Nationwide makes major change to mortgage deeds in ‘significant step’ for market (Image: Getty)
Nationwide Building Society will now allow mortgage deeds to be signed digitally without the need for a witness, in a major industry first. The change means that anyone purchasing a property or looking to remortgage with Nationwide will now be able to sign their mortgage deed electronically, if their solicitor or conveyancer is set up to use Qualified Electronic Signature (QES).
The move, made possible through collaboration with HM Land Registry, Your Conveyancer and Veyco, forms part of the building society’s efforts to « digitalise » and « speed up » the homebuying process. Henry Jordan, Nationwide’s group director of mortgages, said: “Nationwide is committed to speeding up the homebuying process and reducing the stress and inconvenience that can come with buying a home. Technology and collaboration are key to driving convenience, and that is why we’re delighted to have worked with HM Land Registry, Your Conveyancer and Veyco to become the first mortgage lender to allow electronic signatures on mortgage deeds.”
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The move aims to speed up the homebuying process and marks an industry first. (Image: Getty)
A mortgage deed is a legal document tying a person’s mortgage to their property. It has traditionally required a physical signature on paper.
However, Nationwide will now allow QES – a secure type of electronic signature that has been identity-verified – to be used following HM Land Registry’s decision in August 2025 to begin accepting them as part of the mortgage application process.
According to the mutual, a QES offers better protection for consumers. It proves who signed the deed, better protects against tampering and has the equivalent legal standing of a handwritten, witnessed signature. It also means that contract exchange can happen faster.
Andy Roddy, deputy director of digital services at HM Land Registry, said: “Congratulations to Nationwide on becoming the first lender to enable mortgage deeds to be signed digitally using Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES).
« This is a significant step forward for the UK property market, setting a new standard for secure and convenient transactions. The adoption of QES marks a positive shift towards a more efficient, digital future for property professionals and consumers alike. »
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Martin Bourke, managing director at Your Conveyancer, said: « The innovation removes one of the last remaining paper-based steps in the transaction, helping clients and customers complete their remortgage or purchase transaction utilising a fully digital journey. »
Commenting on the change, Nicholas Mendes, mortgage technical manager at John Charcol, said: « This is a genuinely significant step for the mortgage market. The mortgage deed has been one of the last stubbornly paper-based parts of the process, so allowing it to be signed digitally removes real friction rather than just polishing the edges.
« For borrowers, it should mean fewer delays at a critical point and less reliance on printing, posting, and witnessing documents at short notice. It also adds more certainty at exchange, with fewer moving parts at a point where transactions are most vulnerable to delay.
« For lenders and conveyancers, removing the need to physically handle and return deeds should cut out last-minute holdups that often sit outside the buyer’s control. Crucially, this is not just about speed. The identity checks and audit trail behind Qualified Electronic Signatures strengthens protection around one of the most important documents in the process. »
He added: « The key now is adoption. Nationwide moving first matters, but the real benefit will come as more firms follow and this becomes the default, not the exception. »
