House Prices

Rich pickings for money firms

A Mangere lawyer says new laws designed to help protect people from unscrupulous money lenders do not go far enough.

Wednesday, April 20th 2005

Catriona MacLennan, from Nga Ture Kaitiaki Ki Waikato community law centre, says the front page of loan contracts should contain nothing more than the amount the borrower must repay.

And Ms MacLennan also wants interest rates capped at a set percentage above the inflation rate.

That would stop some Manukau finance companies lending money at interest rates of up to 300 per cent.

Some money lenders are preying on the people who can least afford to pay those exorbitant rates, says Global Peace and Justice Auckland spokesman John Minto.

New laws introduced this month aim to better protect people who buy goods on credit or borrow money.

Greater importance has been placed on money lenders explaining all of a loan's key terms and conditions.

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SBS FirstHome Combo 6.74
Heartland Bank - Online 6.89
Wairarapa Building Society 6.95
Unity 6.99
Co-operative Bank - First Home Special 7.04
ICBC 7.05
China Construction Bank 7.09
BNZ - Classic 7.24
ASB Bank 7.24
ANZ Special 7.24
TSB Special 7.24
Unity First Home Buyer special 6.45
Heartland Bank - Online 6.55
SBS Bank Special 6.69
TSB Special 6.75
Westpac Special 6.75
China Construction Bank 6.75
ICBC 6.75
AIA - Go Home Loans 6.75
ASB Bank 6.75
Unity 6.79
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 6.79
SBS Bank Special 6.19
ASB Bank 6.39
Westpac Special 6.39
AIA - Go Home Loans 6.39
China Construction Bank 6.40
ICBC 6.49
Kiwibank Special 6.55
BNZ - Classic 6.55
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 6.55
TSB Special 6.59
SBS Bank 6.79
SBS FirstHome Combo 6.19
AIA - Back My Build 6.19
ANZ Blueprint to Build 7.39
Credit Union Auckland 7.70
ICBC 7.85
Heartland Bank - Online 7.99
Pepper Money Essential 8.29
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 8.40
Co-operative Bank - Standard 8.40
First Credit Union Standard 8.50
Kiwibank 8.50

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