Home Loan Experts

Australia’s mortgage industry is getting more competitive with the resurgence of non-bank lenders and the emergence of neo-bank lenders.

Borrowers have more options to choose – so why should you choose a non-bank lender for your next home loan?

What Is A Non-Bank?

A non-bank lender is a financial institution that does not have an authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI) licence.

They perform most of the functions a traditional bank would, but are not able to take deposits from their customers.

However, they do offer products like home loans, car loans and even credit cards at competitive interest rates compared with the bigger banks.

What Are The Advantages Of Using A Non-Bank Lender?

There are several advantages of using a non-bank lender over a traditional bank:

  • They are specialist lenders that can help higher-risk borrowers who were rejected by major banks for reasons like their credit history or employment status.
  • Since the Australian Prudential Regulation Agency (APRA) does not regulate them, they assess repayments differently. They have more lenient methods for assessing existing and new debt.
  • As they borrow funds at wholesale prices, they can offer competitive and sometimes even cheaper interest rates than traditional banks.
  • They offer lower setup fees and ongoing fees than traditional banks.
  • Due to their small size, they don’t have a large hierarchical structure like traditional banks and have shorter turnaround times.
  • They offer a much more personalised service than a traditional bank.

What Are The Drawbacks Of Using A Non-Bank Lender?

While non-bank lenders offer competitive interest rates, there are some downsides to choosing them over a traditional bank:

  • They cannot provide the full range of banking products like savings accounts and checking accounts.
  • They have a limited physical presence and fewer branches. Most of their services are offered online.
  • They have fewer loan product options.
  • They’re not as good as the big banks for financing unusual securities.
  • They’re not as good for temporary employee and casual employee home loans.

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Are Non-Bank Lenders Safe?

Due to the absence of a banking licence, many make the misconception that non-banks are not safe. Furthermore, non-banks are last resort for getting their home loans approved.

However, non-banks are just as safe as traditional banks.

Since they cannot take on any deposits, you are not actually keeping any of your money with them. You are just repaying them for the loans.

Since the Australian Securities and Investments Commissions regulates them, they still have to follow the directives put out in the National Consumer Credit Protection Act (NCCP).

The NCCP Act protects consumers and ensures that ethical and professional standards are maintained and upheld in the finance industry.

Furthermore, non-banks are also bound by Australian consumer law and privacy Law and ePayments code.

How Do Non-Banks Differ From Traditional Banks?

Non-bank lenders differ from traditional banks in two significant areas:

  • Where their funding comes from.
  • Who regulates them.

Firstly, non-banks seek 100% of their funds from the wholesale money market. Since non-banks are not Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs) like traditional banks, they cannot offer deposit products like saving accounts and term deposits.

A portion of funding for traditional banks comes from the deposits of their customers, whereas the funding for non-banks comes from private investors or large organisations.

Secondly, since non-banks are not ADIs, they do not hold a banking licence and are not regulated by (APRA). Instead, non-banks hold a credit licence and are regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Non-banks follow the Consumer Credit Code, which governs all Australian credit transactions. APRA also takes on an advisory role for non-bank lenders.

Besides these two major areas, non-bank lenders differ from traditional banks in the following ways:

  • They are not publicly listed.
  • They are smaller in scale.
  • They are only a few years old.
  • The $250,000 government guarantee is not available for them as they are not ADIs.
  • They have access to lower-cost funding.
  • They do not have their own dedicated association.
  • Their product offerings are limited, but they cater to specific niches like low docs, bad credit, etc.
  • They are not as regulated as banks. However, regulation might get tighter as non-banks are gaining traction.
  • They are not constrained by the legacy technology and systems traditional banks use.

What Are The Types Of Home Loans Non-Bank Lenders Offer?

Most non-banks are specialist lenders who have been known to lend to riskier borrowers.

Some of the types of home loans offered by non-banks are:

  • Basic home loans with either a fixed or variable rate with limited features. Some offer split-rate home loans as well.
  • Some even offer full-featured standard home loans with the added benefits of offset accounts, redraw facilities, ability to make extra repayments, etc.
  • Low doc loans
  • Bad credit home loans
  • Investment loans
  • Construction loans

What Are The Non-Bank Lenders In Australia?

Here is a list of non-bank lenders in Australia, some of which are also on our panel of lenders.

Should I Use A Non-Bank Lender?

Due to the aggressive interest rates of non-banks, it may seem like a no brainer to choose a non-bank lender for your home loans.

They offer flexible interest rates and lower fees on their home loan products. Furthermore, traditional banks have been forced to respond to their fierce competition by lowering their interest rates as well.

However, interest rates are one of the many facets you should look into when choosing a lender.

You also have to take into consideration the following points before choosing a non-bank lender:

  • Fees and rates like establishment fees, application fees, monthly and annual fees, offset and redraw fees.
  • If there are any hidden costs like break costs.
  • Provision of a free redraw.
  • The length of their application process.
  • The customer service they offer.
  • Criteria for application.
  • Online banking facility.

Need Help Choosing A Lender?

If you’re still not sure about whether to go with a traditional bank or a non-bank for your home loan, the best option is to choose a mortgage broker.

A mortgage broker will assess your situation and consider your needs and give recommendations on the best lenders based on your situation.

Our specialist brokers will come up with tailor-made solutions to your unique circumstances.

To get in contact with them, call us at 1300 889 743 or complete our free assessment form online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Get A Better Interest Rate With A Non-Bank?

Essentially, yes, you might get better interest rates with a non bank lender.

Since non-banks are competing with bigger banks, they tend to offer competitive interest rates to lure in customers.

They undercut the cost of their products and lower their interest rates to stay alive in the fierce competition.

What Happens If A Non-Bank Goes Bust?

Where Do Non-Banks Get Their Money If They Can’t Take Deposits?

When Should I Choose A Non-Bank Lender?

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