How to Choose a Settlement Agent in WA: A Step-by-Step Checklist
Choosing the right settlement agent in Western Australia can help you manage deadlines, understand the settlement process and reduce the risk of avoidable delays.
Whether you are buying your first home, selling an investment property or transferring ownership, your settlement agent coordinates the legal and administrative steps required to complete the property transfer.
However, service levels, experience, communication and fee structures can vary between providers. This guide explains how to choose a settlement agent in WA, what questions to ask and what to check before signing an appointment to act.
What does a settlement agent do in WA?
A settlement agent in WA arranges and completes the conveyancing work required to transfer property ownership from the seller to the buyer.
Depending on the transaction and the services agreed with the client, a licensed settlement agent may:
• Complete and lodge the documents required to transfer the Certificate of Title
• Conduct searches and enquiries relating to the title, rates, zoning and other property information
• Check that relevant inspections and special contract conditions have been completed before settlement
• Prepare settlement statements and calculate adjustments between the buyer and seller
• Coordinate with banks, lenders, the other party’s representative and relevant authorities
• Arrange the payment of transfer duty and other amounts required for settlement
• Complete the electronic settlement through an Electronic Lodgment Network such as PEXA
• Lodge the transfer documents so the change of ownership can be registered
Settlement agents must operate within the scope of their WA license. If a transaction involves a legal dispute, contested contract terms, federal tax questions, you may also need advice from a legal practitioner or tax professional. Choose a settlement agent, with a lawyer available for you with the first 20 minutes of the cthisonsultation for free, through Philipoff Legal.
A settlement agent may still coordinate the conveyancing component once the relevant legal or tax issues have been addressed.
How do you choose the right settlement agent in WA?
Choosing the right settlement agent in WA involves checking their license, relevant experience, Professional Indemnity Insurance, communication process, legal support and ability to manage your particular transaction.
Step 1: Verify their WA settlement agent licence
A WA settlement agent should hold a current license and triennial certificate or be a legal practitioner authorised to conduct conveyancing work.
You can check a settlement agent’s licence through Consumer Protection’s online licence and registration search. Professional association membership may provide an additional indicator of industry involvement, but it does not replace the need to verify the required licence.
Step 2: Check their experience with your transaction type
Relevant transaction experience helps a settlement agent recognise the conditions, documents and timing risks that may apply to your property transfer.
Ask about their experience with transactions similar to yours, such as:
• First home purchases
• Residential sales and purchases
• Strata title properties
• Residential sales and purchases
• Vacant land or house-and-land packages
• Commercial or industrial property
• Private sales
• Related-party or family transfers
• Subdivisions and property developments
• Farming Property
• Rural Property
• Purple Titles
For a specialised or legally complex transaction, ask whether the firm has the necessary experience and whether a lawyer or another adviser may also be required.
Step 3: Confirm who will manage your settlement
Knowing who will manage your settlement helps you understand who is responsible for the file and who you can contact when questions arise.
Ask whether you will deal directly with an experienced conveyancer or a broader support team. You should also ask what backup arrangements are in place if your usual contact is unavailable during a critical stage of the settlement.This is especially important if you are considering choosing a small firm.
Step 4: Assess their communication and responsiveness
A responsive settlement agent should explain how and when they will update you throughout the settlement process.
Ask whether updates are provided by phone, email, text message or an online portal, and whether you will be contacted at each major milestone. Early communication is also useful. If it is difficult to obtain a clear response before appointment, consider whether that communication style will suit you once contractual deadlines apply.
Step 5: Compare the written costs disclosure and scope
A written quote allows you to compare what each settlement agent will charge and which services are included.
Before appointing a WA settlement agent, you should receive a written quote setting out the amount charged for the agreed services. Ask the provider to explain:
• The professional service fee
• Search and enquiry charges
• Electronic conveyancing fees
• General office disbursements
• Third-party and statutory costs shown separately or estimated
• Work that falls outside the quoted scope
• Outline your personal Circumstances to ascertain if any additional charge may apply
Step 6: Ask about relationships and potential conflicts
Asking about business relationships and potential conflicts helps you make an informed and independent appointment.
A settlement agent must disclose certain conflicts, interests and related relationships and obtain the client’s written agreement where required. They must also follow specific disclosure and consent requirements if they propose to act for more than one party to the transaction.
Ask whether the settlement agent or their business has any relevant relationship with the real estate agency, developer, finance provider or another party involved in the transaction.
What questions should you ask before appointing a settlement agent?
Before appointing or hiring a settlement agent, ask questions that clarify their authority, experience, fees, communication process and responsibility for your file.
Use the following checklist when comparing providers:
• Do you hold a current WA settlement agent licence and triennial certificate?
• Can I verify your details on the Consumer Protection licence register?
• How much experience do you have with my type of property or transaction?
• Who will manage my file and who will cover it if that person is unavailable?
• How and when will you update me?
• What is included in the written costs disclosure?
• Which third-party or statutory costs are separate from your service amount?
• What work is outside scope and when could additional charges apply?
• Do you or your business have a relationship with another party involved in the transaction?
• Will you or anyone in your business also act for another party?
• When should I appoint you and what documents do you need from me?
How do settlement agent fees work in WA?
Settlement agent fees in WA should be disclosed in writing before you sign the appointment to act.
The disclosed service amount should identify the charges imposed by the settlement agent for the agreed services. Statutory and third-party costs imposed directly on the client, such as transfer duty or some Landgate, banking and registration charges, may be shown separately or estimated.
Fixed fees compared with variable fees
A fixed professional fee can make a standard transaction easier to budget for, while a variable or tailored fee may reflect the complexity and scope of a less common transaction.
Do not compare the headline professional fee alone. Compare the total disclosed service, what is included, which costs are separate and what could trigger additional work.
A settlement agent generally cannot charge more than the disclosed amount for the agreed services unless an applicable exception is satisfied. For unforeseen additional work, this can include explaining the extra work in writing, obtaining the client’s agreement to continue and charging an amount that is reasonable for the additional scope.
Should you use a settlement agent recommended by your real estate agent?
You can consider a settlement agent recommended by your real estate agent, but you should make your own comparison rather than appointing them solely because of the referral.
WA consumers have the right to choose their own settlement agent or lawyer. A recommendation may be based on previous professional experience, but it does not tell you whether the provider is the best fit for your transaction, communication preferences or budget.
Before accepting a recommendation, independently verify the settlement agent’s licence, experience, costs and service model. You should also ask whether any financial, business or other relevant relationship exists between the settlement agent and the referring agency or another party.
A referral is not automatically a conflict of interest. However, where a conflict, potential conflict or relevant interest exists, the settlement agent must provide the required disclosure notice and obtain written agreement before acting or continuing to act. This is why independent comparison and transparent disclosure matter.
What are the warning signs of a poor settlement agent?
Warning signs of a poor settlement agent include unclear licensing information, vague fees, slow communication and limited experience with your transaction type.
Be cautious if a provider:
• Will not provide licence details that you can verify
• Cannot explain the written costs disclosure or what is outside scope
• Promises a low fee without identifying disbursements and separate costs
• Is difficult to contact or provides unclear answers before appointment
• Cannot explain who will manage the file or provide backup support
• Has little experience with your type of property or transaction
• Does not address questions about conflicts, relationships or acting for another party
What is the final checklist for choosing a settlement agent?
The final checklist for choosing a settlement agent should confirm that the provider is properly licensed, experienced, transparent and easy to communicate with.
• Licence verified through Consumer Protection
• Relevant experience with your property and transaction type
• Clear explanation of who will manage the file
• Suitable communication methods and update frequency
• Written costs disclosure received and understood
• Separate costs and potential additional work explained
• Relevant relationships and conflicts discussed
• Appointment scope and timing confirmed
The lowest quote is not always the best value. Choose the provider who gives you confidence that your settlement will be managed carefully, transparently and in accordance with WA requirements.
Need a settlement agent in Perth or across WA?
Vicki Philipoff Settlements is Perth’s leading settlement agency, and we’ve been assisting buyers, sellers and property owners with residential, commercial, family-related transfers, rural, farming, purple title, first home buyers, SMSF settlements right across Western Australia.
Contact our team to chat about your property, transaction requirements and expected settlement process or apply for an instant settlement quote today.
This article provides general information only and should not be relied on as legal, tax or financial advice. The services required will depend on the transaction and the circumstances of the parties. Seek advice from an appropriately qualified professional where required.
