// Customer Information Bulletin

Customer Information Bulletin #173 – Dec 2017

On this page:

  • Christmas and new year closure
  • Transition period ends for use of ‘old style’ forms
  • Registrar’s requirements for paper conveyancing transactions
  • SPEAR Electronic Lodgment Network pilot update
  • Electronic service of court documents

Christmas and new year closure

Land Registry Services at 2 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne and 57 Cherry Lane, Lavertonwill close at 4.00 pm on 22 December 2017 and reopen at 8.30 am on Tuesday 2 January 2018.

Online services (LANDATA® and electronic lodgement through PEXA) will continue to be available during this period.

Customers with bulk lodgements or bulk payments will be offered access to the bulk baskets by Level 1 Security personnel.

Customer queries (telephone message or email) will be responded to when the office reopens on 2 January 2018.

Transition period ends for use of ‘old style’ forms

The transition period for accepting forms not containing certifications ends on 31 December 2017. All forms in paper signed on or after 1 January 2018 lodged for registration must be in the new form and non-compliant forms will not be accepted.

When a conveyancer or lawyer represents a party in the transaction, the form must:

  • be signed on behalf of the party by the conveyancer or lawyer
  • contain the certifications required by the Registrar’s requirements for paper conveyancing transactions.

When a PEXA Subscriber is signing the form, it must contain the relevant certifications.

Detailed information regarding the Registrar’s requirements for Client Authorisations and certifications is in Customer Information Bulletin 163.

Registrar’s requirements for paper conveyancing transactions

The Registrar of Titles has determined version 4 of the Registrar’s Requirements for Paper Conveyancing Transactions under section 106A of the Transfer of Land Act 1958.Version 4 of the Registrar’s Requirements comes into operation on 14 December 2017 and takes effect as set out in the Registrar’s Requirements.

The Registrar’s Requirements for Paper Conveyancing Transactions have been amended to incorporate updates:

  • reflecting more of the timelines for the transition to 100% digital lodgment
  • to include the new requirements for creating restrictive covenants in transfers and restrictions in plans
  • adding required definitions of terms

The Registrar’s Requirements for Paper Conveyancing Transactions – Version 4 has been published and is available at www.delwp.vic.gov.au/publications.

SPEAR Electronic Lodgment Network pilot update

The SPEAR Electronic Lodgment Network pilot program commenced in May 2017 following determination of Version 1 of the SPEAR Electronic Lodgment Network Participation Rules by the Registrar of Titles in April.

Eight organisations – including solicitors, conveyancers and government bodies – registered for the pilot and have begun processing applications in SPEAR for plans under the Subdivision Act 1988 – 34 have already been lodged.

System enhancements are planned in response to feedback from pilot participants. Land Use Victoria (LUV) plans to expand the SPEAR ELN by the end of 2018 to cater for electronic lodgment of survey-based applications under the Transfer of Land Act 1958.

The benefits to lodging parties using the SPEAR ELN include:

  • the ability to electronically complete, validate and lodge application forms
  • no need to attend LUV in person to lodge applications
  • improved access to application documents and details of Land Use Victoria requisitions
  • instant notification of new title allocations upon registration.

The pilot period will end on 31 December 2017. LUV will accept applications from all lodging parties to become a SPEAR ELN Subscriber from 2 January 2018. Information about registering will be published on the SPEAR website (www.spear.land.vic.gov.au) at that time.

Electronic service of court documents

From 1 January 2018, the Registrar of Titles will accept service of court documents emailed to lv.warrants@delwp.vic.gov.au.

The Warrants Officer will then reply by email acknowledging their receipt.

Any document required by a rule of court to be served upon the Registrar of Titles will be accepted by email. This is irrespective of any mode of service that a rule of court might require.

For example, if a rule of court requires an originating process to be served personally on the Registrar of Titles, the Registrar of Titles will accept it by email at the above address. For these purposes, a court is regarded as a court of competent jurisdiction and includes the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

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Disclaimer

The Customer Information Bulletins (CIB) Search Tool (“Tool”) is provided by SERV to assist users in locating Customer Information Bulletins (CIBs) issued by Land Use Victoria (https://www.land.vic.gov.au/land-registration). This Tool provides a list of available CIBs based on search terms entered by users, displaying results in order from newest to oldest.

By using this Tool, users agree to these terms and acknowledge that SERV makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the search results. Users accept responsibility for verifying the information obtained through the Tool against the original sources, including the official Customer Information Bulletins found here (https://www.land.vic.gov.au/land-registration) and any other requirements issued by the Registrar of Titles from time to time in accordance with the Transfer of Land Act 1958.