NZHL Lambton Quay/Paraparaumu - Home Loans & Insurance

NZHL National Conference held in August -- Ta Kina Convention centre Wellington 2026- Top team

As a branch we were presented with ..

Award for...Financial Freedom Champions ( for helping the most number of clients become debt free ) ......NO 8 in NZ for growth in business overall...and our very own Sue-Anne leitch won two awards- the no 1 CSC ( Client servicing advisor) in NZ for protecting clients through health and life cover-- and no 5 In NZ for overall sales .
It is a privilige to work for NZHL and we appreciate our amazing clients that we get to work with every day :)

Glen Mattingley-Business owner
Sue-Anne leitch Client servicing Advisor
Laura LIncoln New Business Advisor
Linda Fitzgerald -PA-Admin Manager
Jonny Read-New Business Advisor
Marty Leitch-CSC Support
Kip Hanna -CEO NZHL
(Kajal Mehta-Absent-maternity leave )

Interesting article from the Reserve Bank published in the past week in The Post ..

Thankfully we have access to lenders with a minimum of 5/10 % deposit to help get great NZ families get in to their first home

Reserve Bank keeps mortgage lending restrictions unchanged The central bank says housing risks remain contained, with house prices broadly flat and higher-risk mortgage lending at manageable levels.

Every homeowner starts in the same place...

"I wonder if we could actually do it."

If buying your first home feels like a big goal, you're not alone. The good news? You don't need to have everything figured out before talking to us.

We'll help you understand your borrowing power, answer your questions, and map out the steps to get you there.

🏡 Ready for your first home? Let's have a chat.

www.nzhl.co.nz

just picked this information from a local Accountant might be of ineterest if you are self employed !

New Mileage Rates for 2025–26
IRD has released the kilometre rates for the 2025–26 income year (effective 4 June 2026):

• Tier One (first 14,000km, including private use): $1.20/km petrol · $1.30/km diesel · $0.90/km petrol hybrid · $1.22/km electric
• Tier Two (beyond 14,000km): $0.37/km petrol · $0.38/km diesel · $0.24/km petrol hybrid · $0.23/km electric
Tier One rates are up across the board this year, reflecting higher running costs. These apply to 2025–26 filings and any reimbursements made from 4 June 2026 onward.

Updated Square Metre Rate for Home Office Claims
If you run your business from home, IRD has set the square metre rate for the 2025–26 income year at $57.30 per square metre (up from $55.60 last year). This covers utilities like power and home insurance for the business-use portion of your home. You can still claim a separate portion of mortgage interest, rates, or rent on top of this.

Boarder & Homestay Student Standard Cost
If you host boarders or homestay students, IRD's standard-cost determination lets you claim a set weekly amount per boarder — up to a maximum of four — instead of keeping detailed records of your actual costs. The rate for the 2025–26 income year is $245 per boarder, per week. If your board income stays under that, it's not taxable and doesn't need to be declared.

A low rate is nice.

But a smart structure, regular coaching, and a plan to help you become mortgage-free sooner? That’s the real long-term relationship.

Stop swiping on rates and start building a better plan that is personalised to you. www.nzhl.co.nz

Today, as the Matariki stars rise, we take a moment to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and look ahead with hope for the future.

From all of us at NZHL, we wish you and your whānau meaningful Matariki🌟

The Reserve Bank has increased the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from 2.25% to 2.50%.

So... should you panic? Nope.

Here's what it does mean:

The OCR influences the interest rates banks pay to borrow money. Over time, that can flow through mortgage rates, savings rates and borrowing costs.

Why the increase?

While inflation has eased from the highs we've seen, the Reserve Bank is still focused on keeping it under control and returning it to around 2%.

Raising the OCR helps slow spending just enough to keep prices rising too quickly.

What does this mean if you've got a mortgage?

It depends.

Every home loan is different. Your fixed rate, when it's due to expire, your loan structure and your long-term goals all play an important part.

That's why reacting to headlines isn't always the best move.

At NZHL, we don't just watch the OCR, we look at the bigger picture. We help you understand what today's announcement means for your mortgage and whether there's an opportunity to put yourself in a better position.

Because the best financial decisions aren't made from headlines.

They're made with a plan.

Thinking ahead to your next fixed rate expiry? Let's have a chat: www.nzhl.co.nz

OCR lifts today

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand hiked the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 2.50% today (up from 2.25%). This is the first rate increase in three years. The central bank raised the benchmark rate by 25 basis points to tackle inflation pressures and signaled that more rate rises are coming this year.Key DetailsNew Rate: 2.50%Increase: +0.25% (25 basis points)Reason: To counter an inflation spike and return annual inflation to the 2% midpoint target.What This Means For YouBorrowing Costs: A higher OCR makes borrowing money more expensive. Major retail banks are expected to lift floating and fixed home loan rates.Savings: Returns on term deposits and savings accounts may improve.Analogy: Think of the OCR like the brake pedal on a car. When the economy runs too fast and prices go up too quickly (inflation), the Reserve Bank presses the brake. Raising the OCR makes loans cost more so people spend less, which cools down price increases.Read the official Monetary Policy Review media release for full details on the economic outlook. Track live updates on the impact to home loans via RNZ or watch the 1News Live Updates stream.

OCR preview: Economists split as RBNZ weighs knife-edge cash-rate call

( Article from NZ Herald 6.7.2026)
Economists are divided on the chances of the Reserve Bank raising the Official Cash Rate this week, although markets have retained strong odds on a hike.

The Reserve Bank (RBNZ) releases its July Monetary Policy Review at 2pm on Wednesday.

It remains far from clear if it will hike the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from its current cyclical low of 2.25%.

While it looked like a near certainty after the May Monetary Policy Statement, fuel prices have fallen further than forecast and have taken some edge off the inflation risk.

At the May meeting, the Monetary Policy Committee was split three/three on whether to hold or hike.

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Governor Anna Breman cast a deciding vote to keep the rate on hold.

The division between economists is stark.

BNZ head of research Stephen Toplis said a hike was needed.

“We are strongly of the view the cash rate needs to get back to neutral relatively quickly to ensure stimulatory monetary policy does not add to inflation,” he said.

“When the cash rate hits neutral, then the RBNZ can ponder the nature of the inflationary pressure and determine what needs to be done next.”

The RBNZ has indicated it currently sees the neutral cash rate at 3%.

But Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr was every bit as convinced that the OCR should stay on hold for the foreseeable future.

“We’re not likely to see a wage-price spiral or demand-driven inflation. It’s simply a supply shock. It’s something that should simply be looked through,” he said.

Of course, views on what the RBNZ should and what it will do are very different things.

Given the RBNZ’s May forecasts suggested three rate hikes this year, even Kerr believes the OCR will rise, although perhaps not until September.

Markets currently have retained strong odds on a hike, pricing in a 75% chance.

But two major banks, ASB and Westpac, have shifted their views to reflect the relatively rapid fall in fuel prices in the past few weeks.

“In what is looming as a close call, we now expect the RBNZ to hold the OCR at 2.25% in the July 8 decision,” said ASB senior economist Mark Smith.

“We do not expect the decision to be unanimous, with a split vote highly likely again.”

Smith said the change in OCR call had been motivated by two key factors.

“First, recent US-Iran developments, while fragile and uncertain, appear to be consequential,” he said.

“They look to have reduced upside risks to New Zealand medium-term inflation by lowering the risk of sustained cost shocks filtering through into wider price and wage settings.

“Second, and as a consequence, the hurdle for the internal Monetary Policy Committee members (who hold the balance of power) to switch to vote for an OCR increase does not look to have been cleared,” he said.

These members would want to wait for more confirmation of potential medium-term inflation impacts before deciding to move the OCR, he said.

“We think this hurdle, at its earliest, can be cleared by the September MPS.”

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold argued that “no further evidence on second-round inflation impacts, rising wages pressures or increasing inflation expectations” had emerged since the May meeting.

“Indeed, short-term inflation expectations appear to have reduced in business and consumer surveys as energy prices have fallen and will likely continue to decline if current energy price levels are sustained,” he said.

“The most prominent argument we have heard among market participants expecting a July hike is that this was more or less promised in the May statement,” he said.

But, in fact, no such promise was made, Eckhold said.

“The governor described OCR increases ‘in coming meetings’, which was deliberately and appropriately vague given the uncertain nature of the environment,“ he said.

“The governor explicitly noted in a radio interview after the May meeting that ‘if we see oil prices falling really much more than expected, if we see much, much weaker growth, then we may not hike’.”

Liam Dann is business editor-at-large for the New Zealand Herald. He is a senior writer and columnist, and also presents and produces videos and podcasts. He joined the Herald in 2003.

Interesting article from RNZ National this morning on future interest rates

What now for home loan rates? Wholesale rates have been pushing higher on the expectation interest rates might need to rise to combat inflation caused by the Middle East conflict.