DATE: 15th December 2025
DISTRIBUTION: GENERAL
SUBJECT: COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING WESTPAC CONVERSION OF PHYSICAL PAPER CERTIFICATES OF TITLE TO HOBO

As is well known some of the Certificates of Title under mortgage to Westpac Banking Corporation (and its alternate and former names e.g. Bank of Melbourne, Defence Service Homes Corporation, St George Bank, the Commercial Bank of Australia, etc.) are held as physical paper Certificates of Title while others are ‘Held On Behalf Of’ (HOBO) Westpac.

The Land Titles Office (LTO) is currently in the process of converting nearly all of Westpac’s remaining physical paper Certificates of Title to HOBO. It is expected that this bulk conversion process will be completed within the next few business days. Upon completion of the conversion a new edition of each Certificate of Title will be issued.

Of course there are always in-flight transactions, and so thought needs to be given as to what is received upon settlement in relation to a discharge of mortgage. Specifically, there may be a difference between the edition of the folio of the Register appearing on the LIST and the physical paper Certificate of Title offered at settlement.

Importantly, notwithstanding the conversion to HOBO, the LTO will accept with discharges of mortgage the recently cancelled edition of the relevant physical paper Certificate of Title, provided that the sole reason for the cancellation and the issuing of a new edition was the conversion to HOBO.

However, the decision to accept an earlier edition of a physical paper Certificate of Title at settlement lies with the party representative. Although the LTO cannot provide advice to any party representative regarding the acceptance or otherwise of Certificates of Title or Production Slip Receipts, representatives encountering this situation at settlement can contact the LTO for confirmation that the held new edition of a Certificate of Title has been issued solely due to the conversion to HOBO.

ROBERT MANNING
Recorder of Titles

Contact
Land Titles Office
Level 1, 134 Macquarie Street
Hobart TAS 7000

Westpac conversion of physical paper Certificates of Title to HOBO