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Land Registry News

LR News No. 26

A Message from the Land Registrar

Before change happens it is natural to give free rein to imagination of undesirable effects. When it happens we get on with our lives, taking advantage of the benefits and forgetting prior worries.

A nice illustration of these human tendencies comes from 1898 at the time of the lease of the New Territories. Before it happened, the gentry leaders of the New Territories made the following declaration: "Under English Law a poll tax will be collected; houses will be numbered and a charge made therefore; fishing and woodcutting will be prohibited; women and girls will be outraged; births and deaths will be registered; cattle and pigs will be destroyed; police stations will be built, which will ruin the fung shui. In short, that the evils that will arise will be so great that no one can bear to think of them." After it happened, Bruce Shepherd, Deputy Land Officer responsible for registration of land in what was then called New Kowloon noted "...in one case the registered owner died within a few weeks after the registration.... The next of kin, on understanding that such was the law, applied to the Supreme Court in its probate jurisdiction for letters of administration, and paid the duty without any demur or question, although wills, probates and letters of administration of intestate estates are terms unknown in China outside of Hong Kong."

As preparation for the change to title registration continues, worry about what the change may bring remains. The thoroughness of the preparations that are being made will, I hope, help to address this. But in the end it will be the efficient introduction and operation of the new system that will finally allay the concerns. I am pleased that the timetable for bringing the remaining legislation to consideration by the Legislative Council has been published. There is still much to be done to prepare for this submission at the end of 2008, but I have full confidence that the enthusiastic team in the Land Registry, with the advice and support of the Law Society's working party and the representatives of the Bar Association, Estate Agents Authority, Association of Banks, Mortgage Corporation, Consumer Council and Heung Yee Kuk will carry the work through to the lasting benefit of Hong Kong.

KA Salkeld's signature

K A SALKELD, J.P.

The Land Registrar & General Manager
The Land Registry Trading Fund, Hong Kong

 

Update: IRIS

Since the beginning of 2007, the Land Registry has been working on a new round of enhancements to the Integrated Registration Information System (IRIS) for improving the functions and services of the system. The first batch of the enhancements has been completed at end January, which are mainly for improving the internal functions of IRIS. The other enhancements, including some with direct benefits to customers in their use of the IRIS services, will progressively be implemented throughout the year.

Meanwhile, the Land Registry has drawn up a further list of enhancement items which, when implemented, will bring more improvements to IRIS and ultimately to services to our customers. We have requested our contractor to conduct impact analysis on these items. Upon completion of the analysis by the contract, we will map out our plan to take forward these further enhancements.

 

Update: Land Titles Ordinance

Comments on the second working draft of the Land Titles (Amendment) Bill from major stakeholders have been received. The Land Registry has completed deliberations of the comments and has provided responses to the stakeholders for their consideration. The stakeholders' comments and Land Registry's responses will be copied to members of the Steering Committee and the Review Committee for their information.

On the invitation of the Heung Yee Kuk, a meeting was held with representatives of the Heung Yee Kuk on the second working draft of the Land Titles (Amendment) Bill on 26 March 2007. Views were exchanged and written comments from the Heung Yee Kuk would follow.

Preparatory work for the Land Titles (Amendment) Bill (including the Court Rules and consequential amendments to the Land Registration Ordinance) is under way.

The target date for submission of the amendment bill to the Legislative Council is the first half of 2007.

 

Job Shadowing Day


In support of nurturing our younger generation, the Land Registry has partnered with Junior Achievement Hong Kong to organize one-day Job Shadowing programme for students. By joining the programme, the Land Registry holds the mission to help develop youth, to enable them to take an up-close look at the world of work, to learn from the experienced workplace mentors, to discover their potentials and to develop their career aspirations.

The Land Registrar delivered the opening remark

Mentors briefed the students on the work nature and requirement before assigning simple tasks

The Job Shadow Day was conducted on 18 January 2007 for 20 Sixth Form students from St. Antonius Girls' College. A mentor was assigned to every two students to guide them through the work in a normal working day. The day commenced with an opening remark by the Land Registrar. Through the one-day programme, students were able to build up their confidence through completing simple tasks assigned to them by the mentors. Both mentors and students benefited from the programme and enjoyed the event.

 

 

Meet the Clients Session


Briefing to our clients on "Common reasons for Withholding Instruments"

There are a number of reasons for the Land Registry withholding registration of an instrument presented to us. In most cases a simple, avoidable error has occurred. These errors cause more work for the lodging party and for the Registry. They can lead to additional costs and, if the instrument is not corrected or withdrawn, can cause complications for future dealings in a property. To help parties responsible for preparing instruments to avoid or correct simple and avoidable errors before lodgement and to provide a platform for experience sharing, the Land Registry has organized an experience sharing session on "Common Reasons for Withholding Instruments from Registration".


The event took place on 26 March 2007. Participants included representatives of 9 solicitors firms and our officers from operation and legal divisions. Some Land Registry Circular Memoranda (LRCM) on registration guidelines including LRCM No.5/05 on the common reasons for withholding instruments from registration were discussed. There were also an introduction to the use of the Memorial Form Easy Guide on our website and a fruitful discussion forum in the session.

Tour of the Customer Centre on 19/F., Queensway Government Offices

 

Best Frontline Staff Award

Service is at the core of the Land Registry's mission. To foster the culture of good customer service, the Land Registry launched its Best Frontline Staff Award in April 2007. The objective of the award is to recognize quality performance and achievements of staff in customer service and to motivate staff for continuous improvement of services to the public.

Individual staff and team receiving the highest number of written/verbal commendations from our customers each quarter will be awarded. The name of the winning staff and team would be posted at the Customer Centre and New Territories Search Offices. Announcement will also be made in the Land Registry's homepage (www.landreg.gov.hk), Land Registry News and Annual Report. To thank customers for their feedback, the writer of the commendation for the winning staff/team would also be notified of the result.

 

 

Transfer of LR Enquiry Hotline to 1823

Before 30 April 2007, customers can call our interactive Customer Service Hotline (Tel.: 3105 0000) to obtain a wide range of information about the Land Registry by listening to the recorded messages or obtaining our information leaflets and forms by fax. Callers may also choose to speak to a live operator during office hours.
To enhance our hotline service, we have collaborated with the Efficiency Unit to provide manned operator service after office hours. All calls received between 5 pm and 00:30 am next day for Monday to Friday and between 8:30 am and 00:30 am next day for Saturday, Sunday and public holidays would be transferred to 1823 Citizen's Easy Link. Soft launch of the enhanced service took effect on 30 April 2007 with the official launch targeted for 1 July 2007.

 

Small Scale Customer Service Survey

The Land Registry has made various service improvements following the comprehensive customer service survey in 2006. To ensure we can deliver quality service to meet our customers' expectations, we have conducted a small-scale customer service survey in May 2007.

The survey was conducted in the form of questionnaire to all categories of customers including IRIS Online Services subscribers, government departments, solicitors' firms and customers using our services at the Customer Centre/New Territories Search Offices. The feedback received will be used for making continuous service improvement.

 

 

Voice Recording System for the Help Desk Services

To ensure quality in the help desk services to our customers, the Land Registry has implemented a voice recording system over the help desk telephone lines. Telephone conversations between Land Registry staff and callers are recorded and monitored such that areas of improvement, if any, can be identified and addressed accordingly. The voice recording system is acquired through an open tendering exercise. The system provides comprehensive recording, search, playback and system management functions so as to enable the Land Registry to effectively monitor the performance of the help desk services.


 

Promotion of IRIS Online Services


The Land Registry Booth

The Land Registry participated in the ITU Telecom World 2006, held here in Hong Kong in December, to promote the IRIS Online Services to visitors to the event. ITU Telecom World is a major international trade show on information and communication technologies organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Over 60,000 visitors from all over the world attended the ITU Telecom World 2006.

 

Delivery of Memorial Day Book (MDB) and Monthly Memorial Information on Mortgage (MMIM) Data Files by E-mail

To continue improvement in our service, the Land Registry delivers the MDB and MMIM data files to all our subscribers by e-mail instead of 3.5" floppy diskettes with effect from 1 April 2007. The format of the data file remains unchanged. This arrangement expedites delivery of the data, as they will be transmitted on-line to the subscribers. These data have been previously dispatched by courier service.

 

Closure of North and Sai Kung District Search Offices and Relocation of Owners' Corporation Services to Shatin District Search Office

Over the past two years, a growing number of customers have been switching to use the internet services. The number of customers using counter services, particularly in the New Territories, has reduced substantially. This very low use has led us to review the cost-effectiveness of keeping the New Territories offices. After review, we have decided to reorganize our counter services and to close our North and Sai Kung District Search Offices with effect from 16 April 2007.

After closure, the owners' corporation services previously provided at the North and Sai Kung District Search Offices have been taken up by the Shatin District Search Office at 9/F., Shatin Government Offices, 1 Sheung Wo Che Road, Shatin.

Counter search services would continue to be provided at our Central Search Office in Queensway Government Offices and the District Search Offices at Shatin, Tai Po, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan. Customers can also conduct internet online searches at www.iris.gov.hk.

 

 

Award of New Contract for Imaging Service

As one of the steps in the processing of documents lodged for registration, the Land Registry scans the documents including plans into electronic images and makes the electronic images available for search on the Integrated Registration Information System (IRIS). However, taking into account operational efficiency and cost effectiveness, the Land Registry engages an outside contractor to provide the scanning and printing services for documents and plans larger than A3 size.

In February 2007, a new service contract was awarded to an outside contractor replacing the previous contract which ended in the same month. The new service was acquired through an open tendering exercise.

 

Award of "Caring Organization Logo"


Award of "Caring Organization Logo"

The Land Registry has been awarded the Caring Organization Logo for 2006/07.

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service launched the Caring Company Scheme in 2002 to build a caring community spirit through cultivating corporate citizenship and strategic partnership among the business, public and social service sectors. The Caring Organization Logo Award was added in 2005 to recognize the extra effort and contribution made by government departments, associations and professional bodies to the disadvantaged groups.

The Land Registry is committed to promote corporate social responsibility. We participated in the Scheme in 2006. With the full support of staff, the Land Registry was awarded the Caring Organization Logo in February 2007 in recognition of its achievement in the areas of volunteering, family friendly, employing vulnerable and giving. The Land Registry will continue efforts in promoting a caring community spirit in the department.

Caring Organisation logo

 

Implementation of Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance in Land Registry


No Smoking

The Smoking (Public Health) Amendment Ordinance 2006 was gazetted in October 2006. Starting from 1 January 2007, smoking has been prohibited in all indoor workplaces.

For the Land Registry, this means that our offices in Queensway Government Offices as well as the search offices in various districts are smoke-free. The areas include all indoor workplaces and common parts such as staircase, lift lobbies, corridors and toilets.


Posters and no-smoking labels have been put up in all designated no-smoking areas.

No Smoking

 

Implementation of Five-day Week

Five-day week in the government

Phase one of the five-day week initiative which applied to staff in the Land Registry Headquarter and back offices teams has commenced on 1 July 2006. Owing to the time needed for preparatory work such as legislative amendment and computer system enhancement, the Land Registry will move its public services on search of land records and owners of corporations, delivery of deeds, registration of land documents, information counter and helpdesk to the five-day week in the final phase on 1 July 2007.

Migration of these services to the five-day week will have minimal impact on service users as -

Search Service
Electronic services will continue to be provided on the internet seven days a week.
Customers may make use of the IRIS Online Services to conduct remote online land searches or obtain copies via the internet. Customers may also collect copies of land records by post.

Deeds Lodgement Service
The service hours for deeds lodgement have been extended by one hour per day from Monday to Friday with effect from 1 August 2006.
For convenience of parties who wish to deliver documents on Saturday mornings, a drop box will be available from 9 am to 12 noon. Deeds delivered through this will be treated as being lodged on the next working day.

Enquiry Service
Customers may make use of other alternative means in obtaining general information via the LR homepage or the Customer Service Hotline. Hotline services are also available through the 1823 Citizen's Easy Link enquiry hotline after office hours.

The new arrangements to take effect on 1 July 2007 are as follows:

 

COMMENTS

Land Registry News would like to hear from you. If there are any specific subjects you would like to read about or if you have any comments on what you have read so far, please write to us at the freepost address (local mail only) given below:

The Land Registry
Freepost No. 10
Hong Kong


For enquiries, please contact:

Mr. Kenneth POON
TEL: (852) 3105 0000
Customer Service Manager
FAX: (852) 2523 0065
e-mail: csa@landreg.gov.hk