(A) E-Memorial Form for lodgement

The Land Registry has developed an e-Memorial Form, which is an alternative to the conventional paper form. The new service simplifies work and reduces costs for law firms and government departments when preparing Memorials for lodgement. The e-Memorial Form was launched on 26 November 2007. It is gaining popularity. The usage rate rose from 0.5% in the first month to 23% of all Memorials lodged in June 2008. Over 50% of solicitors firms that have accounts with us now use the e-Memorial Form in registration.


(B) Standard Terms Document

With positive feedback from stakeholders, the Land Registry is considering a new service to allow depositing of documents containing standard terms for use in legal charges and mortgage deeds. This could simplify bank’s documentation and operations; save paper and simplify scanning and storage of documents by the Land Registry.

We are liaising closely with the Hong Kong Association of Banks and Law Society of Hong Kong on the plan. The Hong Kong Association of Banks will invite their members’ views on the operation of the Standard Terms Documents in the banking sector. Legislative amendments to the Land Registration Ordinance and its Regulations are now being prepared to allow for reference to Standard Terms Documents that have been deposited with the Land Registry. We plan to introduce such changes by way of related amendments in the Land Titles (Amendment) Bill.


(C) Inter-Departmental Projects

The Land Registry is assisting the Rating and Valuation Department to develop a Property Information System.

The two departments have been collaborating with each other to align their address records with a view to streamlining the information flow in the property market. About 1.8 million records would be aligned.

The Land Registry has developed a system through which it will be able to collect stamp-duty on behalf of the Inland Revenue Department. This may help speed up registration processes by allowing stamp duty to be paid in one transaction together with lodgement of instruments at the Land Registry. The Schedule to the Trading Funds Ordinance, which governs the services that the Land Registry can provide, needs to be amended to allow the new service to be delivered. We anticipate that this can be done within 2009.


(D) Exploring Contracting-out Services

Faced with rising business demands and the workload involved in conversion from deeds to title registration we have begun to explore outsourcing of non-core activities so as to make best use of experienced staff in dealing with registration and conversion work. The business case and key requirements for successful outsourcing of non-core services are being examined in order to determine whether there are significant advantages to be gained that would make outsourcing sensible during the period of transition to title registration.