The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has announced that it will be lowering its interest rate floor for mortgage serviceability assessments from 5.75 per cent to 5.40 per cent, effective from Saturday, 9 November.

The major bank added that applications submitted prior to Saturday, 9 November, that have not yet been formally approved will be assessed using the new floor rate.

The 2.5 per cent interest rate buffer will remain unchanged.

A CBA spokesperson told nestegg sister publication Mortgage Business that in making the decision, CBA sought to balance its regulatory obligations with the interest of its customers and the broader economy.

“In delivering this change, we have ensured we continue to meet our regulatory commitments while remaining focused on delivering great customer outcomes and supporting the Australian economy,” the spokesperson said.

CBA joins Auswide Bank, Heritage Bank and Westpac in revising its interest rate floor twice in response to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s (APRA) changes to its home lending guidance.

In early July, the prudential regulator scrapped its requirement for a 7 per cent interest rate floor and raised its recommended buffer rate from a minimum of 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

APRA chair Wayne Byres said the regulator’s amendments were “appropriately calibrated”, stating that a serviceability floor of more than 7 per cent was “higher than necessary for ADIs to maintain sound lending standards”.