In this law, a credit contract means a contract where credit is given or may be given. You need to think about what the contract is really about, not just what it says. If a contract or arrangement is basically a credit contract, it is treated as one under this law.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM212734.

This page was last updated on 1 January 2026 — View changes

Topics:

Money and consumer rights > Consumer protection

6: Meaning of credit, or

"What credit means: getting time to pay for something"

8: Meaning of buy-back transaction, or

"What is a buy-back transaction for your home?"

Part 1Preliminary provisions

7Meaning of credit contract

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, credit contract means a contract under which credit is or may be provided.
If, because of any contract or contracts (none of which by itself constitutes a credit contract) or any arrangement, there is a transaction that is in substance or effect a credit contract, the contract, contracts, or arrangement must, for the purposes of this Act, be treated as a credit contract made at the time when the contract, or the last of those contracts, or the arrangement, was made, as the case may be.