Heartland Hits Milestone Of Helping 20,000 Customers Retire More Comfortably

Heartland Bank, New Zealand’s leading provider of reverse mortgages, is experiencing a surge in demand, with enquiries up 65% in 2021 compared to 2020. This is thought to be due in part to the continued rise in cost of living, along with increased awareness and acceptance of reverse mortgages as a great way to access the equity tied up in a home.

In March, Heartland helped its 20,000th customer live a more comfortable retirement. To celebrate this milestone, Heartland’s General Manager of Reverse Mortgages, Andrew Ford, picked up the phone to thank them and hear about their experience. The couple were happy to share their story.

John and Robyn*, who are both in their mid-seventies and live in a beautiful home in Taupō, researched their finance options extensively and consulted with a mortgage advisor before deciding to go ahead with a Heartland Reverse Mortgage.

“We decided to take out a reverse mortgage in order to pay off a small mortgage, upgrade our car and to build a garage,” explained John. “We’re keen to enjoy our retirement, spoil the grandkids and not have to stress about day-to-day expenses, so we chose to structure the loan with a Monthly Advance and a Cash Reserve Facility as well.

“We found the process to be very thorough,” he said. “Both Robyn and I were happy with the service we received from Heartland.”

According to Work and Income, a retiree living alone receives $952.88 fortnightly (after tax) from NZ Super, while a couple receives $1,424,44 total fortnightly. Contrastingly, data from the November 2021 New Zealand Retirement Expenditure Guidelines estimates a couple living in a major city would need $1,729.88 per fortnight for a ‘no frills’ lifestyle, or $2,940.52 per fortnight for a comfortable lifestyle with more luxuries.

Andrew Ford explained that Kiwis are feeling the pressure with increasing living costs.

“Our customers consistently tell us that a reverse mortgage not only takes the stress out of every day expenses, but also provides them with peace of mind,” he said. “Often even just a modest amount can be transformational, enabling them to stay in a home full of memories, in the community they know and love, with their friends and family close by.

“We are proud to have helped so many Kiwis live a more comfortable retirement and are committed to continuously innovating our product and process to help many more New Zealanders live the retirement they desire and deserve.”

Heartland Reverse Mortgages have been awarded Consumer Trusted accreditation five years running, and their recent customer feedback survey revealed that 98.1% of customers would recommend Heartland to their friends or family. Visit the Heartland website to learn more.

*Names changed for privacy purposes. Heartland Bank Limited’s responsible lending criteria, fees and charges apply.

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