Quick Answer
When refinancing a property in Western Australia, your new lender needs a current title search to confirm ownership, registered mortgages, and any encumbrances or interests affecting the property. Order a Current Title search through TitleFinder for $74.50 AUD to verify your title details before submitting a refinancing application.
Why Refinancing Demands a Fresh Title Search
Lenders will not approve a refinance on stale title information. Between your original purchase and now, caveats may have been lodged, mortgages altered, or mining interests registered. A current title search gives you and your lender confidence that the title matches your expectations. It also lets you identify and resolve problems before settlement delays occur.
Refinancing Title Checklist
Work through each item below. The checklist covers what to check, which document answers the question, and when to order additional records.
1. Confirm Registered Proprietor
The Current Title search lists the registered proprietor or proprietors. Confirm the name or names exactly match your current identity documents. If you have married, divorced, or changed your name since purchase, a discrepancy here will stall your refinancing. Your conveyancer can arrange a change of name registration before the lender proceeds.
2. Identify Existing Mortgages
The title shows any registered mortgages, including the reference for your current lender. Your new lender registers its mortgage after settlement and the old mortgage is discharged. Confirm only mortgages you expect appear on the title. An unexpected mortgage suggests an error or fraud and must be investigated before refinancing.
3. Check for Caveats
A caveat is a statutory notice that someone claims an interest in the property. Common caveats include equitable mortgage claims, purchaser caveats, or builder caveats. A caveat does not necessarily stop refinancing, but your new lender will require it to be dealt with or removed before advancing funds. Identify every caveat on the title early so your conveyancer can take steps to clear them.
4. Verify Title Type: Green Title, Survey-Strata, or Strata
Western Australia has several title types. Your refinancing conditions change depending on which one applies to your property.
| Title Type | Key Characteristics | Refinancing Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Green title | Freehold, no common property, no strata company | Simplest to refinance; few encumbrances expected |
| Survey-strata | Freehold lots with surveyed boundaries; may have common areas | Check for strata company obligations and by-laws on the common property |
| Strata title | Lot and common property; strata company required | Lender needs strata details, by-laws, and insurance information |
If your title is survey-strata or strata, you may also need to order the strata plan or survey-strata plan to confirm lot boundaries and common property details.
5. Review Easements and Restrictive Covenants
The title lists registered easements such as rights-of-way, drainage, or sewerage easements. Restrictive covenants may limit building materials, dwelling size, or land use. Your lender evaluates whether these restrictions affect security value. Read each easement and covenant reference. If the reference number is unclear, order the relevant instrument or dealing to read the full terms.
6. Check for Mining Interests and Petroleum Tenements
In Western Australia, mineral rights can be separate from land ownership. A mining lease, exploration licence, or petroleum tenement registered over your property may affect your lender's willingness to refinance. The Current Title search shows any mining interest entries. If you find one, order the dealing or instrument to understand the scope and duration of the interest. Rural and semi-rural properties near known resource areas are particularly susceptible.
7. Review Encumbrances and Charges
Aside from mortgages, titles can carry other registered encumbrances: charges for unpaid rates, water service charges, or heritage restrictions. Each encumbrance is listed by reference number on the title. If a charge looks unfamiliar, order the dealing to read its terms and confirm whether it has been satisfied.
8. Confirm Lot, Plan, and Volume/Folio Details
Your lender's documentation requires exact property identification. Match the lot number, plan number, and volume/folio on the Current Title search against your council rates notice and the original contract of sale. Any mismatch must be corrected before the lender proceeds.
9. Rural Titles: Additional Considerations
Rural titles in WA often carry Crown land conditions, pastoral lease provisions, or access easements. If your property is rural, check for:
- Conditions restricting subdivision or use
- Unfenced road reserves or access easements
- Mining or exploration tenements overlapping the title area
- Water rights and irrigation easements
For rural properties, you may also need to order the deposited plan or survey plan to confirm boundaries, especially where fence lines differ from the registered plan.
When to Order Additional Documents
A Current Title search is the starting point. Order extra documents when:
- You need to read the full terms of an easement, covenant, or encumbrance. Order the instrument or dealing by its registered number.
- You need to confirm lot boundaries or common property. Order the plan (survey-strata plan, strata plan, or deposited plan).
- The title is a State Lease. Order the State Lease search ($74.50 AUD through TitleFinder) to see lease conditions, term, and rent obligations.
FAQs
Do I need a new title search if I already have one from when I purchased the property?
Yes. Lenders require a current search, typically dated within a few months of the refinancing application. Interests can be registered or removed at any time, and a stale search does not reflect the current state of the title.
Can a caveat prevent me from refinancing?
A caveat does not automatically stop refinancing, but most lenders will not settle until it is removed or appropriately dealt with. Identify caveats early and instruct your conveyancer to negotiate removal or obtain consent from the caveator.
What if the title shows a mining interest I did not know about?
Order the dealing or instrument referenced on the title to understand the mining interest's scope. Some interests are historical and have minimal practical impact, while others may limit surface use. Discuss the findings with your conveyancer and lender before proceeding.
This article is general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your refinancing transaction, consult a qualified legal practitioner.
Order the right TitleFinder document
Use this guide as a reference, then order the actual record that answers your question:
- WA Title Search — $79.90
- WA Survey Search — $85.90
- WA Document Search — $91.80
If you are unsure, start with the current title search, then add the plan or instrument if the title points to one.
Need the title search? Use the TitleFinder product links above to order the current title, plan, instrument or state-specific property record you actually need.
