Can I still get a mortgage
if I have bad credit?

A bad credit history can be easy to obtain but very hard to get rid of.

Bad Credit

Can You Still Get a Mortgage with Bad Credit in Tauranga?

Having bad credit doesn’t have to end your home-ownership plans. At Best Mortgages Tauranga, we regularly help clients across Matua, Pyes Pa, Greerton and the wider Bay of Plenty who were turned away by their bank.

Your credit file records every application and repayment. If you’ve missed payments on a card, loan or utility by 30+ days, a default is created and can remain for up to five years—even after it’s paid. That’s why many banks hesitate.

How we can help

Specialist and non-bank lenders assess things differently. As independent mortgage brokers in Tauranga, we compare those options and structure your application so lenders focus on your current income, savings and stability—not just old mistakes. We can also help tidy reports and explain minor, one-off issues so they’re not a barrier.

Local example: a client in Greerton had an old phone-bill default from 2019. We documented the circumstances, placed the file with a suitable specialist lender, and they settled their first home—now rebuilding credit with on-time repayments.

If you’ve been told “no” or don’t want to wait five years for a default to drop off, talk to our Tauranga mortgage broker team. We’ll review your situation confidentially and outline a practical pathway to finance—whether that’s a purchase, refinance, or debt consolidation.


Best Mortgages — Operated by Ewald Biesenbach (FSP 320426) under The Best Limited (FSP 724451 – NZBN 9429043352067). Licensed under the Financial Services Legislation Act 2019.

Yes. Many Tauranga clients come to us after their bank says no. As independent mortgage brokers, we work with specialist and non-bank lenders that consider your full situation — not just past defaults — to help you secure the right home loan.

Often not. If the default is minor and you can explain the reason, we can help present your application so lenders see it in context. Some banks and second-tier lenders will still approve loans if income and savings are stable.

Defaults normally stay for five years from the missed-payment date. However, you don’t have to wait that long. We can match you with lenders who’ll consider older or low-value defaults once they’re repaid.

Usually yes, slightly higher to offset risk — but terms are often flexible and short-term. Once your credit improves, we can refinance you back to a mainstream bank at lower rates.

Absolutely. We regularly help self-employed Tauranga clients in suburbs like Pyes Pa, Matua, and Greerton who need low-doc or alternative-income options. We’ll tailor a structure that suits your business cash-flow and helps rebuild credit.