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There's no single rule, but a few common triggers: rates have moved significantly since you took the loan, your circumstances have changed (income, business setup, family), the loan term is uncomfortable, or you want to consolidate multiple asset loans into one facility. The simplest test is to review your existing contract, work out how the new arrangement compares to what you have, and weigh that against any payout costs on the old loan. We can run that calculation with you in a 15-minute chat — no application required.

Any new finance application generates a credit enquiry, and refinancing is no exception. One enquiry has a small, short-term impact on your credit file. The bigger problem is when borrowers apply to multiple lenders directly, hoping one will approve — those enquiries stack up and can materially hurt your score. Working with a broker, we submit one application to the lender most likely to approve you on terms that suit your situation, which protects your credit file.

For a straightforward refinance — full-time employed, clean credit history, mainstream asset — formal approval usually comes within 24-72 hours of a complete application. Settlement (where the new lender pays out the old lender directly) typically follows within 1-5 business days. Complex cases involving self-employment, larger amounts, or unusual assets can take longer, but we'll always give you a realistic timeline upfront rather than an optimistic one.

Sometimes, depending on the lender and the loan type. Fixed-rate loans often carry break costs if you pay them out early; variable-rate loans usually don't. Some lenders also charge a discharge or early termination administration fee. We get your existing payout figure in writing before any refinance proceeds, so you know exactly what it costs to exit and whether the refinance still makes sense financially once those costs are factored in.

Yes. ABN holders, sole traders, and company directors regularly refinance through Treadgold Finance. The documentation is slightly different from PAYG applications — we'll typically need recent BAS, business bank statements, and possibly the last tax return — but the process is similar. Self-employed refinancing is one of our most common case types, especially for tradies and small business operators restructuring vehicle and equipment debt.

Often, yes. Refinancing with impaired credit is more nuanced than mainstream refinancing — fewer lenders fund it, and approval is conditional on the broader picture (current income stability, asset value, time since any credit event). What matters most is honest disclosure upfront so we know which lenders to approach and which to skip. Wasted enquiries on the wrong lenders only damage your file further.

For PAYG clients: photo ID, recent payslips, a bank statement showing your regular pay, your most recent loan statement from the existing lender, and the current insurance certificate for the asset. For self-employed: photo ID, recent BAS, business bank statements, your most recent loan statement, and the current insurance certificate. We send you a clean, complete checklist before the application starts — no hunting through inboxes for missing paperwork.

Yes — restructuring the loan term is one of the most common reasons people refinance. Extending the term reduces monthly repayments (though you'll pay more interest over the life of the loan). Shortening the term clears the debt faster (but raises monthly repayments). Both are legitimate strategies depending on your goals. We can model both scenarios with you before any application proceeds so you can choose the structure that fits your cash flow.

No. Settlements are coordinated so the new lender pays out the old lender directly, usually on the same day. You won't have a period where you owe both lenders simultaneously. Your repayment cycle simply rolls over from the old arrangement to the new one without interruption.

Depends entirely on the numbers. If your existing loan has a long way to run and a new arrangement would meaningfully change your monthly position, refinancing earlier captures more of the benefit. If the loan has only a few months left, the cost of exiting may outweigh the saving from a new arrangement. We work through this calculation with every client — there's no point refinancing for a marginal change that the exit costs eat up.