Documents and links about borrowing money

Car, personal and home loans 

MyCar website

Learn about your legal rights when buying a car and where to get help if something goes wrong, including if you need a loan or if you have a loan and can’t pay it.

What’s the law?

This resource is designed for people who have recently arrived in Australia. It includes basic legal information about these topics:

• Buying a car, including taking out a loan or car finance.
• Payday loans and the dangers of short-term finance.

Mortgage stress self-help guide

This guide may help if you are having problems paying your mortgage. It includes information about hardship variations and the different options available if you are behind in your home loan.

Other resources

• ASIC's MoneySmart website
  Has a range of information and publications on borrowing and credit. Includes resources for Indigenous consumers dealing with book-up, credit, insurance, paying for funerals and superannuation. Also has a mobile app you can download to work out the real cost of buying and running a car.

• My Dardy Car audio series
  A radio documentary series and Facebook page for Indigenous consumers on their rights when buying a car or getting it repaired. Provided by Consumer Protection (the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety WA).

• National Debt Helpline - call 1800 007 007
  For free independent financial advice.

• Magistrates Court of WA website 
  Factsheets and forms for both judgment creditors and debtors involved in civil matters.

• Australian Financial Complaints Authority
  The AFCA deals with complaints about financial service providers including banks, insurance companies, credit unions, building societies, non-bank lenders, mortgage brokers, and financial planners.  

• Banking Code of Practice
  Sets out the standards of service and practice in the Australian banking industry for individuals and small business customers, and their guarantors.

Guarantors and co-borrowers

• National Debt Helpline - call 1800 007 007
  For independent financial advice before you become a guarantor or co-borrower, or if you are already one and have concerns about its possible financial impact.

• MoneySmart factsheet: Love and loans
  Information on being a guarantor or co-borrower; things to think about before becoming a guarantor; other tips; and questions to ask the credit provider before you guarantee the loan.

• Form 11: Things you should know about guarantees
  This form is part of The Credit Regulations 1985 (WA) and outlines the information that a credit provider must give you about the contract of guarantee and about what happens if the borrower defaults.

• Consumer Protection - Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety website - call 1300 30 40 54
  Information on being a guarantor and the help the department can provide in dealing with credit providers in certain circumstances (for example, if you are being harassed, or cannot make repayments because of illness).

Credit reporting

• Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) website - call (08) 9221 7066

• MoneySmart factsheet: Your credit report
  Information on what is in your credit history, how to get a copy of your credit report, and how to change an incorrect listing.

• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner  - call 1300 363 992
  Information and factsheets on credit reporting.

Reviewed: 14 August 2019