Lending privately,
secured on title.

When family members or businesses lend to each other, a handshake is not security. We draft the loan agreement and mortgage and register it on title, so the lender is protected and both sides know the terms.

Client reviews

Property law clients,
in their own words.

Is this you?

When people come to us about private mortgages and loans.

Each of these is a good reason to call, and none of them is too early.

  • You are lending your children the deposit for their first home.
  • A business contact has asked to borrow against their property.
  • You lent money years ago and nothing was written down.
  • A private lender has sent you documents to sign.

How we help

The time to write down a family loan is before anyone disagrees about it.

A family loan with no paperwork can be treated as a gift if a relationship breaks down or someone dies. A written loan agreement, backed by a registered mortgage, records what was agreed and gives the lender security over the property.

We draft the documents, advise both sides where that is appropriate, and register the mortgage with Land Use Victoria. If you are the borrower, we explain the terms before you sign.

What we do

  • Loan agreements for family and private lending
  • Mortgages prepared and registered on title
  • Guarantees and security from companies and directors
  • Advice for borrowers before they sign
  • Discharges when the loan is repaid
  • Recovery steps if repayments stop

What happens first

Your first week with us.

A matter should feel different from the first call. This is what you can expect before anything is signed or sent.

What it costs
  1. The first call: what is at stake

    What has happened, what the documents say, and any date that cannot be missed, such as a settlement or a notice period.

  2. In writing: the steps and the cost

    What needs to happen and in what order, with the fee quoted or scoped in writing before the work starts.

  3. Urgent matters first

    Guarantee advice is usually given the same day, and a caveat can be lodged the same day where you hold an interest in the land.

  4. From then on: one lawyer, no chasing

    The same lawyer sees the matter through, and you are told what is happening at each step.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

If your question is not here, it is a good reason for the free call.

  • Can you prepare a loan between family members?

    Yes. We draft the loan agreement and mortgage, advise both sides where that is appropriate, and register the mortgage so the lender is secured. This is common for parents lending a deposit.

  • Does a family loan protect me if my child separates?

    A properly documented and secured loan is far more likely to be treated as a debt, rather than a gift, if the relationship ends. We advise on how to set it up.

  • What does it cost?

    Conveyancing is a fixed fee, quoted before you engage us. Development, SMSF and commercial property work is handled by senior lawyers and scoped in writing before it starts, so you know what you are committing to and what you will get for it.

Tell us what is going on. We will tell you where you stand.

A free 15-minute call. If it is a matter for us, you are booked in with the right solicitor before the call ends. If it is not, we will say so.