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How old is too old for a home loan?

One woman who argued that she should not have been allowed to take out a mortgage, given her age and that of her husband, has lost her complaint to the Banking Ombudsman - and mortgage advisers say it is not unusual for age to be a hurdle for some borrowers.

The Banking Ombudsman said the woman and her husband first applied for a home loan in 2020, when they were aged 56 and 53. In 2022, they agreed to take out loans worth $479,000.

But in 2025, the woman's husband died, and she claimed the loan was irresponsible and should not have been approved.

She said the bank had not considered her and her husband's ages, and the 30-year loan term.

She said they had never intended to work past typi

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