest rate.
  • Your equity: the property’s current value compared with the outstanding loan.
  • Your other commitments: credit cards, personal loans, dependants, childcare and any child support payments.
  • The separation settlement: whether you need to pay your ex-partner for their share of the home.

If you cannot afford the existing loan by yourself, a longer loan term or a different structure may help with repayments, but it won't necessarily make the application acceptable to the bank.

Importantly, the Banking Ombudsman explains that both borrowers can remain liable for the full joint loan even after separating. Your ex-partner is not automatically released just because you make all the repayments. Relationship breakdowns and banking

The approach I recommend

  1. Ask your current bank to assess a transfer to sole borrowing.
  2. Speak to an independent mortgage adviser to compare options with other lenders.
  3. Get a property lawyer to help with the ownership transfer and separation agreement. In New Zealand, a relationship-property agreement generally requires independent legal advice for both parties. Separating from your spouse or partnerDivide relationship property
  4. Don't assume the mortgage or property transfer is complete until the lender has formally approved the arrangements and the legal work is completed.

I can narrow this down to the best option for your circumstances

The most important factor is whether you can comfortably service the mortgage on your own. If you share a few approximate figures, I can help you work out which route is most realistic.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · National

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

When taking over a joint mortgage on your own after a separation (often called a mortgage buyout or refinancing into a sole name), the "best" bank is rarely a universal choice. Instead, your current lender is almost always the easiest starting point, but shopping around or using a mortgage broker is often necessary to get approval.

Because you will be moving from a dual-income application to a single-income application—while potentially increasing the loan size to buy out your ex-partner's equity—choosing the right path comes down to serviceability, policy flexibility, and cost.

Key Options for Navigating This in New Zealand

  1. Staying with Your Current Bank (The Path of Least Resistance)

    • Why consider it: If you already hold the mortgage with a major New Zealand lender (such as ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, or Kiwibank), they already hold the security.
    • The Process: They can often treat this as a loan variation or a refinance rather than a brand-new application, which can save on legal and application discharge fees. However, they will still put you through strict credit and affordability (serviceability) tests to ensure a single income can cover the debt.

  2. Shopping Around or Using a Mortgage Broker

    • Why consider it: Different banks calculate "serviceability" (how much they are willing to lend you based on your income, expenses, and dependents) using different internal test rates and expense models.
    • The Advantage: If your current bank declines your sole application or offers a lower limit than you need for the buyout, a free mortgage adviser/broker can compare policies across multiple lenders (including non-bank lenders like Resimac or First Mortgage Trust if mainstream banks say no) to find a lender whose credit criteria favor your specific financial profile.

Critical Requirements Across All NZ Banks

No matter which bank you deal with, you will need to meet three strict hurdles to take over a joint mortgage alone:

  • Servicing and Affordability: The bank must be legally satisfied under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) that you can comfortably service the increased debt (your original mortgage plus any extra funds borrowed to buy out your ex's share) on your individual income.
  • Loan-to-Value Ratio (LVR): The total borrowing cannot exceed Reserve Bank LVR restrictions for owner-occupied properties, factoring in a registered property valuation.
  • A Signed Separation Agreement: Major New Zealand banks will generally not remove your ex-partner from the title or mortgage until you provide a legally binding, signed Separation Agreement (certified by independent lawyers) detailing how the property and debts are being split.
Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · National

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

There is no single "best" bank for taking over a joint mortgage on your own, because your current lender is almost always the easiest and most practical place to start.

When you go through a separation, transferring a joint mortgage into a single name is handled as a application to discharge one borrower and refinance/restructure the loan in the remaining borrower's name. Sticking with your existing bank avoids costly mortgage break fees (if you are currently on a fixed-term rate) and simplifies the legal process, provided you meet their single-income borrowing and serviceability criteria.

How Existing vs. New Lenders Compare

  • Your Current Bank (e.g.,ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, Kiwibank):

  • Pros: No break fees for moving fixed terms mid-stream (you keep your current fixed rates); they already hold the security; they understand the existing property history.

  • Cons: They must approve you based solely on your individual income and current Debt-to-Income (DTI) and LVR rules. If your single income does not cover the serviceability test, they will decline the transfer.

  • Switching to a Different Bank:

  • Pros: Another bank might offer a sharper cashback incentive or more flexible lending criteria if your current bank says no.

  • Cons: You will trigger mortgage break costs if you break an existing fixed-term loan early, and you will face new application, valuation, and legal fees.

Key Factors Banks Evaluate for a Solo Takeover

  • Serviceability (Income vs. Expenses): The bank assesses whether your single income can comfortably service 100% of the remaining mortgage, plus living expenses and any child support obligations.

  • Property Equity (LVR): The Loan-to-Value Ratio must align with current Reserve Bank rules. If you need to borrow extra to "buy out" your ex-partner's share of the equity, the total loan amount cannot exceed the allowable LVR threshold for owner-occupiers.

  • The Separation Agreement: Most major New Zealand banks require a signed, legally binding Separation Agreement or a court order detailing how relationship property and debts are being divided before they will legally remove one person from the title and the mortgage. [www.agreeable.co.nz]

If you'd like to narrow this down, please tell me:

  • Whether your current mortgage is fixed or floating (and when it expires)
  • If you need to borrow extra funds to buy out your ex-partner's share of equity
  • Which bank your current mortgage is with

I can outline the specific requirements or next steps for your situation.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026