Home loans near power lines and easements

Say you are buying for $620k and expected to borrow 95%, or $589k. If the property is accepted only at 80%, the loan falls to $496k.

Example only. The accepted value, buying costs, mortgage insurance and full application can change the amount.

A high-voltage transmission line, an ordinary street distribution line and a substation are different features. Ask the network operator to confirm what is there; do not guess the voltage or lender category from a photograph. Send the map or written details with the title and distance measurement.

Most lenders in this comparison that publish a fixed 50m rule start the measurement at the property or security boundary, not at the house. People First Bank is different because it starts at the residential building. On a larger block, the same power line could fall inside a boundary test and outside a building test.

This is why an agent's estimate or a measurement from the house is not enough. The measurement has to use the same starting point as the lender rule.

I compared 11 lenders for this guide. A 50m result can leave an option at 80%, trigger a manual review or rule the property out.

Lender guides: Westpac · St George · CBA · ME Bank · People First Bank · Macquarie · Bankwest · AMP · Firstmac · Resimac

Lender rules checked 3 August 2026. A general starting-point view of the 11 lenders named above, not a ranking, a recommendation or credit advice. Lending policy changes without notice, and any loan is subject to the lender's own credit assessment and approval of your full application.

An easement does not automatically mean the bank will lend less. The title, the valuation and what the easement allows still decide the result.

Your solicitor or conveyancer should explain what the registered dealing allows. The lender and valuer then look at the building position, access, intended use, proposed work, value and future saleability.

Check the registered terms before planning an extension, shed, pool or driveway. For Powerlink easements, houses are not allowed within the easement and proposed work needs to be checked with Powerlink. Other easements can have different terms. Powerlink explains its approval process.

ARPANSA says scientific evidence has not established that the electric and magnetic fields found near powerlines cause health effects. Its powerlines guidance explains the evidence and links to further advice. A lender's 50m credit rule is not a medical safety distance or an electrical-work clearance.

For resale, ask the valuer to consider comparable sales with similar exposure to the line or easement. Do not assume a fixed discount, guaranteed rental demand or that a lower asking price makes the property a bargain.

Resimac excludes property in an area affected by a motorway. NAB's non-insured framework lists busy roads as a feature that does not require referral, although insured lending can still be referred through a valuer risk assessment.

That contrast is why "near a road" is not enough information. I need the exact address, road type, proposed loan percentage and the valuation method being used.

A surveyor, network operator or other qualified professional should confirm the physical feature and measurement. Your solicitor or conveyancer should advise on the title. My role is to compare the finance and valuation paths against those facts.