Schedule and Special Service Arrangements for Maintenance and Upgrade of Integrated Registration Information System (IRIS) in 2009
Purpose
This circular gives notice of the schedule for system maintenance and upgrade of IRIS in 2009. It also explains the special arrangements of using the IRIS backup system to provide search services during such maintenance and upgrading work
Schedule of Maintenance and Upgrading Work in 2009
2. IRIS provides online search services for land records held by the Land Registry. Its services are available to subscribers and members of the public over the Internet 7 days a week and 16 hours a day (i.e. from 08:30 hr to 00:30 hr next day). From time to time, maintenance and upgrading work need to be applied to IRIS to sustain and/or improve services.
3. In 2009, we plan to carry out maintenance and upgrading work to IRIS on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays in accordance with the following schedule: :
(a) 11 and 12 April 2009 (Saturday and Sunday); (b) 2 and 3 May 2009 (Saturday and Sunday); (c) 25 and 26 October 2009 (Sunday and Monday); and (d) 26 and 27 December 2009 (Saturday and Sunday).
Search Services to Be Provided by Backup System
4. During the periods of the scheduled maintenance and upgrading work, the IRIS main system will need to be shut down. We will use the IRIS backup system to provide search services in its place. There will be no interruption of search services, i.e. subscribers and members of the public will be able to conduct search of land registers. However, there will be some service limitations during these periods (see paragraph 6 below) and special billing arrangements (see paragraphs 7 to 10 below).
5. All IRIS search services will revert back to the main system upon completion of the scheduled maintenance and upgrading work.
Limitations of Services Provided by Backup System
6. During the four occasions referred to in paragraph 3 above, only search of land registers will be provided by the backup system. Other IRIS services as listed below will NOT be available: --
(a) Order of imaged land documents; and (b) Support services to customers: - - Enquiry of orders made with the backup system; and - Re-fax, re-email and re-print of orders made with the backup system.
Billing Arrangements for Subscribers' Accounts
7. A separate demand letter accompanied by a supplementary statement will be issued to subscribers in the beginning of the following month for searches made with the backup system.
8. During the month in which the backup system is used to provide search services, the monthly statement of that month will NOT contain searches made with the backup system. The corresponding search fees will be settled by a separate autopay apart from the normal monthly autopay (the autopay-in due date is normally set on the 4th working day of each month). The autopay-in due date for the separate autopay will be announced later in the broadcast message on the IRIS website.
9. Subscribers will not be able to retrieve the transaction orders performed on the backup system once the main system is restored. The supplementary statement contains only order numbers and no order details (PRN number, search address, etc). The supplementary statement will not be available for download online. Subscribers are strongly advised to print out acknowledgment/enquire order status pages for future reference.
10. As an alternative, subscribers may choose to conduct search of the land registers over the Internet on an ad hoc basis when search services are provided by the backup system. Online payment of service fees by Visa, MasterCard or PPS will be accepted.
Customer Service Hotline
11. Our Customer Service Hotline will continue to provide service when the backup system is in use for the provision of search services. Customers are welcome to call us at 3105 0000 for enquiries and assistance.
Enquiries
12. For any enquiries on this circular, 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