Transparency, patience and NZFSG tools: inside KHL Finance's award-winning approach

Winning a customer service award is rarely the result of a single initiative. For KHL Finance, it reflects a practice built around one consistent principle: every client is a relationship, not a transaction. 

Raj Mehta (pictured above), managing director and mortgage adviser at KHL Finance, said the team's values are straightforward. Patience, transparency and clear communication underpin every client engagement – from the first conversation through to settlement and well beyond. Clients are told upfront what to expect, including likely turnaround times and possible outcomes. 

'We want to make sure they understand the turnaround period,' Mehta told NZ Adviser. 'So they don't hang there – oh, we submitted an application three weeks ago, what's happening?' 

That approach was recognised at the 2026 New Zealand Mortgage Awards, where KHL Finance took out the best customer service of an individual office award. The win a meaningful signal to other New Zealand mortgage advisers about what a client-first service model can look like in practice.

Helping first home buyers reach a 5% deposit 

Getting clients across the deposit line is one of the most practical contributions a New Zealand mortgage adviser can make. When clients arrive with less than 5% saved, KHL Finance builds a structured plan around their specific circumstances. 

Strategies have included redirecting overseas savings transfers, renting out a spare room or taking on overtime for a defined period. 

'It's about giving clients clarity and a structured plan towards that ownership,' Mehta said. 

Proactive mortgage reviews powered by NZFSG 

KHL Finance's Monday team meetings focus on existing clients, not new ones. Using the New Zealand Financial Services Group (NZFSG) CRM, the team reviews at least five settled clients daily to check whether their loan-to-value ratio has dropped below 80%. 

When clients sit just above the threshold, the team contacts them about a lump-sum payment to unlock better rates or remove low-equity premiums. One recent client at 81% LTV was advised to contribute a lump sum, bringing the loan below 80% and opening access to improved pricing. 

'Hey, look – that money we can save. It really helps us,' Mehta said. 

NZFSG training and webinars feed into the Monday sessions alongside CRM reviews. Satisfied existing clients, Mehta said, are also the firm's most reliable source of referrals. 

Expanding the lender panel for diverse client needs 

Mehta said KHL Finance continues to broaden its product range through the NZFSG panel, which covers major banks and non-bank lenders including Prosper and Liberty. The broader panel allows the team to serve self-employed clients, investors with smaller deposits and borrowers needing a short-term non-bank solution before transitioning to a main bank. 

'Every client's situation is unique,' Mehta said. 'Our role is to present all available options, enabling clients to make a confident and informed decision.' 

With 15-plus years of lending experience behind the team, the KHL Finance mortgage adviser model shows how relationship-led practice – backed by NZFSG tools and a broad lender panel – can drive strong outcomes for New Zealand mortgage advisers and their clients.