Changes to repossession laws will be in the pipeline now the Law Commission has delivered its report to the government.
Consumer Affairs Minister Simon Bridges says the commission has recommended several changes to the Credit (Repossession) Act and he's going to study them carefully.
"The commission's ideas have real merit and I'll be discussing how to progress them with officials and the cabinet," he said.
Mr Bridges is already working on law changes to crack down on loan sharks and says the repossession report is going to be a valuable part of that.
The Law Commission is proposing that whiteware cannot be repossessed.
It wants items such as washing machines, bedding, portable heaters, passports and identity documents excluded from repossession orders.
Repossession agents should be licensed, the commission recommends, and the penalty for breaching the new laws would be the loss of their licence.
"The challenge is to strike the appropriate balance between the rights of consumers and the rights of those extending credit," Commissioner Geoff McLay said.
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