Cards and PINs, Concerns about lending decisions,

In August 2021, Manaia asked the bank for a two-year extension to the interest-only period on his home loan. He also asked about fixing the interest rate for a period of three to four years. The bank agreed to the extension request, but said it could not fix a rate for any longer than an interest-only period. This meant that, in his case, it could not fix a rate for more than two years. Manaia agreed to refix at a two-year interest rate and to pay interest only for the same period. However, he subsequently complained that the bank did not tell him he could fix the rate for a longer period if he repaid the principal as well as interest. Had the bank explained this option, he said, he would have taken it.

Manaia also made a second separate complaint. While overseas, he said, locals had drugged him and stolen his debit card and phone. He had not been carrying his credit card at the time and so still had access to funds. He contacted the bank to tell it to block the debit card. He also told the bank he still had his credit card and asked it to disable the text authenticator for authorising credit card transactions (as he did not have his phone). Instead, the bank blocked both cards, leaving Manaia without access to funds and causing him considerable stress and inconvenience.

November 2024