Reviewed by Megan Birot, Content Editor, OurTop10 · 27 September 2026
What changed: first published. Every phone number, opening hour and option on this page was checked on CommBank’s own website on 27 September 2026.
Key points
- CommBank runs two hardship lines: 13 30 95 for a short-term problem and 1300 720 814 if it’s ongoing. Both are open until 9pm on weekdays.
- Of the five banks we checked, CommBank is the only one that lists an interest rate concession as a hardship option.
- Pausing repayments for 3 months on a $600,000 loan at 6.20% adds about $9,350 to the balance and roughly $11,400 in interest over the life of the loan.
- By law CommBank has 21 days to answer you in writing once it has what it needs.
Jump to: CommBank hardship at a glance · What it costs · How to apply · What they can offer · What’s different about CommBank · How long it takes · Your credit report · If they say no · Banks compared · FAQs
Part of our Mortgage Stress Report, which tracks where households are falling behind on their home loans, suburb by suburb.
To apply for CommBank financial hardship on a home loan, fill in the hardship request in the CommBank app or NetBank, or ring 13 30 95 (short-term problem) or 1300 720 814 (ongoing problem). You can also email [email protected]. You don’t need to have missed a payment first.
Below is what CommBank can actually offer, what each option costs you in dollars, and what happens if the answer is no.
You are far from alone. Mortgage stress has risen sharply this year. These are the latest numbers from our own research.
421,700
households in mortgage stress across the 80 postcodes we track
+14%
more stressed households than last quarter
+18%
more than a year ago
68 of 80
postcodes got worse this quarter
Source: OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report, June quarter 2026, using Digital Finance Analytics survey data. Melbourne (94,461) and Sydney (90,156) have the most stressed households; Perth is rising fastest (+25.1%).
CommBank hardship at a glance
| What you need | Detail |
|---|---|
| How to apply | Online through the CommBank app or NetBank, by phone, by email to [email protected], or by post to PO Box 9823, Parramatta NSW 2124. |
| Phone | 13 30 95 for short-term help, 1300 720 814 if the difficulty is ongoing |
| Hours | 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm Saturday (Sydney time) |
| Documents to start | Your income and expenses. CommBank says it may ask for supporting documents, and gives a medical certificate or an employment separation certificate as examples. |
| Reply time | CommBank doesn’t publish a turnaround on its hardship page |
| Official page | commbank.com.au, financial hardship |
Source: commbank.com.au, financial hardship (page date not shown, checked 27 September 2026).
What each option costs in dollars
Every hardship option changes the loan, and most of them cost you more in the end. We ran a typical loan through the four most common types of help.
| Option | Repayment during help | Repayment after help | Extra interest over the loan |
|---|---|---|---|
| No change | $3,939 | $3,939 | Nil |
| 3-month pause (interest added to the loan) | $0 | $4,018 | About $11,400 |
| 3 months at half repayments | $1,970 | $3,979 | About $5,700 |
| 6 months interest-only | $3,100 | $3,973 | About $4,900 |
| Term extended from 25 to 30 years | $3,675 | $3,675 | About $141,000 |
OurTop10 calculation, 27 September 2026. Assumes a $600,000 principal and interest loan with 25 years left at 6.20%, a rate held for the life of the loan, and the missed interest added to the balance. Your bank’s figures will differ.
Two things stand out. A short pause costs less than people fear, about $11,400 spread over 25 years. A term extension is the reverse: it’s the gentlest on the monthly budget and by far the dearest overall. If you take one, plan to make extra repayments once things settle, and use our loan repayment calculator to see what that does.
How to apply for CommBank financial hardship
An application goes faster if you have the numbers in front of you before you start.
- Write down what changed and when: job loss, reduced hours, illness, separation, a new baby.
- Work out what you can afford to pay each month right now. A real number beats “as little as possible”.
- Say how long you expect the problem to last, even roughly.
- Apply online or ring 13 30 95. Keep the reference number.
- Answer any follow-up questions quickly. The 21-day clock restarts when the bank asks for more information.
- Read the offer letter before you accept it, especially what your repayment will be when the help ends.
What CommBank can offer
These are the home loan options CommBank lists on its hardship page, in its own terms:
- Deferring repayments for a period
- Reducing repayments for a period
- Extending the loan term
- Switching an eligible home loan to interest-only
- Waiving fees
- An interest rate concession
- Drawing on money already in your offset account
Which one you get depends on whether the problem is short-term or permanent. A bank will usually offer a pause or reduced repayments for a short hit, and a lasting change, such as a longer term, when the income isn’t coming back.
What’s different about CommBank
Two phone numbers, and the one you ring matters. 13 30 95 is for a short hit, such as a few weeks between jobs. 1300 720 814 is the ongoing difficulty team. If you’re not sure which you are, say so and let them transfer you. It’s better than being set up with a three-month fix for a problem that won’t be gone in three months.
CommBank lists an interest rate concession on its hardship page. None of the other big banks we checked does. It isn’t automatic, but it is on the menu, so ask.
It is also the only one of the five that takes hardship requests by email and post. That helps if you can’t sit on hold during work hours.
The people who get the best outcome ring before the first missed payment, not after the third. Once you’re in arrears, the conversation is about collecting money. Before that, it’s about keeping you in the house.
Kylie Soltani, Co-Director, Soren Financial
How long CommBank has to answer
CommBank doesn’t publish a turnaround on its hardship page, so the legal deadline applies: a written answer within 21 days of your request. Under the National Credit Code, once you give a lender a hardship notice it must tell you in writing within 21 days whether it agrees. If it needs more information it has to ask within those 21 days, then decide within 21 days of getting it.
Put the request in writing or keep the reference number from the call, and note the date. That date starts the clock.
What it does to your credit report
CommBank says a temporary hardship arrangement does not affect your credit score. The arrangement shows on your credit report for 12 months, without the reason. Since 1 July 2022, lenders report hardship arrangements as financial hardship information. It is not a default, the reason isn’t recorded, and credit reporting bodies can’t use it to calculate your score. Another lender will still see it for that year, so it can make a refinance harder while it’s there.
If CommBank says no
- Ask CommBank for the reason in writing. It has to give you one.
- Lodge a complaint with CommBank’s internal complaints team and ask them to review it.
- If that doesn’t fix it, complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) on 1800 931 678 or at afca.org.au. It’s free, and while AFCA is looking at a hardship complaint the lender generally can’t take legal action to repossess.
- Talk to a free financial counsellor through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or ndh.org.au. They can also deal with the bank for you.
How the big banks compare
Hardship help looks similar across the big banks. The phone hours and reply times don’t.
| Bank | Hardship phone | Hours | Stated reply time |
|---|---|---|---|
| CommBank | 13 30 95 for short-term help | 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm Saturday | Not published (21-day legal limit) |
| ANZ | 1800 351 548 | 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday | 5 to 10 days (first assessment) |
| NAB | 1300 661 114 for short-term help | 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday | Not published (21-day legal limit) |
| Westpac | 1800 067 497 | 8:30am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 6pm Saturday | Within a week |
| St.George | 1800 629 795 | 8:30am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 6pm Saturday | Within a week |
Sources: each bank’s own hardship page, checked 27 September 2026. Where a bank gives two numbers, the short-term line is shown.
What to do next
If the problem is short, apply to CommBank now, before a payment is missed. If it looks permanent, it’s worth a second opinion on whether the loan itself should change: a different structure, or a lender that suits your new income once any hardship listing has cleared. Our ranked lists of the best mortgage brokers in Sydney, best mortgage brokers in Melbourne and Brisbane are a place to start, and the loan repayment calculator will show what a longer term or a lower rate does to your repayment.
FAQs
Does CommBank hardship affect my credit score?
CommBank says a temporary hardship arrangement doesn’t affect your credit score. The arrangement is listed on your credit report for 12 months, but the reason isn’t, and it isn’t a default.
Can I apply for CommBank hardship online?
Yes. The request form is in the CommBank app and NetBank. You can also phone, email [email protected] or post a request.
How long does CommBank take to decide?
CommBank doesn’t publish a timeframe. Under the National Credit Code it must reply in writing within 21 days, or within 21 days of getting any extra information it asked for.
Can CommBank lower my interest rate if I’m in hardship?
It lists interest rate concessions as one of its hardship options. It isn’t guaranteed, but you are entitled to ask.
This page is general information, not financial or credit advice. It doesn’t take your circumstances into account. If you’re struggling, the National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007) is free and confidential.
Sources
- CommBank, financial hardship: commbank.com.au, financial hardship (page date not shown, checked 27 September 2026)
- National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009, Schedule 1 (National Credit Code), section 72: legislation.gov.au
- ASIC, dealing with consumers and credit (hardship notice timeframes): asic.gov.au
- Moneysmart, problems paying your mortgage: moneysmart.gov.au
- OAIC, what is financial hardship information: oaic.gov.au
- Australian Banking Association, Banking Code of Practice: ausbanking.org.au
- National Debt Helpline: ndh.org.au; AFCA: afca.org.au
- OurTop10, Mortgage Stress Report, June quarter 2026 (Digital Finance Analytics survey data): ourtop10.com.au/reports/mortgage-stress-q2-2026
Megan Birot
Content Editor, OurTop10
Megan Birot is OurTop10’s Content Editor. She holds a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking (FNS40821) and a Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management (FNS50322), and checks every guide on the site against current lender policy before it goes live. She also writes the media releases for the OurTop10 Reports.