Refinancing Mistakes and Official Sources
Official sources for Australian home loans: regulators, laws, registers and help
A directory of the official Australian sources for home loan rates, lending rules, first home buyer schemes, credit reports, complaints and hardship help, and what to check at each one.
The facts that matter on a home loan come from a short list of official bodies. The Reserve Bank of Australia sets the cash rate; ASIC regulates lenders' and brokers' conduct and runs Moneysmart; APRA sets prudential lending standards for banks, including the serviceability buffer; Housing Australia runs the Home Guarantee Scheme; the ATO handles the First Home Super Saver Scheme and investment loan tax; and AFCA resolves complaints. State and territory revenue offices and land titles offices handle grants, duty and mortgage registration. This directory lists what to check at each, so you can confirm anything you read, including on this site.
This guide is part of home loan refinancing mistakes.
Federal regulators and agencies
| Body | Role for home loans | What to check there |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) | Sets the cash rate target through its Monetary Policy Board | Cash rate decisions, meeting dates, lending rate statistics |
| ASIC | Regulates credit providers and brokers under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 | Responsible lending guidance, best interests duty, professional registers to check a licence |
| ASIC Moneysmart | Free consumer guidance | Mortgage calculators, switching guides, hardship information |
| APRA | Prudential regulator of banks and other authorised deposit-taking institutions | Serviceability buffer, debt-to-income settings, residential mortgage lending guidance |
| ACCC | Competition and consumer regulator | Home loan price inquiry reports |
| Housing Australia | Administers the Home Guarantee Scheme and Help to Buy | Eligibility, property price caps, participating lenders |
| Australian Taxation Office (ATO) | Tax administration | First Home Super Saver Scheme, interest deductions on rental property loans, borrowing expenses |
| OAIC | Privacy regulator, including credit reporting | Your rights to access and correct your credit report, financial hardship information |
Complaints and help
| Body | What it does |
|---|---|
| Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) | Free, independent dispute resolution for complaints against lenders and brokers, after you complain to the firm first |
| National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007) | Free, confidential financial counselling, including help with hardship requests |
| Community legal centres and state Legal Aid | Legal help if a lender has started enforcement |
See mortgage hardship and AFCA complaints for the steps.
Laws and codes
| Instrument | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 | Credit licensing, responsible lending, best interests duty for brokers |
| National Credit Code (Schedule 1 to that Act) | Contract disclosure, comparison rates, hardship variations, default notices |
| Banking Code of Practice | Banks' commitments, including on financial difficulty; published by the Australian Banking Association |
| Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice | Equivalent commitments for many credit unions, mutual banks and building societies |
| Privacy Act 1988, Part IIIA | Credit reporting rules |
Read legislation on the Federal Register of Legislation, which shows the version currently in force.
State and territory sources
Property purchase costs and mortgage registration are state matters:
- Revenue offices for first home owner grants and stamp duty (transfer duty) concessions: Revenue NSW, State Revenue Office Victoria, Queensland Revenue Office, RevenueSA, and the revenue or finance departments of Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory.
- Land titles offices for mortgage registration and discharge fees, which are usually updated each financial year, for example NSW Land Registry Services, Land Use Victoria and Titles Queensland.
Credit reporting bodies
You can request a free copy of your credit report from each major credit reporting body every three months: Equifax and Experian (illion was acquired by Experian in 2024). Each may hold different information, so check both before applying for a loan, and ask the body or the lender to correct errors.
How to check a claim
- Rates. No official body publishes "the" home loan rate. Lenders set their own. Check lender websites and the key facts sheet; use RBA statistics for averages.
- Rules. Check the regulator that owns the rule: APRA for the serviceability buffer, ASIC for responsible lending and broker duties, Housing Australia for guarantee caps.
- Dates. Look for the date a change takes effect. Rules announced in one year may start in the next.
- Licences. Check any broker or lender on ASIC's registers and confirm AFCA membership.
- Tax. Use ATO guidance or a registered tax agent, especially for investment loans.
How this site uses these sources
Every guide on this site lists its sources at the end and uses illustrative rates in worked examples. Where a figure changes often, such as scheme caps, grant amounts or government fees, we explain how it works and point you to the official source rather than quoting a figure that may be out of date. See home loan rates and repayments in Australia for the overview, and the comparison page for loan types side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Does the government publish a list of the best home loans?
No. Government sites explain how to compare loans but do not rank lenders. Moneysmart provides calculators and checklists.
Who regulates non-bank lenders?
Non-bank lenders that offer consumer home loans must hold an Australian Credit Licence and follow responsible lending rules enforced by ASIC. APRA's prudential standards apply mainly to authorised deposit-taking institutions such as banks.
Where can I check if my broker is licensed?
On ASIC's professional registers, using the broker's name or credit licence or credit representative number.
Where do I complain about a credit reporting error?
Ask the credit reporting body or the lender that listed the information to correct it. If unresolved, you can complain to AFCA or the OAIC, depending on who holds the information.
Sources
- Reserve Bank of Australia — cash rate and statistics
- ASIC — credit regulation and registers
- ASIC Moneysmart — consumer home loan guidance
- APRA — prudential lending standards
- ACCC — home loan pricing reports
- Housing Australia — Home Guarantee Scheme
- Australian Taxation Office — FHSS and rental property tax
- OAIC — credit reporting rights
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority — complaints
- National Debt Helpline — financial counselling
- Federal Register of Legislation — Acts and the National Credit Code
- Australian Banking Association — Banking Code of Practice
