Credit Couch Recap: Enhancing Broker Efficiency Through Smarter Credit Practices 

In our recent Credit Couch session, Vision mentees came together for a practical workshop focused on improving credit workflows and submission quality. With expert insights from Katie McNamara, BDM at Pepper, and Taylor Van der Velde, Senior Credit Manager, the session delivered actionable strategies to help brokers improve approval outcomes and reduce processing delays. 
 
Below is a summary of the key learnings designed to support brokers in optimising their day-to-day operations. 

The Importance of High-Quality VOI 

• Use digital VOI tools such as ID You for accuracy and convenience. 
• Avoid mixing VOI categories (e.g., combining Category 1 and 2 documents). 
• Ensure certification is broker-completed—not outsourced to a JP. 
• Improper VOI leads to issues at settlement, not just pre-approval. 

Broker Notes / Loan Summary: Your Strategic Advantage 

• Helps credit teams understand your deal quicker 
• Client purpose (e.g. refinance, debt consolidation, purchase). 
• Specifics on employment, income structure, and any anomalies. 
• Unique property or security information. 

Navigating the Credit Assessment Process 

• Submission & Pre-Credit Review: Document checks, credit searches, and packaging. 
• Credit Assessment: Conducted by both analysts and post-assessment teams. 
• Approval & Settlement: Managed in conjunction with panel solicitors (e.g. Galilee, FMS). 
• The BDM remains your key point of contact throughout the process. 
• Getting to know your BDM well is crucial for ongoing smooth workflows 

Handling Income Documentation with Precision 

• Check lender checklists…at the start of the process, and again in the lead up to lodgement to ensure documents are not out of date 
• Use two consecutive payslips to confirm consistency. 
• Annualise year-to-date income where appropriate—particularly for essential workers. 
• Provide secondary verification such as ATO income statements or bank credits. 

Policy Exceptions: When and How to Request Them 

• Pre-submission engagement with your BDM to assess feasibility.  Doing this after lodgement can lead to decline. 
• Check if the lender has an exception template. 

Managing ATO Debt and Small Business Restructure Scenarios 

• Clients undergoing an SBR (Small Business Restructure) with ongoing trading. 
• Tax debts being refinanced as part of the submission. 
• Defaults removed post-conditional approval using a Pepper approval as leverage. 

Tips for Reducing Conditional Approval Delays 

• Submit all conditions in a single communication to avoid SLA resets. 
• Address each condition clearly, referencing document names and responses. 
• Upload via your broker CRM or NextGen, not piecemeal via email. 

Avoiding Common Submission Pitfalls 

• Outdated payslips or other supporting information (check the checklist). 
• Missing or mismatched credit documentation. 
• Unclear or generic loan purposes. 
• Failure to check lender-specific documentation checklists prior to submission. 

In Summary 

• The Credit Couch session highlighted that consistency, clarity, and proactive engagement with credit teams are the cornerstones of successful loan submissions. Whether you’re navigating complex income, chasing exceptions, or refining your broker notes, the takeaway is simple: small changes in process lead to major gains in efficiency and approval outcomes. 
• For further support, reach out to Vision, your BDM or download our recommended Loan Summary template from the portal. 

How Vision can help brokers 

At Vision, we are industry leaders in understanding how brokers can optimize their deal workflows.  We have built all sorts of programs to help brokers 

CLICK HERE and fill out the form to discuss how we can help your brokerage to the next level.