Liberty Financial is one of the leading independent finance companies in Australia and New Zealand. Since 1997 we have been offering home loans to those customers who didn’t satisfy the strict lending criteria of the big banks. We made home ownership possible when the banks said it wasn’t. Today, we provide a wide range of loans for your home, your car and your business, as well as investments and finance solutions. In short, we’re a competitive alternative to the banks giving customers choice and freedom.
Our history
Established in Australia in 1997, Liberty’s entry into the home loan market was prompted by the recognition of a major gap in the Australian mortgage industry. Major banks dominated the market and consumers had few other home loan options if they were unable to satisfy the banks’ lending criteria. Liberty stepped in to fill that gap by offering those consumers a cost-effective alternative. As a result, Liberty made home ownership a reality for tens of thousands of Australians who would otherwise have been turned down by the banks.
From our origins in the specialist mortgage market we have steadily expanded our products and services. Today, Liberty can help you buy a home, the car of your dreams or an investment property; we can assist your business with commercial property loans, cash flow finance; and, if you own or manage an auto dealership, finance for your vehicle floor stock.
Throughout our history Liberty has remained a reliable and dependable source of finance. Today, we are one of Australasia’s leading finance companies, providing consumers and businesses with a broad range of innovative, accessible financial products and services.
Funding and financial strength
An essential element of our business is to ensure we have long-term, sustainable funding in place for our lending activities. Since our first bond issue of A$100 million in 1999, Liberty has been one of the most consistent and regular issuers of residential mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities in the marketplace, with more than 20 issues totalling more than A$10 billion. All our issues have been senior-rated “AAA” or equivalent by the major international ratings agencies and none of our securities has ever been downgraded.
Secure Funding
All our funding is carried out by our wholly owned subsidiary Secure Funding, which arranges all financing activities, arranges loan documentation and organises funding via the capital markets. As the company’s treasury function, Secure Funding is staffed by experienced professionals who not only achieve cost-effective financing for the group but also ensure appropriate asset liability management is in place.
Responsible lending
Our guiding principle is that we only offer a product where we believe there is a benefit to the customer.
In addition to our own strict credit assessment policies, we comply with guidelines set out by the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. Our staff receive regular product and compliance training to ensure that they carry out their responsibilities appropriately.
We give our business partners up-to-date information about our products and services as and when necessary, including changes in fees and rates, and updates to lending criteria and policies. We’re a member of the Credit Ombudsman Service Limited, one of the dispute resolution schemes for the financial services industry.
