COMMONWEALTH BANK PROVIDES SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY MR FLUFFY ASBESTOS ISSUE

The Commonwealth Bank has established a new $10,000 special assistance payment to support its ACT home loan customers who have been impacted by Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos insulation. From today, Commonwealth Bank home loan customers who have been identified as having a Mr Fluffy home by the ACT government’s buyback scheme will be able to access the Commonwealth Bank’s emergency $10,000 cash assistance payment.

Today’s announcement comes on top of the assistance previously established by the Bank for affected Mr Fluffy customers. This includes access to a specially trained team who will individually assess each customer’s position and determine access to bridging finance, interest free periods and fee free holidays for those affected customers. The Commonwealth Bank has also established a dedicated hotline where customers can discuss their circumstances and obtain more details of the assistance payment. The hotline number is: 1300 931 744 (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm).

“With Christmas just a few weeks away, this is a particularly crucial time for many people and we hope this assistance can bring some relief. As the nation’s largest lender we recognise the emotional and financial stress this is causing our affected ACT customers, and we wanted to ensure our customers and their families felt they could get the right support and understanding from their bank,” said Matt Comyn, Commonwealth Bank Retail Banking Group Executive.

“We understand each customer’s needs will be different but we are committed to approaching each case with sensitivity and compassion. We are already in discussion with some affected customers and we will continue to work closely with the relevant government and community organisations to identify additional affected customers.”

The Commonwealth Bank has been working with the Fluffy Owners and Residents’ Action Group in the ACT, led by founder and spokesperson Brianna Heseltine.

Ms Heseltine said: “This $10,000 payment will lift the spirits of Commonwealth Bank home loan customers, many of whom face spending their last Christmas in their family homes after a year of tremendous hardship. Our families are deeply grateful to the Commonwealth Bank for its extraordinary compassion and continued support for affected customers.”

--ENDS--