澳大利亚证券和投资委员会（ASIC）的审查发现，八家澳大利亚银行在抵押贷款偏移账户的建立、监管和管理中存在缺陷[1]。在2023年9月至2025年8月期间，这些银行因偏移账户故障共向客户支付了超过5500万澳元的赔偿[1][2]。受审查的八家银行代表了澳大利亚住房贷款市场的70%以上，涉及超过330万持有抵押贷款的澳洲人及3500亿澳元的偏移账户资金[1][2]。
部分客户因这些错误遭受严重经济损失。有案例显示，客户在一个多月内因偏移账户未正确关联而支付超过3500澳元的额外利息[1][2]。另有两名客户因银行未告知需要重新关联偏移账户而各自多付超过17000澳元的利息[2]。ASIC主席莎拉·考特指出，"这些偏移账户失误之一是客户很难自己判断"[2]，并表示潜在客户损失金额目前完全未知[2]。澳大利亚银行业声称99%的偏移账户客户支付的是正确利息，称这些为系统缺陷导致的无意错误[2]。ASIC在调查的8家银行中未发现任何客户被意外过度赔偿的案例[2]。
ASIC建议澳大利亚消费者检查其偏移账户是否正确设置并与贷款关联[1]。消费者向银行正式投诉后，银行必须在21天内（财务困难相关问题）或30天内（其他问题）作出回复[1]。若对银行的回复不满意，消费者可向澳大利亚金融投诉机构（AFCA）提出上诉[1]。
Australia's securities regulator has uncovered systemic failures in offset account management that have cost customers millions in excess interest payments.[1][2] The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) found that eight major Australian banks—representing over 70 percent of the nation's $250 trillion housing loan market—mishandled the setup, oversight, and administration of mortgage offset accounts between September 2023 and August 2025.[1] During this period, the banks compensated customers with more than $55 million to cover interest shortfalls caused by these failures.[1][2]
The problems have affected millions of borrowers.[2] More than 3.3 million Australians hold mortgages connected to offset accounts totaling $350 billion in funds.[2] Some customers faced substantial financial consequences as a result of the errors: individual cases show borrowers paying over $3,500 in additional interest within a single month when their offset accounts were incorrectly unlinked,[1][2] while two customers each incurred losses exceeding $17,000 after banks failed to inform brokers that offset accounts needed to be relinked.[2] ASIC Chair Sarah Court noted that "one of these offset account slip-ups is that it's very difficult for customers to work it out themselves."[2]
The banks maintain that these were unintentional system faults rather than deliberate misconduct.[2] Banking industry representatives claim that 99 percent of offset account customers are charged the correct interest rate,[2] and ASIC found no instances among the eight surveyed banks where customers were unexpectedly overcompensated.[2] ASIC has recommended that Australian consumers verify their offset accounts are correctly configured and properly linked to their loans.[1] Customers who lodge formal complaints with their bank must receive a response within 21 days for financial hardship matters or 30 days for other issues;[1] those dissatisfied with a bank's response can appeal to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).[1]