Financial mentors committed to their communities across Aotearoa are coping with the increased strain created by COVID-19 - but only just. FinCap is calling for ongoing, sustainable funding for all financial mentors’ vital work as new data reveals they’re facing increased pressure because of COVID-19, housing issues...
Overwhelming bombardment via phone calls, texts, emails and in-person visits as well as unpredictable yet substantial fees have been revealed among a range of harmful practices from debt collectors. This is one of the findings of the Debt Collection in Aotearoa from the perspective of financial mentors report from Victoria University senior lecturer...
In this extended article Victoria University senior lecturer Victoria Stace explores evidence of harrasment by debt collectors in Aotearoa and the case for adopting Australia’ approach to preventing the issue. A shorter journal article version was also published in the New Zealand Business Law Quarterly in 2020 and titled: Debt Collection in New Zealand: Enlivening the Prohibition Against...
This report prepared by researchers at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington provides an April 2019 snapshot of the system in Aotearoa for enforcing laws relating to high-cost lending. It then compares this to approaches in other jurisdictions. We acknowledge the support of the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation which made this work possible. Stace, Victoria and Chan, Emily,...
This report prepared by researchers at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington provides a an August 2019 snapshot of the Aotearoa’s key issues around debt collection. It then compares our systems for addressing these issues to approaches in other jurisdictions. We acknowledge the support of the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation which...
This research paper sets out the results to date (April 2019) of the research of the FinCap/Community Law Canterbury/Victoria University/BERL team on interest rate caps. Introducing an interest rate cap was one of the options proposed by MBIE in its June 2018 Discussion Paper “Review...
Lending is an essential part of a functioning economy, but some loans do more harm than good. The New Zealand market for credit has changed over the past decade. While the banking sector has grown, the non-bank sector has become increasingly populated with third-tier lenders, offering...
In 2018, 76 financial capability and budgeting services were surveyed on High cost short term loans, debt collection and other consumer credit issues. This report is a summary of those findings. A collaboration of FinCap, Justice Innovation Centre and Community Law Canterbury, and funded by the...