NAB’s wholesale funder and distributor of white label home loans – Advantagedge – has announced that, as of today, it will require NSW mortgagors to sign mortgage documents on paper.
They said that until relevant legislation regarding the need for wet signatures on mortgage documents is amended in NSW, it would send a paper copy of the mortgage documents to customers to be wet-signed and witnessed.
NAB-owned white label provider Advantedge has said that it is updating its digital mortgage process for NSW customers, and is now requesting that mortgage documents be wet-signed by customers and witnesses.
Formerly, Advantede could accept electronically submitted mortgage documents without a paper copy. However, from Monday, 7 May, it will require NSW-based customers to sign mortgage documents issued in NSW on paper and to be witnessed.
It has said that it will post (or send by encrypted email to print depending on customer preference) mortgage documents for customers to sign with a witness, and return to its settlement agents, MSA National.
Despite this, Advantedge will continue to issue NSW mortgage documents electronically so there will be no delays with settlement.
It added that should the mortgage documents be submitted electronically, Advantedge would still process these “as normal” but would also send a paper copy of the mortgage documents to customers to be wet-signed and witnessed.
Advantedge clarified that the following documents can still be sent and signed electronically:
- Letter to Borrower(s)
- Loan Contract
- Loan and Settlement Authority
- Direct Debit Request
- Business Purpose Declaration
- Loan Terms and Conditions Booklet
- Credit Guide
- Borrower’s Guide to Construction Loans
- MSA National’s Estimated Costs Statement
NSW mortgage documents issued prior to Monday, 7 May 2018, will be accepted without a wet signature.
Those issued after this date may still be submitted electronically but will need to be accompanied by a paper-signed and witnessed mortgage document.
Advantedge told The Adviser that, until relevant legislation regarding the need for wet signatures on mortgage documents is amended in NSW, it would send a paper copy of the mortgage documents to customers to be wet-signed and witnessed.
It added that this change only applied to Advantedge (and not NAB), as it involves the execution of mortgages.
Indeed, NAB announced just last week that it had launched DocuSign in the broker channel, allowing customers to sign their mortgage documents from anywhere and on any device.
NAB general manager of broker distribution Steve Kane said that this is another example of NAB’s ongoing commitment to improving the customer experience and to supporting brokers.
“By giving brokers the ability to have customers digitally sign their upfront documents, we are making the home loan process simpler, easier and more convenient,” Mr Kane said.
“We have eliminated the delays that can come with requiring a physical signature, for example, and we are confident this new tool will go a long way to help create a more streamlined process for brokers and for customers.”
