Witnessing mortgage documents

Many documents require a person to witness the signature of one or more parties.  In most cases, there are no special qualifications required to act as a witness other than to be 18 years of age or olderm or a party to the loan.

Queensland and the Northern Territory: Brokers cannot witness.  The witness must be one of a special class of authorised witnesses.
New South Wales:  The witness must have known the mortgagor for 12 months or have taken reasonable steps to identify the mortgagor.  Usually mortgagees will send out a witness certificate of identification.
South Australia.......  The witness must know the mortgagor personally or have satisfied himself/herself as to the identity of the mortgagor. 



Taken from Mortgage & Finance Brief  April/May 2013

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