LINZ News
LINZ is improving its website
Later this year LINZ will be introducing an improved structure and revamped content for www.linz.govt.nz to make it easier to find and search for information.
Traffic on the site has grown steadily since its launch in 2002 and it is now widely used by a range of New Zealanders, including many surveyors, lawyers and other land professionals as well as the general public.
Work on the planned improvements has begun behind the scenes but the changes won't appear until the revised site's launch later in the year. More details will be published in Landwrap. In the meantime feedback and suggestions are welcome.
Landonline
Previously we advised that Release 3.0 was aiming for implementation on 14 April. As with any system-related change, implementation is always subject to the completion of successful testing. To enable LINZ to complete this testing and ensure a robust release, Release 3.0 has now been scheduled for 28 April 2008.
This means that Landonline and Customer Support will be unavailable on Friday 25 April (being ANZAC Day) and Saturday 26 April to implement the Release.
However, as a result of this date change, Landonline and Customer Support will resume normal operating hours on Saturday 12 April.
Release 3.0 e-dealing presentations and workshops will continue as planned from 31 March. For more information about the Release, refer to articles Countdown to Release 3.0 and Release 3.0 presentations are coming your way... in this issue of Landwrap.
Countdown to Release 3.0
The latest Landonline system update is now scheduled for 28 April 2008 (refer to article Release 3.0 - now scheduled for 28 April in this issue of Landwrap).
"Release 3.0 is the first of two major releases scheduled this year to deliver the functionality to enable 100% e-lodgement of title transactions," says Gavin Eiloart, Programme Manager, 100% e-lodgement. "These releases are also the main way LINZ delivers system maintenance and enhancements."
Release 3.0 will provide conveyancers with the functionality to complete all Discharges, Transfers and Mortgages by e-dealing. It will also include some changes that will improve existing system processes within e-survey.
More information about the Release is available for conveyancers on this website.
Reminders for conveyancers...
Screen resolutions
It's important that your screen resolution is set to the recommended setting of 1024 x 768 as all the space available on the screen is now being used to accommodate the increased e-dealing functionality. If your screen resolution is set to something other than this, you may not be able to see the entire screen. To avoid this inconvenience, refer to How to change your screen display settings in the System Support section of this website.
Release 3.0 presentations and workshops
To find out more about Release 3.0 presentations and workshops, see Release 3.0 presentations are coming your way... in this issue of Landwrap.
A reminder for all Landonline users...
Passwords
Release 3.0 will also enforce password requirements. This will help to ensure the ongoing security of Landonline.
The first time you reset your password after Release 3.0, you will need to use a combination of lower and uppercase letters and numbers, and ensure your password is between eight (8) to twenty (20) characters in length.
For further information about passwords, refer to January 2008 Landwrap article Changes to Landonline passwords coming.
Still No. 1 priority - Landonline performance and stability
Over the past three months, we have continued our planned programme of infrastructure changes to enhance the performance and stability of Landonline.
Our focus remains on getting greater resiliency and performance gains from hardware components by reducing the risk of 'single points of failure'. This is achieved by duplicating key areas of the Landonline infrastructure that will automatically switch over when needed. This process ensures we provide 'high availability' of the Landonline system.
We have:
- added another three servers into our citrix farm increasing the total to 28 servers
- upgraded the Public Key Infrastructure, which is used to issue Digital Certificates for Landonline customers and provides a level of security for Landonline
- added another server to undertake batch processing, and
- duplicated key network components in preparation for the move to a 'high availability' environment.
Activities planned for the next two to three months include:
- replacement of the transaction server - this will also future proof for predicted increases in processing volumes
- splitting batch processes over two servers - one dedicated to Plan Generation batch processing, the other undertaking the remaining batch processes including Request Product Lists
- upgrading the web servers that deliver images from the image database when requested, and
- the move to the 'high availability' network operating environment, previously installed.
While some of these activities are technical and may not translate into changes that are visible to customers, they demonstrate the range and depth of work that is being undertaken to improve Landonline's performance, stability and 'high availability' now and in the future.
We will provide a further update in June 2008.
Downsize your messages in Landonline
When was the last time you spring cleaned your 'My Messages' space?
Did you know that the number of messages in your 'My Messages' folder directly impacts on how fast you can retrieve and open messages?
Here are some helpful hints to downsize your messages:
To remove all messages
If you want to remove all messages in your 'My Messages' space, highlight the first message, then hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click on the very last message. This should highlight all messages; click the Delete button to remove these.To remove a block of messages
You can highlight a block of messages to delete by clicking on the messages you want to delete while holding the Shift key down; click Delete to remove.To remove selective messages within a range
You can choose selective messages to delete by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on the specific messages you want to remove; click Delete to remove.
As with all electronic housekeeping, it's good practice to do this on a routine basis.
Need help? Call us!
If you need help to resolve a system issue, please ring our Customer Support team on 0800 ONLINE (0800 665 463) as close to the time the event occurred as possible.
To speed up resolution, it helps if you can provide us with as much information as possible. For example:
- when the problem occurred
- what you were not able to do satisfactorily
- the transaction ID or Landonline number
- whether this has happened before
- how long you have been experiencing this for
- any error messages
- a screenshot showing the error message, or, if not
- the exact error message (including code and subcode)
- the module number (see the title bar).
Disconnection or speed problems?
Two previous articles in Landwrap covered what to do if your Landonine session seems slow and the possible reasons for a disconnection from Landonline:
The System Support section of this website connects to Landonline FAQs, which may also assist.
Regulatory
Land Transfer Amendment Regulations 2008
Release 3.0 will allow for more complex transactions involving Discharge, Transfer and Mortgage instruments to be prepared in Landonline using e-dealing. Outlined below are the necessary changes to the Land Transfer Regulations 2002 to support these.
The Land Transfer Regulations 2002 support electronic lodgement by setting out the instruments that may be lodged as an e-dealing (in regulation 4 and parts 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 1) and specifying the parties in respect of whom certification is required and the form and legal effect of certifications (in regulations 11, 12 and 13). These Regulations were described in Torrenstalk September 2002 Issue 22 (pdf 180KB).
These amendment regulations, which come into force on 31 March 2008, amend the Land Transfer Regulations 2002 to support expansion of the range of transactions and information that may be lodged for registration electronically using electronic Transfer, Mortgage and Discharge instruments through Landonline e-dealing. The amendment regulations also omit a fee item from the schedule of fees payable for matters under the Land Transfer Act 1952.
- Expansion of e-lodgement
The amendment regulations allow more complex transactions to be lodged electronically, by revoking the limits on the numbers of Transfer and Mortgage instruments in a permissible transaction and by amending the necessary elements for Discharge, Transfer and Mortgage instruments.
Amendment regulation 4
Revokes regulation 4(2)(a), which required an electronic instrument to be presented for registration as part of a permissible transaction in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 1 (which limited the number of transfer instruments and mortgage instrauments in a permissible transaction to one of each and is itself revoked by amendment regulation 7(1)).
Revokes regulation 4(2)(a), which required an electronic instrument to be presented for registration as part of a permissible transaction in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 1 (which limited the number of transfer instruments and mortgage instruments in a permissible transaction to 1 of each and is itself revoked by amendment regulation 7(1)).
Amendment regulation 5
Amends the table in regulation 11 by removing "registered proprietor" as a specified party in respect of whom a certification under section 164A of the Act must be given for transfer instruments and substituting "transferor". This allows for transfers in which the transferor may be someone other than the registered proprietor, such as a local authority acting under the provisions of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.
Amendment regulation 6
Revokes regulation 12 Form of certifications and substitutes a new regulation 12, which repeats the existing certifications but adds one additional certification to be given in the case of transfers and mortgages of Crown leases or licences that consent has been obtained or notice has been given to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, or consent or notice is not required under the Land Act 1948.
Amendment regulation 7
- Revokes Part 1 of Schedule 1 (which limited the number of transfer instruments and mortgage instruments in a permissible transaction).
- Amends item (h) "cancellation of bond" of "Discharge instrument" in Part 2 of Schedule 1 so that it refers to section 304 and 348 Local Government Act 1974 and section 109(2) Resource Management Act 1991.
- Amends Schedule 1 by revoking Part 3 and substituting a new Part 3 setting out, for the purposes of regulation 4(2)(c), necessary elements for electronic Discharge, Transfer and Mortgage instruments. These replacement elements support the expansion of electronic lodgement to allow:
- Transactions affecting the whole of or part of the land in one or more computer registers or one or more registered instruments
- Transactions involving individual joint tenants or tenants in common without involving fellow co-owners
- Transfers and Mortgages to transferees and mortgagees in combinations of joint tenancy and tenancy in common
- Transfer instruments that include covenants to which section 307 Property Law Act 2007 applies
- Instruments that include additional information, and
- Transfers by registered proprietors or by local authorities acting under the provsions of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.
- Other amendments to the Land Transfer Regulations 2002
Amendment regulation 7(3)
Amends item (p) "discharge of Earthquake Commission notice" of "Discharge instrument" in Part 2 of Schedule 1 so that it refers to Regulation 6A of the Earthquake and War Damage Regulations 1984.
Amendment regulation 8
Amends item 2(f) in Schedule 5 so that the fee of $3 is no longer prescribed for providing an instrument structured text view to searchers online.
- Statutory specifications in NZ Gazette
Acceptable forms and statutory provisions to be complied with for the expanded range of permissible electronic instruments will be specified by notice in the Gazette. This notice will replace the corresponding specifications in the Gazette dated 20 September 2007 Issue No 102 page 2755, with effect from 31 March 2008.
Forms of electronic instruments
The notice will specify acceptable forms for electronic transfer instruments, mortgage instruments and discharge instruments, for the purposes of section 26 of the Land Transfer (Computer Registers and Electronic lodgement) Amendment Act 2002.
Statutory requirements
The notice will specify the statutory requirements to be complied with for each class of instrument, for the purposes of regulation 12 of the Land Transfer Regulations 2002.
