NZ Level 5 Personal Lending study plan

Map the core New Zealand statutes that govern personal lending (Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, Privacy Act, Financial Service Providers registration regime, Responsible Lending Code) onto a one-page diagram showing which body regulates what

Explain in your own words the difference between a creditor, a mobile trader, a peer-to-peer provider and a financial adviser under the CCCFA, and list which duties attach to each role

Identify the penalties and enforcement tools available to the Commerce Commission and summarise two recent enforcement themes in consumer credit

List the record-keeping and registration obligations that apply before a lender can legally advance a consumer loan

Break down the CCCFA lender responsibility principles and translate each into a concrete operational step a lender must take

Explain initial and ongoing disclosure requirements, including what must be disclosed, when, and in what form

Describe the purpose and mechanics of the borrower's right to cancel a consumer credit contract and the cooling-off period

Distinguish responsible lending obligations from affordability assessment and explain how they interact

Outline how fees, interest and default charges are regulated, including what makes a fee unreasonable

Explain the concept of substantial hardship and how it differs from a simple change in circumstances

Identify the information a lender must obtain and verify when assessing affordability, and why verification (not just declaration) matters

Describe how credit reporting works in New Zealand, including what a credit report shows and how a lender must handle a default listing

Draft the questions you would ask a borrower to establish income, expenses and existing debt commitments

Explain how lenders must handle a borrower who is unable to meet their obligations due to illness, redundancy or relationship breakdown

Compare the main personal lending products (unsecured personal loan, overdraft, credit card, vehicle loan, buy-now-pay-later) on cost, term, security and suitability

Calculate the total cost of credit for two competing loan offers and explain which is cheaper and why

Explain how interest is calculated, how fees compound into the true cost, and how to read an annual percentage rate

Apply a lender's lending criteria to three hypothetical applicants and justify approve, decline or refer decisions

Describe how a lender should document the rationale for a credit decision

Explain the difference between secured and unsecured lending and the consequences of each for the borrower and lender

Describe how a guarantee works, who can give one, and what must be disclosed to a guarantor before they sign

Outline the steps required to take and register security over a vehicle or other asset, including the Personal Property Securities Register

Explain what happens to security when a loan is varied, refinanced or repaid early

Identify the risks of unsuitable security and how to test whether security is appropriate for the borrower's situation

Describe the lender's obligations when a borrower misses a payment, including notice requirements and timeframes

Explain the hardship application process from the borrower's first contact through to a decision and any variation of the contract

Outline the dispute resolution pathway, including internal complaints handling and referral to an external dispute resolution scheme

Explain what a lender can and cannot do during collections, including limits on contact and the consequences of unfair enforcement

Describe how a default is recorded and what a borrower can do to correct an incorrect listing

Apply the ethical conduct standards expected of a lending professional to three tricky scenarios (pressure selling, conflicted advice, vulnerable customer)

Explain the difference between providing information, providing financial advice and arranging a loan, and the obligations that attach to each

Identify the documentation that must be created and retained for each client interaction, and for how long

Describe how to keep client records accurate, secure and accessible, including privacy obligations around storage and disclosure

Explain how to handle a conflict of interest and when to escalate or decline to act

Revisit the two weakest domains identified in earlier weeks and close the specific gaps with targeted revision

Complete a full timed mock exam under exam conditions and mark it against the domain weightings

Review every incorrect answer and write a one-line correction for each

Summarise the ten facts you are most likely to forget on a single revision sheet