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Subject to finance clause

What is a subject to finance clause and how can it save you from financial ruin?

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It’s important to pay attention to all the details of a home loan contract because they could protect you in the event something goes awry. One clause you should give particular attention to is the subject to finance clause.

A subject to finance clause gives you the option of terminating your loan contract and recovering your deposit if you can't get finance approved. In other words, the property purchase becomes conditional on you being able to get finance (a mortgage). If you are unable to get a home loan then the subject to finance clause means you can get your deposit back.

This clause also sets out the steps you need to follow to inform the property’s vendor if you’re unable to obtain finance.

Here's how it works.

What's in this guide?

  1. Do you need a subject to finance clause?
  2. What should you look out for?
  3. What happens if you breach the clause?
  4. How do you know you’re protected?
  5. Need a home loan? Start comparing

Do you need a subject to finance clause?

A subject to finance clause is a fairly standard inclusion, and is also incredibly important.

It’s common practice to purchase a property before having your home loan completely sorted. In all likelihood, you would go to an auction or enter into a private treaty sale after getting pre-approval from a lender. While it’s very smart to get pre-approval, it isn’t an ironclad guarantee.

Home loan pre-approval merely means that your bank has decided it is likely to approve your loan. It isn’t legally obligated to do so, and you’re not legally obligated to accept. Any number of hurdles can come up between pre-approval and unconditional approval.

A subject to finance clause serves to protect you in the event that your lender decides not to go ahead with the home loan. It’s crucial that you make sure this clause is included in your contract, unless you’re 100% certain your home loan is in order.

Subject to finance clauses are especially important if there’s any doubt about a property’s valuation. Once you’ve signed a contract to buy a property, your lender will conduct a valuation. If this valuation comes in lower than expected, they could decide not to extend you credit for your purchase, or to offer you a lower loan amount. Without a subject to finance clause, you could be caught having to make up the shortfall.

What should you look out for?

While subject to finance clauses are important, not all are created equal. While one clause could protect you and your deposit money, another could end up being used as a weapon to pursue you for damages should your purchase not go through.

Pay attention to the following:

  • Wording. A subject to finance clause states that you as the purchaser will take all reasonable steps to acquire finance. If you don’t pay attention to the wording, those “reasonable steps” could put you in an unreasonable position.
  • Specificity. The clause shouldn’t just make a general statement about obtaining finance. It should state that the purchase is subject to obtaining finance with satisfactory terms. It could even go so far as to state that the purchase is subject to obtaining finance from a specific institution at an interest rate not higher than a specific amount. This protects you in the event your preferred lender doesn’t approve your home loan.
  • Expiry. You should also pay attention to when the clause expires. Most subject to finance clauses have a certain time and date by which finance must have been obtained. Again, if you don’t have your home loan sorted by this time and date, you will have breached the clause.

What happens if you breach the clause?

Woman signing a contractIf you breach the subject to finance clause you risk losing your deposit (if you have already paid it). And because you are legally obligated to buy the property, the vendor could force you to go ahead with the purchase. On top of this, they can also sue you for breach of contract, making you liable for damages and court costs.

This could add up to an overwhelming financial burden very quickly. For instance, if the vendor was counting on the funds from the sale to buy another property, they could pursue you for any losses resulting from their purchase falling through.

This is why it’s incredibly important to pay attention to the subject to finance clause, and to ensure it provides you adequate protection. And it also underscores the necessity of having your contract scrutinised by a conveyancer or solicitor.

How do you know you’re protected?

Ultimately, you shouldn’t rely on your own assessment of a subject to finance clause. It’s crucial to seek out legal advice when buying a property. Have a solicitor examine the contract to ensure it provides the protection you need.

The fees you pay to a good solicitor will, of course, add to the cost of purchasing your home. However, making certain you’re protected in the event something goes wrong with your finance could save you untold costs in the long-run.

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Data indicated here is updated regularly
$
years
Name Product Interest Rate (p.a.) Comp. Rate^ Application Fee Ongoing Fees Max LVR Monthly Payment
Westpac Flexi First Option Home Loan - Basic Variable Rate (Owner Occupier, P&I)
Westpac Flexi First Option Home Loan
2.29%
2.72%
$0
$8 monthly ($96 p.a.)
95%
$577.55
Up to $3,000 refinance cashback.
A flexible and competitive variable rate loan. Eligible borrowers refinancing $250,000 or more can get $2,000 cashback per property plus a bonus $1,000 for their first application. Other conditions apply.
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More Info
St.George Basic Home Loan - LVR 60% to 80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)
St.George Basic Home Loan
2.54%
2.56%
$0
$0 p.a.
80%
$596.91
Up to $4,000 refinance cashback. With this competitive variable rate loan from St.George, refinancers borrowing $250,000+ can get up $4,000 cashback and borrow up to 80% of the property's value. (Terms, conditions & exclusions apply).
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More Info
HSBC Fixed Rate Home Loan - 2 Year Fixed Rate LVR 80% or below (Owner Occupier, P&I)
HSBC Fixed Rate Home Loan
1.88%
2.98%
$0
$0 p.a.
80%
$546.6
Lock in a competitive fixed rate for 2 years and buy your home with a 20% deposit.
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Macquarie Bank Basic Home Loan - LVR ≤ 60% (Owner Occupier, P&I)
Macquarie Bank Basic Home Loan
2.49%
2.49%
$0
$0 p.a.
60%
$593.01
A competitive variable rate home loan for owner-occupiers. Requires a 40% deposit.
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More Info
UBank UHomeLoan Variable Rate - Discount Offer for Owner Occupiers, Variable P&I Rate
UBank UHomeLoan Variable Rate
2.34%
2.34%
$0
$0 p.a.
80%
$581.39
Enjoy flexible repayments, a redraw facility and the ability to split your loan. Plus, pay no application or ongoing fees.
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Suncorp Back to Basics Home Loan - Better Together Special Offer $150k+ LVR ≤ 80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)
Suncorp Back to Basics Home Loan
2.54%
2.55%
$0
$0 p.a.
80%
$596.91
A competitive variable interest rate loan with low fees. The establishment fee is waived if you borrow $150,000 or more.
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More Info
Athena Celebrate Home Loan - 60% LVR Owner Occupier, P&I
Athena Variable Home Loan
2.19%
2.19%
$0
$0 p.a.
60%
$569.91
Owner occupiers with 40% deposits or equity can get this competitive variable rate loan. No upfront or ongoing fees.
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St.George Fixed Rate Advantage Package - 2 Year Fixed Rate LVR above 80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)
St.George Fixed Rate Advantage Package
2.09%
3.46%
$0
$395 p.a.
95%
$562.33
Lock in a low fixed rate for the first two years. Refinancers borrowing $250,000 or more can get cashbacks between $2,000 and $4,000 depending on their loan to value ratio (Other terms, conditions and exclusions apply
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More Info
UBank UHomeLoan - 3 Year Fixed Rate (Owner Occupier, P&I)
UBank UHomeLoan Fixed
1.95%
2.27%
$0
$0 p.a.
80%
$551.82
A competitive fixed interest rate loan with no ongoing fees. Requires a 20% deposit.
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More Info
Suncorp Home Package Plus Fixed - 2 Year Fixed Rate Special Offer $150k+ LVR ≤80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)
Suncorp Home Package Plus Fixed
1.89%
2.94%
$0
$0 p.a.
80%
$547.35
Lock in a low fixed rate loan for two years and get the annual package fee waived in the first year. Available for borrowers with 20% deposits.
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More Info
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Logo for Westpac Flexi First Option Home Loan - Basic Variable Rate (Owner Occupier, P&I)
Westpac Flexi First Option Home Loan - Basic Variable Rate (Owner Occupier, P&I)

Up to $3,000 refinance cashback. A flexible and competitive variable rate loan. Eligible borrowers refinancing $250,000 or more can get $2,000 cashback per property plus a bonus $1,000 for their first application. Other conditions apply.

More info
Logo for St.George Basic Home Loan - LVR 60% to 80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)
St.George Basic Home Loan - LVR 60% to 80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)

Up to $4,000 refinance cashback. With this competitive variable rate loan from St.George, refinancers borrowing $250,000+ can get up $4,000 cashback and borrow up to 90% of the property's value. (Terms, conditions & exclusions apply).

More info
Logo for Athena Liberate Home Loan - 70% to 80% LVR Owner Occupier, P&I
Athena Liberate Home Loan - 70% to 80% LVR Owner Occupier, P&I

A competitive variable rate mortgage for owner occupiers $0 application and $0 ongoing fees. This interest rate falls over time as you pay off the loan.

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Logo for Suncorp Back to Basics Home Loan - Better Together Special Offer $150k+ LVR ≤ 80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)
Suncorp Back to Basics Home Loan - Better Together Special Offer $150k+ LVR ≤ 80% (Owner Occupier, P&I)

Get a competitive variable interest rate with no application fee or ongoing fees.

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