The lack of transparency surrounding collateral charge mortgages at one big bank has sparked furious debate among mortgage brokers.
The lack of transparency surrounding collateral charge mortgages at one big bank has sparked furious debate among mortgage brokers.
CBC’s Marketplace went undercover last week to TD Bank to see how transparent it was about collateral mortgages and the fine print associated with them; and, according to the segment, TD earned failing grades. The segment has, unsurprisingly, incited interest among mortgage brokers.
Many are calling for lenders to better explain the potential pitfalls of signing up for a collateral charge mortgage – something TD was charged with failing to do during the segment.
“An even bigger issue is a collateral mortgage combines the unsecured debt, debt that is unrelated to the mortgage, with the mortgage,” Lior, a MortgageBrokerNews.ca reader wrote. “If a mortgagor defaults on their unsecured debt, for whatever reason, the bank can exercise power of sale on the home.”
And while many brokers have pointed out the potential positives of signing up for a collateral charge, the lack of disclosure is still an issue.
“The story of collateral mortgages should be summed up as a potential advantage to consumers combined with a definitive advantage to the lender; nothing wrong with collateral mortgages if they are presented with honesty, transparency and full disclosure,” Ron Butler of Butler Mortgage wrote on MortgageBrokerNews.ca. “There is a consumer advantage to doing additional property lending without legal fees and there is a profound disadvantage to the consumer by reducing the ease of transferring a mortgage at maturity. In TD's case they do not offer any product other than a collateral mortgage so it is all the more important the client be properly informed and warned.”
CBC’s Marketplace went undercover last week to TD Bank to see how transparent it was about collateral mortgages and the fine print associated with them; and, according to the segment, TD earned failing grades. The segment has, unsurprisingly, incited interest among mortgage brokers.
Many are calling for lenders to better explain the potential pitfalls of signing up for a collateral charge mortgage – something TD was charged with failing to do during the segment.
“An even bigger issue is a collateral mortgage combines the unsecured debt, debt that is unrelated to the mortgage, with the mortgage,” Lior, a MortgageBrokerNews.ca reader wrote. “If a mortgagor defaults on their unsecured debt, for whatever reason, the bank can exercise power of sale on the home.”
And while many brokers have pointed out the potential positives of signing up for a collateral charge, the lack of disclosure is still an issue.
“The story of collateral mortgages should be summed up as a potential advantage to consumers combined with a definitive advantage to the lender; nothing wrong with collateral mortgages if they are presented with honesty, transparency and full disclosure,” Ron Butler of Butler Mortgage wrote on MortgageBrokerNews.ca. “There is a consumer advantage to doing additional property lending without legal fees and there is a profound disadvantage to the consumer by reducing the ease of transferring a mortgage at maturity. In TD's case they do not offer any product other than a collateral mortgage so it is all the more important the client be properly informed and warned.”
