Search studies, brands and more…⌘ KExplore research

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

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?

First, it makes sense that you're looking for better support. Keeping the family home after a separation can provide stability, but managing a mortgage on one income is a very different experience from managing it as a couple. And when your bank isn't particularly helpful, it can leave you feeling as though you're having to figure everything out yourself.

Yes, some banks in New Zealand may be a better fit for your situation than others. The important thing, though, is to look beyond advertised mortgage rates. You want a bank that will work with you as a single-income homeowner, help you manage cash flow, explain your options clearly and treat you as a person rather than just a mortgage balance.

You also don't necessarily need to move your mortgage to get better support. Sometimes the best first step is to find out whether another team, a mortgage adviser or a different bank could offer you a more practical arrangement.

Which New Zealand banks are worth comparing?

I wouldn't claim that one bank is definitively the best for people after separation: there isn't a reliable public comparison that ranks banks on how supportive they are to single-income homeowners. But there are useful differences in the support and flexibility they advertise.

1. BNZ

Worth investigating for direct home-loan support

BNZ publishes information about restructuring a home loan when your circumstances change, as well as a financial-hardship application that explicitly includes relationship breakdown. That makes it a useful benchmark for the type of support you should expect. Financial hardship applicationManage your home loan

BNZ home-loan support

2. ANZ

Worth including in a home-loan review

Ask ANZ to assess your circumstances as a sole borrower and explain what it could offer in terms of repayment structure, budgeting facilities and flexibility when your fixed rate expires. The key is to get an individual assessment rather than assume a new customer will automatically receive better treatment.

ANZ New Zealand

3. ASB

Worth comparing for everyday banking and mortgage options

Ask how it would help you manage your mortgage alongside regular bills and unexpected home-maintenance costs, and whether its lending team can review your current structure.

ASB New Zealand

4. Westpac

Another option for a second opinion

Ask for a review of your sole-income affordability, available repayment options and the practical costs of switching. Compare the actual offer and the quality of the conversation, not just the advertised rate.

Westpac New Zealand

These are banks worth approaching, not a ranking of customer service. I would start with one or two conversations, ideally including an independent mortgage adviser who can compare lenders without you having to approach each bank separately.

What good support should look like

When you're comparing banks, I would look for five things:

  • A clear cash-flow plan. Help working out what you can comfortably afford each pay cycle, including rates, insurance, maintenance and other bills.
  • Mortgage flexibility. The ability to discuss repayment frequency, loan structure and term, and what happens when a fixed rate expires.
  • A useful point of contact. Someone who explains your choices and follows through, rather than repeatedly sending you to another department.
  • Help before a crisis. If the repayments are becoming difficult, ask about hardship support early. Changes may be possible, although approval isn't guaranteed and some options increase total interest. Hardship and financial difficultyMortgages and home loans
  • Transparent costs. Any rate advantage should be weighed against legal fees, valuation costs, cash contributions that might need to be repaid, and fixed-rate break fees if you switch early.

One bank I'd particularly suggest speaking to

Based on the published support I found, ANZ is worth a conversation if you want help with the structure of your mortgage, rather than only help when you're in financial trouble. Its Home Loan Coaches can help restructure loans, and it offers a separate financial-hardship service for people affected by relationship breakdowns. Manage your home loanApply for financial hardship assistance

ASB is another reasonable option to investigate: it has a dedicated Financial Assistance team and a tool for identifying government support. Financial hardship assistance with ASBSupport Finder – Find Government financial support

You can also compare Westpac's published separation support, which specifically discusses mortgage options after a relationship ends. Help with your finances during a separation

One important distinction: you don't have to be behind on your payments to ask for a mortgage review. But formal hardship assistance is generally intended for people whose changed circumstances mean they cannot reasonably meet their repayments.

You have options beyond changing banks

Two practical steps may help, even if you decide to stay where you are.

  • Talk to an independent mortgage adviser. Ask them to compare the total cost of refinancing, the likelihood of approval on your sole income and how responsive each lender is likely to be. A new bank will reassess your income, expenses, debts and ability to service the loan.
  • Use free, independent financial mentoring. MoneyTalks in New Zealand can help you build a realistic single-income budget and work through debt and household costs without requiring you to change banks. Call 0800 345 123 or visit MoneyTalks. Get help to manage your moneyManaging your money

Can I ask you one question to narrow this down?

When you say your bank isn't very helpful, what is the biggest problem you're experiencing at the moment?

Your answer will help me distinguish between a bank that offers a better day-to-day banking experience and one that could genuinely make keeping your home more manageable.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · National

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?

Navigating a mortgage on a single income after a separation is a massive transition, and feeling unsupported by your current bank makes an already stressful situation much harder.

In New Zealand, major retail banks (such as ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac) operate under the same overarching regulatory framework overseen by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the Banking Ombudsman. This means their formal policies for hardship and restructuring are relatively similar on paper, but the quality of customer service, empathy, and willingness to work collaboratively can vary drastically depending on the individual loan officer or hardship team you deal with.

A relationship breakup is explicitly recognized under New Zealand credit guidelines as a valid trigger for financial hardship. You have options to restructure your loan, and you do not have to navigate it alone.

How New Zealand Banks Can Help (Your Options)

If you formally apply for hardship assistance or request a restructure due to a change in household income, banks can offer several adjustments:

  • Extending the Loan Term: Spreading your remaining balance over a longer period (e.g., pushing it back out to 30 years) permanently lowers your regular monthly or fortnightly payments.
  • Interest-Only Period: Temporarily switching to paying only the interest component stops you from paying down the principal for a set timeframe, significantly reducing your immediate cash-outflow.
  • Repayment Deferral (Mortgage Holiday): A short-term pause on all payments, though interest will continue to accumulate and capitalize onto the loan balance.

Actionable Next Steps to Take Control

  1. Prepare a "Statement of Position" (Budget): Before contacting a bank—whether your current one or a new one—map out your exact weekly or monthly single income against your essential expenses (rates, insurance, food, power, and the mortgage). Having a clear, realistic budget proves you are proactive.
  2. Escalate Within Your Current Bank: If you have only been dealing with frontline branch staff or a phone representative, ask to be transferred specifically to their Financial Hardship Team or a dedicated mobile mortgage manager. Ground your request formally: cite the relationship separation as a life event causing a sudden change in financial circumstances.
  3. Engage Free Financial Support (MoneyTalks): If your bank is unhelpful or rigid, contact MoneyTalks (a free, confidential New Zealand financial helpline funded by the government). Financial mentors can help you structure your budget, talk to the bank on your behalf, and hold them accountable to proper hardship considerations.
  4. Compare Refinancing Options: Because your mortgage is now solely in your name, your borrowing capacity is strictly tied to your individual income. If your current bank continues to stonewall you once you approach them formally, it may be worth consulting an independent mortgage broker to see if another New Zealand lender will refinance the mortgage to better terms or a lower rate.

Would you like help mapping out a basic single-income household budget template to take to your bank or a financial mentor?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · National

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?

Navigating a mortgage on a single income after a separation is a massive adjustment, and it is completely normal to feel stretched or let down if your current bank isn't offering the proactive guidance you need.

In New Zealand , all major registered banks (such as ANZ, ASB, Westpac, and BNZ) are bound by similar regulatory guidelines and code of banking practice obligations regarding relationship property changes and financial stress. Officially, they all have dedicated hardship or customer-solution teams that recognize marital separation as a trigger event for structural assistance.

However, experience and empathy vary significantly depending on the specific mobile mortgage manager or hardship team you speak to, rather than one bank being universally "better" by design. Some institutions lean heavily into digital tools and rigid automated criteria, while others provide more flexible human-to-human restructuring conversations.

What Banks Can (and Should) Offer

If you approach a bank specifically about managing post-separation affordability, they generally have a few standard levers they can pull:

  • Interest-Only Periods: Temporarily reducing your payments so you only pay the interest component, lowering your immediate monthly cash outflow.

  • Loan Term Extension: Extending your remaining loan term (e.g., stretching it back out to 30 years) to lower your mandatory regular installments.

  • Restructuring or Splitting: Breaking the mortgage into portions—such as fixing a portion for certainty and leaving a portion floating, or utilizing offset facilities if you have any savings buffers.

Alternative Independent Support in New Zealand

Because bank staff can sometimes feel transactional or unhelpful, you don't have to rely solely on them to figure out what your options look like:

  • Free Financial Mentoring: Services like MoneyTalks are a confidential, free budgeting service funded by the New Zealand government. They can look over your single income and expenses objectively and help you prepare a structured proposal to take to a bank (or a broker).

  • Mortgage Brokers: An independent mortgage adviser doesn't just work for home purchases; they can often review an existing single-name mortgage and negotiate with other lenders to see if refinancing or shifting your lending to a bank with a more supportive policy makes sense.

  • Educational Resources: Tools and budget planners on Sorted.org.nz can help map out a realistic single-income household cash-flow forecast before your next conversation with a lender.

If you'd like to explore this further, tell me:

  • Are you currently falling behind on payments , or are you just trying to proactively lower your monthly outgoings to feel more comfortable?
  • Is your mortgage currently fixed, floating, or split?

I can help you figure out what kind of restructuring questions to take to a bank or an independent adviser.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · National

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?

AI Overview

Managing a mortgage on a single income following a separation is an incredibly demanding transition, and it is completely normal to feel overwhelmed when adjusting to a single-income budget.

While no single New Zealand bank is universally ranked as "the best" for separation support , all major Kiwi banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac) have dedicated Financial Hardship and Care teams. These teams bypass standard customer service channels to provide tailored restructuring options for individuals managing relationship breakdowns.

The specific relief features provided by major banks can ease your transition.

Evaluate Your Short-Term Relief Options

Under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 , New Zealand banks are legally required to give proper consideration to hardship applications caused by relationship breakdowns. Instead of speaking to a standard branch teller, ask to be put through to your bank's Care or Financial Hardship team to discuss these options:

  • Interest-Only Payments: You temporarily pause paying off the principal balance and only cover the interest. This significantly lowers your immediate minimum required repayments.

  • Loan Term Extensions: If you have owned the home for a while, you can request to extend your remaining mortgage term back out to 30 years. This spreads the debt over a longer period, dropping your mandatory weekly or fortnightly payment amount.

  • Mortgage Repayment Deferrals: Formerly known as a "mortgage holiday," this pauses repayments entirely for a short period (usually up to 90 days). Warning: Interest continues to accumulate and is added to your total loan balance. Use this only as a last resort.

Consider Strategic Structural Changes

If you prefer not to submit a formal hardship application—which can sometimes leave a temporary flag on your internal credit profile—you can look into changing the structure of your mortgage:

  • Offset and Revolving Credit Accounts: Westpac, BNZ, and Kiwibank offer specific offset mortgage products. Every dollar sitting in your everyday cash or savings account reduces the amount of mortgage interest you are charged daily, helping your single income work harder.

  • Loan Splitting: Instead of having your whole mortgage on one giant fixed rate, split it into smaller portions (e.g., a 1-year fixed term, a 2-year fixed term, and a small variable portion). This protects your budget against sudden interest rate jumps when a term expires.

Leverage a Mortgage Broker Instead of Navigating Banks Alone

Because you are finding your current bank unhelpful, working with a registered New Zealand Mortgage Broker / Adviser is highly recommended. Their services are typically free to you (as they are paid via bank commissions). A broker will:

  1. Objectively evaluate which bank’s current lending criteria best fits a single-income household.

  2. Negotiate directly with lenders on your behalf so you don't have to handle the stress of defending your budget to a bank.

  3. Help you check if switching banks could secure you a cashback contribution (frequently between 1% to 1.5% of the loan value), which can give you an emergency cash buffer to handle moving or restructuring costs.

To help tailor the best steps forward, could you share:

  • Roughly how much equity you have in the home (or your approximate loan-to-value ratio)?

  • Whether your current mortgage is on a fixed or floating (variable) interest rate , and when it is due to roll over?

  • If you have already looked into any government assistance or independent financial tools like Sorted NZ?

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026