Credit regulation team switching from ComCom to FMA with new powers to investigate lenders

FMA’s Clare Bolingford and ComCom’s Sarah Bartlett have been a strong double act explaining new credit laws. (Image: Jacques Steenkamp)

Garth Bray

Wed, 17 Sep 2025

Nearly every member of the Commerce Commission team regulating lenders will be shifting to the Financial Markets Authority when ComCom hands over responsibility for credit contracts.That team is poised to roll out with stronger powers to turn up unannounced at companies and demand to inspect records and monitor operations relating to credit and other matters under financial legislation before Parliament now.“This is not a new regime, and lenders should be under no illusion that there will be any backward steps,” Clare Bolingfor...

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