The Shift in Complex Lending Australia’s “Big Four” and major lenders are significantly tightening their criteria for mortgages involving trust and company structures. Driven by a lower appetite for risk and stricter credit standards, these institutions are moving away from complex borrowing profiles to focus on traditional individual applications.

ANZ’s New Restrictions Effective January 8, 2026, ANZ has implemented strict new hurdles for company and trustee borrowers. To even apply, borrowers must now have an existing relationship with the bank—typically 6 months for lending products or 12 months for deposit accounts. Furthermore, the bank has slashed the maximum Loan-to-Value Ratio (LVR) to 70% and now mandates a personal guarantee from a director holding at least 25% ownership.

A Growing Trend Among Majors This isn’t an isolated move. It mirrors earlier restrictions from Macquarie Bank, which paused new company and trust applications entirely in late 2025, and CBA, which restricted similar applications to existing customers only. These banks cite rising compliance costs and the need to mitigate “hidden risks” associated with layered ownership structures.

What This Means for You For investors and business owners, the “mainstream” path to securing a loan has become significantly narrower. However, this shift highlights the vital role of a specialist mortgage broker. As traditional banks pull back, non-bank lenders—who often offer more flexible, common-sense criteria—are becoming the go-to solution for complex borrowing needs.