Debunking the complexities of caveats This is the third part of the SettleIT education series supporting practitioners to navigate the e-settlements and e-conveyancing landscape.  See part one and part two. This article does not constitute legal advice. It is for general information purposes only.    Caveats continue to be a complex topic in the conveyancing world, and while they are not always a necessity, failure to lodge a caveat can result in the loss of finances.   SettleIT licensed conveyancer, David Johansson, breaks down each caveat type, when they can be used and what is required.  What is a caveat? A ‘caveat’ in Latin means ‘beware’, and in terms of an Australian property, a caveat on Title serves as a warning that someone, other than the current registered proprietor, is making a claim or has an ongoing interest against the property affected. There are several reasons why a caveat is lodged against a property including court orders, contracts, mortgages and bad debts.   For lawyers and conveyancers processing NSW property matters, to enable a caveat to pass scrutiny and be successfully lodged at the Land Registry Services (LRS) New South Wales, the person lodging the caveat needs to be able to prove that they have, what is termed as, a caveatable interest. A caveat may be lodged by any person, including the Registered Proprietor, who claims an estate or interest in Torrens Title Land.  Caveats are generally used in conveyancing transactions to protect a person’s interest in a particular property. There are three new “specialised templates” for lodging standard forms of caveat including: