Planning ahead for Christmas settlements

As we head toward the end of the year, it is worth reminding clients that the Christmas and New Year period can slow down the settlement process.

Many parts of the industry operate with reduced staff from mid-December through early January, which means normal turnaround times can stretch out.

We would like to inform you in advance that our Office and Administration will be closed during the upcoming Christmas/New Year period.

Closure: 4pm Friday, 19th December 2025
Reopening: 9:00am Tuesday, 6th January 2026

While our administration team is unavailable during this period, please note that our sales representatives remain accessible as usual for urgent matters. If you are unsure of their contact details, you can find them at www.pmmetro.com.au under the "Meet the Team" section.

Why are delays more likely?

Many parts of the settlement process run on limited staff from mid-December. Simple tasks like meter readings, rate confirmations, payout figures, and document preparation can take longer because the teams that handle them are either closed or operating on reduced hours.

Are any early warnings already in place?

Yes. Water Corporation has advised that it expects very limited staff over the break and has recommended aiming to settle on or before Friday 19 December 2025, or from 8 January 2026 onwards. They have cautioned that bookings made inside that window may not be supported within normal processing times.

Lenders are also signalling tighter cut-offs. One major bank is requiring new applications, loan documents and disbursement requests to be lodged earlier than usual to meet pre-Christmas dates. Similar arrangements are expected across the finance sector as banks move to skeleton staff.

What normally causes problems?

Several patterns repeat each year:

- Buyers or sellers travel and are slow to return signed documents.

- Employers shut down before issuing updated payslips needed for finance.

- Required meter readings cannot be booked until early January.

- Final inspections uncover repairs that cannot be completed until trades return.

Each of these can push a December settlement into January, even when the contract is otherwise straightforward.

What should I tell my clients?

If settlement is not time-critical, it may be wise to avoid dates between the week before Christmas and the first week of January.

When a pre-Christmas settlement is important, clients should be encouraged to finalise finance early, return documents promptly and allow extra time for checks and confirmations.

Settlements can still proceed in December, but the chance of delay is higher. Setting expectations now can help clients avoid last-minute stress during the busiest period of the year.

Source - “https://members.reiwa.com.au/s/cms-reiwanewsexpanded/planning-ahead-for-christmas-settlements-MCEM6YMLCCANBTVEANNYKCI2TH4U” "reiwa.com.au