ANZ Home Loan Lending Policy 2026

ANZ home loan policy assesses whether the borrower can repay the proposed debt, where the deposit comes from and whether the property supports the structure. For an investor file, the contract date and the property’s new-build status also affect negative-gearing treatment.

ANZ’s May 2026 investor changes make an old borrowing estimate an unsafe basis for a new established-property purchase. Keep the purchase evidence beside the servicing calculation, then match the product and repayment type to that same scenario. Use the lender policy hub to compare policy topics across lenders.

Deposits and Genuine Funds

Separate money available for settlement from evidence that the borrower has saved it. As at October 2026, ANZ’s deposit guide describes savings, existing-property equity and guarantor support as different ways to fund a purchase. ANZ also describes a parental cash gift in its first-home buyer guide.

A gift contributes cash. A guarantee supplies additional security. Neither proves the borrower accumulated savings over time.

ANZ does not issue deposit bonds, which are a promise to the vendor to pay later.

Build a contribution record before lodging the file. These are the documents that explain each contribution, without treating every source as automatically acceptable genuine savings.

Contribution	Evidence to retain	Question the evidence resolves
Accumulated savings	Statements showing account ownership, deposits and transfers over the saving period	Who owns the money and how did it accumulate?
Family gift	Gift confirmation and the transfer trail into the borrower’s account	Is the payment repayable and is the money available?
Sale proceeds	Sale contract, debt payout and settlement statement when available	How much remains after the sale costs and mortgage discharge?
Existing equity	Property details, loan balance and the proposed secured borrowing	What additional debt funds the contribution?
Grant or scheme support	The applicable approval and payment conditions	Is there cash available at settlement, or only a guarantee?

ANZ’s pre-approval requirements include the savings record and deposit amount. Preserve the history even when funds move between the borrower’s own accounts. A transfer date alone doesn’t explain their origin.

Reconcile purchase price plus settlement costs against approved lending and verified contributions. Count a deposit already paid to the vendor once.

Deduct debts and costs from sale proceeds before treating them as available cash. Record genuine-savings treatment separately from this funds-to-complete calculation.

Investor and Negative Gearing Changes

ANZ’s reported May 2026 change limits when a rental-property loss can support serviceability, the bank’s assessment of repayment capacity. Mortgage Professional Australia reported ANZ’s broker correspondence on 28 May 2026.

For an established residential investment, the reported rule recognises negative gearing where the fully executed purchase contract is dated on or before 12 May 2026. For later contracts, the property must qualify as a new build.

Applications without unconditional approval by close of business on 28 May 2026 enter reassessment under the revised criteria. Already unconditionally approved applications are unaffected by that transition.

The same report says eligible existing-property refinances and qualifying new builds retain the treatment. Top-ups and cash-out requests remain eligible when used to purchase or improve a qualifying property. Deductions against rental income continue.

This credit assessment treatment is separate from the borrower’s eventual tax entitlement.

ANZ’s negative-gearing explanation describes a loss where investment costs exceed income. Interest, maintenance and other property expenses contribute to that calculation. Principal repayments are a debt repayment, so don’t enter the whole mortgage instalment as deductible interest.

Keep the executed contract, ownership shares, rental evidence and loan purpose together. Support the interest component with loan records.

The tax return’s rental schedule helps reconcile claimed expenses, while current rates notices and management statements explain ongoing costs. Preserve improvement invoices when a top-up depends on what the money funds.

A fictional investor file on 3 October 2026

Assume one borrower earns $140,000 gross annually and proposes a $560,000 investment loan against a property valued at $700,000. The loan-to-value ratio (LVR) is 80%.

Annual rent is $28,600, assumed interest is $33,600 and other property costs are $7,000. Those figures are fictional, with no forecast of ANZ’s approval outcome.

The illustrative annual rental loss is $12,000: $28,600 rent less $33,600 interest and $7,000 other costs. Compare an established property contracted on 20 May 2026 with a property ANZ classifies as a qualifying new build on that date.

Input	Established property	Qualifying new build
Salary, rent and ownership	Same facts	Same facts
Interest and property costs	Same assumed amounts	Same assumed amounts
Existing debts and living expenses	Same verified amounts	Same verified amounts
Negative-gearing eligibility	Post-cut-off established purchase fails the reported eligibility test	Eligible under the reported new-build rule
Tax-benefit input	Exclude the ineligible negative-gearing benefit	Apply ANZ’s eligible treatment in its servicing calculation

The change affects the tax-benefit input, without erasing the rent, property costs or debt. The $12,000 loss isn’t $12,000 of additional income.

ANZ’s calculation determines the eligible benefit and final borrowing figure. Loanapp’s negative-gearing guidance explains the eligibility flag used in ANZ servicing.

Income and Repayment Structures

ANZ assesses the income actually available to repay the loan, then tests the requested repayment structure. As at October 2026, its income document guide lists six months of salary credits for casual, temporary and contract employment.

The ANZ application form also lists a payslip no older than 60 days with six months of year-to-date casual pay when salary isn’t paid into ANZ. A document history requirement doesn’t mean every dollar on those records counts as ongoing income. Separate regular hours from temporary increases and explain employment continuity.

For foreign income, state the borrower’s residency, employment country, payment currency and where the income is received. Keep the employment contract beside payslips and salary credits. Identify overseas tax and debts, so a converted gross wage isn’t mistaken for disposable income.

ANZ’s broker hub has a foreign-income assessment category. Currency acceptance and the amount counted depend on the proposed file.

A professional concession changes the insurance cost, not the obligation to prove income. ANZ’s business-owner page identifies eligible legal, medical and accounting professions for lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) waivers up to 95% LVR.

Its medical and dental fact sheet applies the waiver to eligible new or increased lending. Match the exact occupation to the concession and retain evidence of that eligibility.

Interest-only options using the same borrower

As at October 2026, ANZ’s interest-only page lists owner-occupied periods of one to five years. Investment options are one to five, seven or ten years. Requests and extensions require assessment, including current income, expenses and liabilities.

Use the fictional $560,000 loan above, with a 30-year total term and the same income and security facts throughout.

Structure	Product condition	Principal repayment period if the total term stays 30 years
Principal and interest	Principal reduces from the start	30 years
Five years interest-only	Requested investment period is within ANZ’s listed options	25 years after the interest-only period
Ten years interest-only	Requested investment period is within ANZ’s listed options	20 years after the interest-only period

A longer interest-only period leaves the principal outstanding for longer and compresses the later repayment period. Eligibility for a listed period doesn’t establish affordability at reversion. Retain the later principal-and-interest repayment beside the initial payment in the scenario assessment.

ANZ Simplicity PLUS permits investment interest-only terms but excludes interest-only repayments on new owner-occupied applications. ANZ Standard Variable has owner-occupied interest-only options. Under ANZ Fixed Rate terms, the fixed and interest-only periods must match.

Security, LVR and Exceptions

ANZ’s security value and the loan’s purpose constrain the structure even when the borrower has enough income. As at October 2026, its application form requires a first registered mortgage over residential property. ANZ’s Standard Variable product page makes the maximum amount subject to its credit criteria.

Use ANZ’s assessed value as the LVR denominator. A $560,000 loan against a $700,000 valuation is 80%.

If the valuation is $650,000, the same debt is about 86.2%. That change affects insurance and equity requirements even though the purchase price hasn’t moved.

Keep the product-specific constraints separate. ANZ’s bridging offer has an 80% new-property limit. The government-backed first-home route requires owner-occupation and principal-and-interest repayments.

An investor file cannot use that scheme to remove its deposit requirement. A professional insurance waiver doesn’t remove property eligibility or servicing assessment.

For an exception or interpretation request, attach a compact scenario summary and the documents proving its facts.

1. State the loan purpose, amount, repayment type and total term. Separate refinance debt from additional borrowing.
2. Identify borrowers, ownership, residency, income sources and all commitments.
3. Describe the security’s address, type, use and valuation. Show the LVR calculation.
4. Cite the rule, version and clause creating the issue. State which facts already meet it.
5. Ask one exact question, such as whether the attached new-build evidence meets the negative-gearing definition for this contract date.
6. Retain ANZ’s written answer, conditions and application reference with the file.

An enquiry seeking interpretation of a rule differs from a request to depart from it. Say which outcome you need.

Bulma’s Policy Advisor quotes the lender wording behind an answer, which you can retain beside the clarification. Use the ANZ broker portal guide for access to broker notices and support.

ANZ Bridging and Sale Evidence

ANZ has a bridging-loan offer through its home loan specialists and accredited brokers, as at October 2026. Its bridging page describes borrowing up to 80% of the new home’s assessed value and up to 12 months to sell and settle the existing home.

ANZ requires repayment capacity for both the ongoing loan and bridging loan. It can require savings to cover repayments during the overlap. Its offer uses interest-only repayments during the bridging period and excludes ANZ Plus products.

A signed sale contract supplies a price and settlement date, subject to its conditions. A sale still to be arranged leaves both uncertain.

ANZ’s buy-before-selling offer accommodates that sequence, but the sale must settle inside the agreed bridging term. A hoped-for sale price isn’t settled money.

For the broker’s transaction summary, retain valuations for the securities, current debt payouts and the new purchase contract. Add the sale contract if signed, including its conditions.

For an unsold home, include the proposed sale timetable and agent’s price evidence. Explain available contributions and show repayments throughout the overlap.

Calculate the expected remaining debt from net sale proceeds after the existing mortgage and sale costs. ANZ’s bridging guide explains that a lower sale price can increase the ongoing debt. Model that shortfall and a later settlement before the borrower commits to the purchase.

First-Home Buyer and Refinance Scenarios

First-home status doesn’t decide which ANZ product fits the file. As at October 2026, ANZ Simplicity PLUS is a basic variable loan without an offset account. ANZ Standard Variable can link an eligible offset, while one-year fixed portions also qualify for ANZ One.

Enquiry	Policy and evidence consequence
First-home buyer with a low deposit	Establish the deposit source and savings history, then assess scheme or LMI eligibility
Simplicity PLUS	Minimum new loan is $50,000, with a maximum 30-year term; offset unavailable; new owner-occupied loans require principal-and-interest repayments
Fixed loan	Choose the fixed period and repayment type together; assess early repayment costs if a sale or refinance occurs during that period
Refinance or equity release	Retain existing loan statements and payout details; separate the replacement debt from each additional loan purpose

For ANZ’s Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, the first-home minimum is 5%. Eligible single parents or legal guardians can use a 2% minimum. The property must meet the location price cap and be the borrower’s home.

ANZ credit approval still applies.

Those minimum deposits don’t pay conveyancing, stamp duty or other purchase costs. A larger saved deposit can require a larger contribution. Keep the scheme eligibility record beside the funds-to-complete calculation and savings evidence.

Compare the same first-home purchase across the big four

Take a fictional $700,000 owner-occupied purchase, a $35,000 deposit and extra cash covering purchase costs. Assume both applicants meet the scheme’s borrower requirements and the property meets its local price cap. The proposed $665,000 loan is 95% LVR if the valuation equals the price.

As at October 2026, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac each describe a 5% first-home scheme route without LMI. That deposit outcome doesn’t establish an ANZ advantage over the other three.

For this purchase, an ANZ Simplicity PLUS enquiry trades offset access for a basic variable product. ANZ’s cashback exclusion also applies to the government-backed loan.

The approval decision still turns on each lender’s income assessment and security acceptance. Compare the same debt and repayment term, keeping all purchase costs in each calculation.

ANZ’s first-home buyer cashback

ANZ’s offer page lists $3,000 cashback for eligible first-home buyers purchasing or constructing with an eligible loan of at least $250,000. Drawdown must occur within 180 days of applying. The payment arrives after settlement, within 60 days of drawdown, into an eligible ANZ account held at drawdown.

The offer excludes government-guaranteed loans, ANZ LMI waivers and ANZ Plus home loans. It is a once-only incentive with a maximum of one payment per eligible loan.

It can’t supply cash needed before settlement. Compare interest and fees over the intended holding period before assigning value to the incentive.

Pre-approval and refinance evidence

ANZ’s online pre-approval route starts an enquiry followed by an application and supporting evidence. ANZ describes validity as generally around three months if circumstances don’t change. The letter’s actual conditions and expiry govern the file.

Income, expense, employment or debt changes can require reassessment, as can a different purchase or an unacceptable security.

The ANZ borrowing calculator gives an indicative estimate. Conditional approval requires an application and conditions to be satisfied. Final approval follows the bank’s acceptance of the complete transaction and security.

For a refinance, ANZ’s current page describes reduced income paperwork for eligible wage-income applicants. Treat that as a specific eligibility path.

Keep full income evidence ready when the application falls outside it. A fast refinance label does not replace income evidence, repayment history or disclosure of existing commitments.

ANZ’s Good Energy Home Loan material describes a New Zealand product. Its New Zealand climate report doesn’t establish eligibility for an Australian home loan enquiry. For Australian energy upgrades, record the improvement purpose and its cost within the proposed construction or additional-lending structure.

Construction Loans and Progress Payments

ANZ construction loans fund new builds and structural renovations progressively, as at October 2026. The construction product page requires the first drawdown request within six months of receiving the Letter of Offer. Completion is due within 24 months of the first drawdown.

The first deadline concerns requesting funds, not completing the whole build. Interest applies to funds drawn. Construction repayments are automatically interest-only for up to 24 months or completion, whichever comes first, unless a separately approved interest-only period applies.

ANZ’s construction guide uses a fixed-price building contract with plans, specifications and inclusions. Include quotes for work outside the contract.

Approved plans or the building permit and the signed contract support the commencement process. ANZ arranges an on-completion valuation. The borrower uses their own cash contribution before the first bank draw.

For a progress payment, follow the contract’s stage schedule.

1. Obtain the builder’s invoice and match the claim to the completed stage.
2. Complete and sign ANZ’s Progress Payment Instruction form.
3. Send the form and invoice to progressdraws2@anz.com, using the ANZ reference in the subject. Use the application number before a reference is issued.
4. Supply any inspection evidence ANZ requests before releasing funds.

ANZ can arrange inspections during the build and at completion. The final payment also needs building insurance evidence and an occupancy certificate where the state or territory requires one. Keep the contribution ledger beside invoices so the same stage isn’t funded twice.

Offset Account Eligibility and Linkage

ANZ One is the offset account for eligible traditional ANZ home and investment loans, as at October 2026. Its ANZ One offset account page lists Standard Variable and one-year Fixed Rate portions, including eligible land and company-name variants.

An eligible loan links to one offset account, and the account links to one loan. The fee is $10 per month per ANZ One account.

ANZ Simplicity PLUS and fixed periods longer than one year don’t have the same offset eligibility. A split loan needs the link attached to its eligible portion.

Under ANZ’s Saving & Transaction Products Terms and Conditions, the default offset percentage is 100% unless the Letter of Offer says otherwise. The eligible balance is capped at the linked loan balance. The account doesn’t earn deposit interest.

Open the account and prove the link

Arrange ANZ One through ANZ’s account-opening assistance by phone on 13 13 14 or at a branch. Opening the account and establishing its loan link are separate actions.

1. Name the eligible loan portion and confirm the offset account has exactly the same account-holder name.
2. Submit ANZ’s approved written linking request. Keep the account and loan numbers with the request.
3. Allow up to five business days for linkage. Offset savings don’t apply before the link starts.
4. Retain ANZ’s confirmation of the correct loan link and its start date. Compare the loan interest record with the account balance over that period.

Displaying two accounts together in Internet Banking doesn’t prove an interest-offset arrangement. When changing the loan or replacing the offset account, request the correct link and retain the replacement confirmation.

Savings goals don’t change the eligible-account rules. ANZ’s savings-account page describes goals in savings products. Money moved to a separate savings account doesn’t offset the ANZ One loan.

You can track separate goals within your own budget while keeping the money in the linked offset.

To close or change the account, ANZ directs customers to phone or branch support. Move ongoing payments and retain statements before closure.

Closing ANZ One terminates its offset arrangement. ANZ Plus uses its own products and app instructions, so keep those steps separate.

ASIC’s ANZ case and 2026 industry findings

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) brought the ANZ promised-benefits case in 2021. In October 2022, the Federal Court ordered a $25 million penalty. The findings concerned benefits promised with offset accounts and Breakfree packages, with customers affected up to September 2021.

ASIC’s 2026 mortgage-offset review covers eight banks, including ANZ. Banks paid over $55 million in compensation for offset failures reported between September 2023 and August 2025. That is an industry total, not an ANZ-only figure.

The historical case and industry review don’t set today’s ANZ product eligibility. They explain why linkage evidence matters. Retain proof that the account opened, linked to the correct loan and reduced interest as agreed.

Living Expense Assessment

ANZ collects average monthly living expenses separately from credit commitments and other ongoing costs. As at October 2026, its application form includes primary-residence costs, communications, groceries, clothing and personal care. It also records recreation, transport, education and medical costs, plus commitments such as maintenance, insurance and secondary-residence expenses.

Reconcile declarations with account statements and recurring bills. Convert annual rates and insurance into monthly amounts.

Explain unusual transactions and documented costs ending before drawdown. Record ongoing rent or board where it continues, which ANZ’s application checklist explicitly requests.

Keep investment-property costs and loan repayments in their correct categories. Moving a rental expense into household spending can count it twice or erase it from the investor assessment.

A lender benchmark isn’t a spending allowance. Preserve the client’s declared amount and the evidence supporting it, then record the expense amount ANZ uses in its servicing result.

If the benchmark raises that figure, explain the difference in the file. Don’t lower verified spending to force a borrowing result.

Use the loan serviceability guide for the wider calculation. For this ANZ file, finish with one reconciled record covering eligible income, property costs, debts and household expenses. Retain the current servicing result beside the contract and written clarification before advancing the application.