ING tops on home loan customer satisfaction, says Roy Morgan
Australia’s largest banks appear to have successfully navigated their way through the COVID-19 pandemic with a tick of approval from their home loan customers.
That’s the takeaway from Roy Morgan’s latest banking customer satisfaction data released last week, which recorded the attitudes of home loan customers from a number of Australian banks between June and November 2020.
The figures reveal that the majority of banks increased their customer satisfaction levels compared to the same period in 2019, but it was online bank ING that topped the rankings with a rating of 94.4% (up 2.1% points).
According to Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine, the results may be a reflection of the popularity of measures taken by many lenders during the pandemic, including repayment holidays for customers whose incomes had been affected.
“The response of Australian banking and financial institutions to the COVID-19 pandemic has been rewarded with customer satisfaction ratings of home loan customers increasing for all ten leading banks compared to a year ago by an average of 4.8% points to 79%,” she said.
“Australia’s banks provided unprecedented support to home loan customers thrust into financial hardship during 2020 with a wide range of support measures. Roy Morgan research into the impact of COVID-19 on finances shows 10% of Australians who have had a negative employment impact from COVID-19 have had their mortgage payments put on hold for a period of time – and this translates into 21% of all Australians with mortgages.”
It’s also possible that many mortgage holders may have been in a positive frame of mind during the period, given that it coincided with significant interest rate reductions which were still following through following the Reserve Bank’s double rate cut in March.
Between June and November 2020 the average owner-occupier variable rate dropped by nine basis points according to Mozo home loan statistics, and fixed rates fell even further (between 9 and 13 basis points depending on the term).
Challenger banks beat out majors on satisfaction
While ING was the clear standout in terms of satisfied home loan customers, Roy Morgan’s figures show that fellow challenger banks ME (89.8%), Bankwest (88.2%) and Bendigo Bank (87.8%) also fared well - all recording higher scores year-on-year.
Meanwhile, Suncorp emerged as the bank with the largest improvement in customer satisfaction after recording an increase of 12.6% points to an overall score of 85.1%.
The popularity of challenger banks is nothing new though. In the 2020 Mozo People’s Choice Awards - which are based on the opinions of Australian banking customers - Bendigo Bank and ING both rated particularly highly and were among just five recipients of an Outstanding Customer Satisfaction Award.
In terms of the major banks, Roy Morgan found that all four managed to increase their customer satisfaction scores over the year, but they still remain at a distance behind their challenger bank counterparts.
Commonwealth Bank was ranked the highest with a rating of 79.5%, followed by NAB (77.8%), ANZ (74.9%) and Westpac (73.2%).
RELATED: Home loan approvals at all-time high, says ABS
Whether you’re satisfied or dissatisfied with your current lender, it’s always worth checking in with the competition to see if the deal you’re getting still stacks up though.
To get started, check out some of the great offers in the table below, or to compare the rates, fees and features on loans from more than 80 different lenders head over to the Mozo home loan comparison hub.
Compare home loans - rates updated daily
Smart Booster Home Loan
1 Year Discounted Variable Rate, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, <80% LVR
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment
1.99% p.a.variable for 12 months and then 2.48% p.a. variable2.47% p.a.Smart Booster Home Loan
A super low introductory rate home loan with no monthly or ongoing fees. Unlimited free redraws and unlimited additional repayments to help you build your equity and own your home sooner. Multiple loan splits available. (Rates revert after introductory period ends). 20% minimum deposit required.
- interest rate
- 1.99% p.a.variable for 12 months and then 2.48% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.47% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $520
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- Optional - with 0.10% additional interest
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $50,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $1,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Smart Booster Home Loan
Basic Home Loan
Fixed, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR 70-80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment
2.09% p.a.
fixed 2 years2.56% p.a.Basic Home Loan
Get a flexible loan structure with up to six loan accounts with different rate types. Make free extra repayments. Enjoy free redraw facility. No upfront or ongoing fees. Option to earn Qantas points.
- interest rate
- 2.09% p.a.
fixed 2 years
- comparison rate
- 2.56% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $400.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $150,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $750,000
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Basic Home Loan
Celebrate Variable Home Loan
<60% LVR, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment
2.19% p.a. variable2.19% p.a.Celebrate Variable Home Loan
Fast online application with no fees. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Min 40% deposit. Crowned Best New Home Loan for 2020 by the Mozo Experts.
- interest rate
- 2.19% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.19% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 60.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $100,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $2,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Celebrate Variable Home Loan
UHomeLoan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment
1.75% p.a.
fixed 3 years2.22% p.a.UHomeLoan
$0 fees and easy application with the Mozo Experts Choice Home Lender Bank of the Year. Choose between weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments. 3 year fixed rates are for new Owner Occupier Principal & Interest loans.
- interest rate
- 1.75% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 2.22% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free up to $20,000 p.a.
- Redraw facility
- no
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $100,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $2,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- $395 Establishment fee waived for fixed rate loans that settle by 31 March 2020. Receive 1.75% 3 year fixed rate when you apply by 29 April 2021 and settle within 90 days.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the UHomeLoan
Special Fixed Rate Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment
1.99% p.a.
fixed 4 years3.45% p.a.Special Fixed Rate Home Loan
Great fixed low rate. Ability to split your loan between fixed and variable. Insurance discounts and $0 credit card or personal loan fee available. Free extra repayments (up to $25,000 per year) and free redraw. Enjoy local branches and call centre.
- interest rate
- 1.99% p.a.
fixed 4 years
- comparison rate
- 3.45% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $395.00 yearly
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free up to $25,000 p.a.
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $5,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- -
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- $2,000 cashback when you refinance your home loan from another financial institution when you apply by 31 March 2021 and are funded by 31 May 2021, min $250k, LVR
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Special Fixed Rate Home Loan
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Home Loans Awards
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