ANZ slugs battlers for paying off home loan John Coombes with sons Jez and Adrian. Picture: Josie Hayden Source: Herald Sun A HARD-UP family forced to sell their home are disgusted after their bank slugged them almost $17,000 for paying off their mortgage early. Father-of-nine John Coombes labelled the ANZ's cash grab as "unjust enrichment." "We should be getting rewarded for paying off our mortgage early, not the other way around," he said. Mr Coombes, 64, was hoping the money he pocketed from selling the home after paying off the outstanding loan would put his family back on their feet. The computer analyst had been battling to make repayments on his mortgage after he lost his job in 2009. He has not been able to find work since and a recent diabetes diagnosis has added to his woes. "No one wants to hire a 64-year-old with diabetes," he said. He said after claiming financial hardship with the bank in 2010, he desperately tried to keep up the loan repayments. But earlier this year, he and his wife, Razelle, had no choice but to put their home in Wandong, about 50km north of Melbourne, on the market. On settlement last month, they were shocked to find the $253,777.81 owing on their fixed-rate home loan had jumped to $270,723.94 after the bank calculated the interest it would lose for the mortgage being paid 19 months early and added it to the bill. "I couldn't believe it," Mr Coombes said. I understand we were on a fixed rate, but we were paying well above the market the last few years anyway, and the ANZ bank was fully aware of our financial situation. We went through their financial hardship department, so stinging us for almost $17,000 is absolutely ridiculous. The reality is they make $6 billion profit every year. They don't need $17,000 - we do. ANZ spokeswoman Emily Kinnear said Mr Coombes was not listed as being part of their formal hardship program "at the time he actively decided to sell his property." "However, after looking into the file today we will revisit the decision and be in touch with him directly," she said. Melbourne-based solicitor John Ahearn said in his 30 years of practice, he had come across many cases where people were being ripped off by bank fees. "It's just outrageous it is still going on," he said. The banks are always targeting the little people as they can't afford to challenge it.