Closure of Tuen Mun District Search Office and Relocation of Owners' Corporation Services to Tsuen Wan District Search Office
This circular announces the closure of our Tuen Mun District Search Office with effect from 5 May 2008 and the new arrangements for services after the closure.Background
2. In February 2005 the Land Registry was reorganized to create a Central Registration System, serving the entire territory of Hong Kong. The separate registries that used to exist in each New Territories district were closed. An internet service started, through which any member of the public, solicitors, estate agents and other professionals can obtain land registry records cheaply and quickly. To give the public time to get used to this new service, we maintained small offices in each New Territories district where members of the public could come to conduct searches in person. These offices also continued to provide a service for registration of owners' corporations.
3. After 18 months of operation with the new services we carried out a review of the use of all the New Territories District Search Offices ("NTSOs"). We found that the number of customers each day had been falling steadily. Use was particularly low for the North and Sai Kung District Search Offices and these were closed on 16 April 2007. Owners' corporation services were relocated from these two offices to Sha Tin District Search Office.
4. At the beginning of this year we carried out another review of the use of the remaining NTSOs. Demand for services at the Tuen Mun District Search Office has always been at a fairly low level and, despite the recent increase in property market activity, the number of customers using the office has been declining. The daily average number of customers is now down to 21, compared with 32 in February 2005. Requests for owner's corporation services have averaged less than two per day since April 2006.
5. In light of this very low and declining demand for services we have decided to close our Tuen Mun District Search Office with effect from 5 May 2008.
Rearrangement of services
6. After closure, the owners' corporation services previously provided at the Tuen Mun District Search Office will be taken up by the Tsuen Wan District Search Office at 11th Floor, Tsuen Wan Station Multi-storey Carpark Building, 174-208 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan.
7. Counter search services would continue to be provided at other search offices including the Tsuen Wan District Search Office and Yuen Long District Search Office at 7/F., Yuen Long Government Offices and Tai Kiu Market, 2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long. Customers can also conduct internet online searches at www.iris.gov.hk.
8. For the general public who, for one reason or another, cannot make personal visits to other search offices or use the internet, they can either conduct searches by making mail or fax requests to our Customer Service Manager or call our Customer Service Hotline at 3105 0000 for assistance.
Enquiries
9. For any enquiries on the closure and rearrangement of services, please contact our Customer Service Manager, Ms Allan CHAN (now changed to Miss Cherie CHOW), at 3105 0000 or e-mail to us at csa@landreg.gov.hk.
(Kim Salkeld)
Land Registrar