About Cabin Funders

Company: Cabin Funders (JFK Capital Limited), New Zealand

What we do: Consumer cabin loans for New Zealand buyers, covering cabins, sleepouts, granny flats, minor dwellings, transportable homes, tiny homes (on wheels or fixed), DIY kitsets, and off-grid lifestyle cabins.

Why we exist: Cabins, sleepouts and tiny homes sit outside mainstream mortgage lending because they aren't permanent dwellings on owned land. Cabin Funders is a specialist consumer lender purpose-built for the segment, securing the loan against the cabin itself via the PPSR.

Key facts:

  • NZ-owned and operated, lending nationwide
  • Regulated under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA)
  • Financial Service Provider registration: FSP1010017
  • Decision typically within one business day
  • Direct payment to your cabin supplier on request, with staged drawdowns where appropriate
  • PPSR security taken against the cabin where required by law

Contact: Phone: 0800 333 729, Email: info@cabinfunders.co.nz

What we finance: Transportable cabins, sleepouts and studios, granny flats and minor dwellings, tiny homes (on wheels or on foundations), DIY-built kitsets, off-grid and lifestyle-block cabins.

Where we lend: All of New Zealand, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Napier-Hastings, Palmerston North, Nelson, Queenstown, and rural and lifestyle blocks nationwide.

Can I get a loan for a Granny flats & minor dwellings in NZ?

Yes. Cabin Funders specialises in loans for Granny flats & minor dwellings in New Zealand. We assess affordability under the CCCFA and work with most NZ cabin suppliers and builders.

What deposit do I need for a Granny flats & minor dwellings loan?

Deposit depends on the build cost and the cabin type. Many Granny flats & minor dwellings applicants qualify with a low or zero deposit, particularly when the cabin secures the loan. Speak to us about your situation.

A modern New Zealand cabin in a green rural setting

The granny flat loan, made specific.

Loans for cabins, sleepouts, granny flats, transportables and tiny homes. $5,000 to $150,000. Decision back in a business day.

NZ owned and operated
FSPR-registered

Get a real cabin loan quote.

Takes a minute. No credit check at this step.

Indicative quote only. Your final rate depends on a CCCFA affordability check.

From 2026, New Zealand's Small Stand-alone Dwellings rules are set to remove the building-consent requirement for granny flats up to 70m² designed, built and supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner and meeting the Building Code. Exact commencement and conditions are set by the legislation, and council notification or zoning rules may still apply, so check current rules with your council. Cabin Funders is a specialist consumer lender that funds granny flats and minor dwellings from $5,000 to $150,000. The loan is secured against the granny flat itself via a PPSR registration, so it sits completely separate from any existing mortgage on your house.

$5k–$150k
Cabin loan range
Paid direct
Funds to your supplier
1 day
Decision in 1 business day
11.95%
Indicative rate from

What cabin buyers struggle with for this type of build

A plain look at how granny flats & minor dwellings actually get financed (and don't) in New Zealand.

Granny flats and minor dwellings sit at the centre of the 2026 NZ housing conversation. New Zealand's Small Stand-alone Dwellings rules are set to remove the building-consent requirement for dwellings up to 70m² designed, built and supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner and meeting the Building Code, though exact commencement and conditions are set by the legislation and council notification or zoning rules may still apply. For homeowners with a 600m² to 800m² section, that points toward an easier path to a second dwelling worth $450 to $700 per week in rent, so it pays to confirm current rules with your council before you build.

The right financing for a granny flat is a standalone loan secured against the dwelling itself rather than a mortgage top-up that touches your existing home loan. It keeps your fixed rate intact, settles fast, and matches the staged-payment rhythm that most NZ granny flat builders work to. Cabin Funders writes that loan, with affordability assessed under the CCCFA and forecast rental income factored in where relevant.

Three things that block this kind of cabin purchase

The pain points we hear from granny flats & minor dwellings buyers, almost word for word, every week.

You don't want to touch your existing mortgage

Adding a granny flat through a home-loan top-up usually means breaking your fixed rate, revaluing the property, and restructuring servicing. Most homeowners on a good fixed rate would rather keep their mortgage exactly as it is.

Consent confusion before the 2026 rules land

The new exemption only applies to dwellings up to 70m², built by an LBP, on a section that meets the rules. Anything over 70m² still goes through full council consent. Borrowers want lender certainty before they commit.

30 to 50% deposit from the builder

Most NZ minor-dwelling builders need a substantial deposit at order. The right loan covers the deposit and the staged progress payments so the build can actually start.

With a Cabin Funders loan vs paying outright

Cabin Funders writes a secured cabin loan against the granny flat itself, registered on the PPSR. Your bank mortgage is untouched. We can fund the builder deposit, the staged progress payments, and the final settlement. Loans from $5,000 to $150,000 with terms up to seven years. Most builds where the borrower has reasonable equity and rental income forecast can be approved inside one business day.

Kitset granny flat, owner-installed

$45,000 loan

Repay $781 per month over 7 years

45m² kitset from an NZ supplier. Loan covers kit purchase. Owner organises foundation, services and assembly through an LBP friend.

Mid-range turn-key granny flat

$85,000 loan

Repay $1,475 per month over 7 years

60m² one-bedroom build, fully turn-key. Loan covers $25,000 supplier deposit, $40,000 progress, $20,000 final.

Top-spec 70m² granny flat with services

$140,000 loan

Repay $2,429 per month over 7 years

Full 70m² two-bedroom dwelling, including foundations, plumbing, power hook-up and deck. Pays itself off at $650 per week rent.

What we cover

Cabin Funders finances the full picture for granny flats & minor dwellings in New Zealand, not just the cabin price from the yard.

Granny flat builds up to 70m² (consent rules set to ease from 2026)
Minor dwellings over 70m² (full consent path)
Kitset granny flat purchases
Site works (foundations, services, deck)
Builder progress drawdowns
Second-dwelling rental conversions

Buy from any NZ supplier

We can fund a granny flats & minor dwellings from any reputable New Zealand supplier or builder. There's no approved-supplier list to squeeze into.

We pay your supplier directly, so your deposit is never at risk between order and delivery. Just tell us who you're buying from when you apply.

Why borrowers choose Cabin Funders

What makes a Cabin Funders loan different for granny flats & minor dwellings.

Sits outside your home loan

The Cabin Funders loan is secured against the granny flat itself, registered on the PPSR. Your existing mortgage stays exactly as it is.

2026 rules built into our process

We know the 70m² exemption rules and which builds qualify. If your build is over 70m², we still lend, the process just runs parallel to your council consent.

Staged drawdowns to the builder

We can pay your builder in stages, the same way a construction loan works. Deposit on order, progress payment at delivery, final payment on site sign-off.

Rental income offsets the repayment

A $550 to $700 per week rental on a backyard granny flat covers most or all of a Cabin Funders loan repayment. The build pays itself off.

Decision in a business day

No property revaluation, no three-week home-loan top-up wait. Online application, CCCFA affordability check, signed agreement.

Repay early without penalty

When the granny flat is producing income or you decide to refinance later, settle the loan in full without any break fee.

How a Granny flats & minor dwellings loan works

From application to your supplier being paid, in three steps.

1

Apply online

Five-minute application. Tell us about the cabin, the supplier, your income and your deposit. We'll run a CCCFA affordability check and come back with a yes, a no, or a question, usually inside one business day.

2

Sign the loan agreement

Plain-English loan documents arrive by email. Read them, ask any questions, then e-sign. We register a PPSR security interest on the cabin once it's in your possession.

3

We pay your supplier

Loan funds settle direct to your cabin supplier, either in a single payment or in staged drawdowns on the contract milestones. Your repayments start the following month.

With a Cabin Funders loan vs paying outright

What changes when you stop trying to save for the whole cabin in cash.

Paying outright (or trying to)

  • Save for years while rent eats every spare dollar
  • Bank says no on policy grounds (transportable, no foundation, no land)
  • Personal loan caps below build cost at 14 to 22% unsecured
  • Drain emergency savings to pay the supplier deposit
  • Builder waitlists keep moving while you scrape funds together

With a Cabin Funders loan

  • Cabin on your section this season, not three winters from now
  • Yes to transportable, on-wheels, off-grid and no-foundation cabins
  • Secured rate via PPSR, lower than unsecured personal loan
  • Supplier paid direct, no money sitting in your account
  • Repay early without penalty when your situation changes

Common questions

What granny flats & minor dwellings buyers ask us most often.

Do I need council consent before applying?
From 2026, New Zealand's Small Stand-alone Dwellings rules are set to remove the building-consent requirement for granny flats up to 70m² designed, built and supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner and meeting the Building Code. Exact commencement and conditions are set by the legislation, and council notification or zoning rules may still apply, so check current rules with your council. You don't need consent in hand to apply to us; we can fund qualifying builds once your build meets the criteria. For minor dwellings over 70m², or if any part of your build sits outside the exemption rules, you'll still need council consent, and we can usually fund the deposit and progress payments while consent is being processed.
Will the loan affect my existing home mortgage?
No. The Cabin Funders loan is secured against the granny flat itself via a PPSR registration, not the land or the existing house. Your bank mortgage stays exactly as it is. You don't need to break a fixed rate, revalue the property, or even tell your bank, though we recommend you let your home loan provider know what's happening on the section.
How much deposit do I need?
Most granny flat loans are written with a 10 to 20% deposit, though for borrowers with strong income and forecast rental from the new dwelling, lower deposits are possible. Some applicants qualify with no deposit when the granny flat's value is well below the loan-to-value cap. The 2026 exemption tends to improve the rental case because consenting cost and timeline are no longer a barrier, which helps affordability assessments.
How does a Cabin Funders loan work?
Cabin Funders is built specifically for cabin finance. Because most cabins can be moved or relocated, the cabin itself is registered on the PPSR as the loan security, which is the right legal mechanism for a transportable asset. Bring us your build quote and income evidence. We will run our affordability assessment under the CCCFA, give you a decision in a business day, and pay your supplier direct in staged drawdowns.
What's the maximum loan term?
Cabin Funders writes loans on terms up to 7 years. The right term depends on the loan amount, your income servicing and your repayment preference. A longer term means lower monthly payments and more total interest, a shorter term means the opposite. We'll show you both options before you commit.
Start your application

Ready to finance your granny flats & minor dwellings?

Five-minute online application. Decision in a business day. No early-repayment fee.

Start your application