Considering over 59% of borrowers prefer to use the services of mortgage brokers to source & structure their new Home Loans, there is little or no surprise that the role of the mortgage broker was to be reviewed by the Royal Commission. After all “Trust” was the cornerstone of the inquiry and consumers clearly need to be able to trust their mortgage broker. The positive findings (which the media has apparently omitted to report thus far) is that the mortgage broking industry was the only industry to be separated out and praised for the contributions brokers make to lowering borrowing costs and ensuring competitive pressures remain in the interest of consumers.
My only concern relating to the Royal Commissioner’s Report is the recommendation that borrowers should pay brokers for the service they receive. This is a massive change from the current system whereby the costs of the broker are borne by the banks. Given that the role of the broker is to assist clients to reduce their lending costs, I am at a loss to explain how the Commissioner believes this recommendation could actually benefit the consumer. More likely this would only benefit the banks to increase their already massive profits.
Q: Why do the banks currently pay the broker rather than the borrower ?
A: The banks are keen to offer lower interest rates & pay the broker costs as this expense is significantly lower than the costs the bank would incur to employ more lending managers + open more branches + increase marketing & advertising, etc.
Please note that the Royal Commissioner’s Report is only 24 hours old and no changes have been made as yet. The time frame for the government to act on the recommendations may range from weeks to years … so for now nothing has changed and it’s business as usual.
The encouraging signs for borrowers is the government has recognised the need for competition and the acknowledge that brokers play a critical role in delivering that competition, however the question is who will actually be making the decisions following the upcoming federal election & how will their decisions impact borrowers in the future ?
DPF Mortgage Specialists is proud to be celebrating 21 Years of helping our clients to “take on the banks” to achieve better Home Loans & lower interest rates & we will continue to go “the extra mile” on your behalf for many years to come.
