Landwrap October 2006
LINZ News
News
September figures for electronic lodgements
- A total of 682 law firms out of a possible 1,339 lodged an e-dealing in September. Seventy of those firms lodging were first time e-dealers.
- The e-dealing share of total e-dealing-capable lodgements sat at 42% in September (up 8.5 percentage points from August).
- A total of 148 survey firms out of a possible 318 lodged an e-survey in September. Four of those firms lodging were first time e-surveyors.
- The e-survey share of total survey lodgements was 57% for September (up 4 percentage points from August).
Updated Operating System and Browser policy
LINZ is committed to providing technical support so you can access and use Landonline.
Check out our updated policy and brief on what operating systems and browsers are supported and not supported by LINZ's technical team.
This information is particularly important to customers on older versions of browsers and operating systems.
Legislative amendments as a result of 100% e-lodgement
The implementation of 100% e-lodgement will require amendments to the Electronic Transactions Act 2002 and the Land Transfer Regulations 2002, around new classes of electronic instruments and the corresponding certifications.
LINZ is working on proposals with the relevant agencies and stakeholders to ensure that the amendments are passed on time.
Landonline
Landonline Performance Taskforce in place
We know our survey and title customers require a reliable and high performing system for lodging transactions, and we are committed to ensuring they have that in Landonline.
Its performance is a priority issue for LINZ. A dedicated Performance Taskforce, overseen by the LINZ executive, has been convened to look at all aspects that could impact on overall performance.
Prior to the 2.8 Release, some customers occasionally experienced slow performance relating to Landonline. While slowness appears to be more noticeable with the implementation of this release, a number of other reasons could have contributed to this performance issue.
To better isolate root causes and deliver ongoing improvements, the Taskforce has categorised slow performance into four major related areas:
- Logon
- Connectivity to Landonline
- Speed of the Landonline application
- Business improvements based on best practice.
In each of these above areas, a number of activities are underway to improve performance and reduce the risk of this happening in the future. Some of the initiatives identified include:
- Logon: There are two aspects to consider - one relating to the double logon that arose from the 2.8 Release, the other in relation to slowness associated with logging on.
The double logon fix was successfully implemented on 18 October and the single logon process has been restored.
The logon sequence effectively involves most of the system. Analysis has begun to assess the complex factors associated with slow logon. Recently five additional servers with increased memory were added to the Citrix farm. This step, plus the dedication of a server to provide functionality to assist with balancing the user load on each Citrix server, has already resulted in improvements to logon speeds. In the next 10 days, we will also be upgrading the 2GB memory on the original Citrix servers to the same 4GB standard as the new ones.
Areas still to be analysed include hubs, switch ports and network adapters to check their capacity/load settings. - Connectivity to Landonline: A Microsoft patch to reduce the dropping of connections has been successfully trialled on one Citrix server. We will be looking to apply this patch to the remaining servers over the next ten days.
- Speed of Landonline: We will increase our transaction server capacity by ordering a further three dual-core Central Processing Units (CPUs). These will be installed within the next two weeks, taking the total number of CPUs to 16, of which 13 will be dedicated to the Informix database. This will ensure our transaction server capacity usage levels remain under the recommended 80% level.
During the weekend of 8-9 October, our current Citrix servers were upgraded to Metaframe 4. This upgrade enables more features on the Citrix servers to be used which, in the future, may also positively impact memory and processing capacity usage.
We have also changed the time we migrate the remaining images to the new Centera system each day, to be outside of Landonline peak operating hours (after 5pm). The remaining migration is expected to be completed within one to two weeks. - Business improvement based on best practice: These activities are aimed at ensuring our business processes are the best they can be.
Examples include measurement tools that will allow objective system performance at the customer's PC. To begin to assess this, we have established a customer feedback group. These nominated surveyor and conveyancer customers are monitoring and reporting their Landonline performance experiences back to us on a weekly basis.
This process provides LINZ with timely and meaningful information about Landonline performance, which we are using to diagnose problems and find solutions promptly.
The combined results of these activities will help us to achieve the necessary improved performance of Landonline.
Landonline performance remains LINZ's top priority and, once the above issues have been resolved, maintaining high levels of performance will continue to be our focus.
"What happens when I breach the Landonline Digital Certificate User Obligations?"
Customers have asked LINZ to clarify what constitutes a breach of the Digital Certificate Terms and Conditions and User Obligations when they misuse their Digital Certificate (DC), and what happens if such a breach occurs.
In most cases, the holder of the DC is unaware they have committed a breach. Below are examples of common situations that constitute a breach, what happens when LINZ detects a breach, and what can then be done to remedy it.
Terms and Conditions and User Obligations
If you hold a DC, you need to be familiar with the Terms and Conditions and User Obligations that govern its use.
Common situations where a breach occurs
- You knowingly share your DC passphrase with others, e.g. temporary staff or other colleagues who do not have their own DC.
- You have logged into Landonline and others are using your workspace and completing work for you.
- If you install your DC on to more than one PC.
- A person downloads your reference and activation codes without you present.
- A person, other than the DC holder, tries to obtain either a reference code or activation code by implying they are the DC holder.
- Someone other than the DC holder requests a password reset, which indicates that someone else has access to your DC.
- You give your passphrase to your IT person or let them set it for you.
- The Trusted Contact rings the 0800 number and asks for the activation code for the DC holder.
What happens when LINZ detects a breach?
If a breach is detected, your DC will be revoked and your account suspended.
Before LINZ is able to reissue you with a DC and reinstate your access, you must:
- write to LINZ on company letterhead acknowledging that you have operated your DC outside the Landonline Digital Certificate Terms and Conditions and User Obligations, and
- provide an assurance to LINZ that you will put in place processes to prevent this happening again.
Does your firm need more DCs?
One way to avoid a breach is to register more staff as users of Landonline.
You can add other users by filling out the 'add individual' form on the Landonline website, attach the supporting documents and post to:
Land Information New Zealand
Landonline Sign-Up
Private Box 5501
Wellington 6145
Regulatory
Survey audit pilot report
The report on the Audit Pilot of Cadastral Survey Datasets (CSDs) has now been supplied to all Licensed Cadastral Surveyors. The report was distributed on behalf of LINZ by the Cadastral Survey Licensing Board (CSLB) primarily in electronic format via email.
Licensed Cadastral Surveyors who have not supplied the CSLB with an email address have been posted a hardcopy of the report. If you have not received the report, it can be downloaded from the LINZ website - (pdf 120KB).
To assist Licensed Cadastral Surveyors keep up to date with CSD audit developments, LINZ has established a webpage with the key information and links. This audit page can be accessed off the Cadastral Surveying page by following the link "Cadastral survey audit process".
LINZ is currently consulting with the survey profession on the implementation plan for the broader approach to auditing CSD's submitted to LINZ. It is anticipated further information will be available later this year.
Pilot for new e-dealing compliance programme underway
LINZ is developing a new approach for e-dealing compliance, which will be a risk, system and controls based audit.
This approach includes an on-site visit to a law firm and will concentrate on the systems and controls in place for land titles registration.
The NZ Law Society and LINZ have agreed to pilot the new approach. Twenty law firms have indicated their willingness to participate in the LINZ pilot and have been placed on the selection list. The pilot is planned for four firms, to be completed by March next year. The results will be used to refine the methodology before being fully implemented across all law firms.
A circular has been sent to law firms by the NZ Law Society explaining the rationale of the pilot and the overall benefits to the law profession.
e-survey
Increased interest in e-survey bureau services among smaller survey firms
Using an 'e-survey bureau' has become a real and popular option for some survey firms as the 100% lodgement date draws closer.
Smaller firms, or sole practitioners, may not wish to purchase an e-survey licence on their own account but are concerned for their future in the 100% electronic lodgement environment.
Some e-survey licensed firms saw a need and are acting as 'bureaus' for other surveyors. They are able to take e-surveys right up to checking and signing for associated surveyors.
The 'associated surveyor' is often a sole practitioner who has purchased his or her own Digital Certificate, and associated it with the bureau's e-survey licence.
This allows the practitioner to use as much (or as little) of e-survey as he or she wants, with the bureau picking up the rest, but crucially still enabling the associated surveyor to check and digitally sign their own surveys.
Landonline licences and Digital Certificates do have some flexibility the surveyor community can use to adjust arrangements to suit their situations.
According to Ralph Winmill, Principal of Winmill e-survey Services in Wellington, interest in e-survey bureau services is growing steadily.
"Some surveyors are finding the size of their business doesn't warrant purchasing a Landonline licence for the small number of cadastral surveys they do," says Ralph. "I can undertake the whole office-based e-survey process for those who are only doing a few cadastral surveys a year."
Ralph undertakes a totally independent QA of the data supplied by the surveyor to minimise any possible errors, and to verify that the survey complies with the Surveyor-General's Cadastral Survey Rules.
"I supply the surveyor with a copy of the final draft Digital Survey and Title Plans so they can provide valuable feedback before the dataset is lodged."
Ralph points out that an additional benefit for sole operators to use an e-survey bureau service is having another surveyor QA their work.
You can read more about the benefits of using an e-survey bureau service in the March edition of Landwrap.
e-survey BUREAU SERVICE PROVIDERS
The firms providing e-survey bureau services that we are aware of currently are:
Paterson Pitts Partners Ltd (PPPL). Contact Mark O'Gorman on 03 477 3245.
Winmill e-survey Services Ltd. Contact Ralph Winmill on 027 4494 863.
Cadastre Ltd. Contact Allan Wilson on 03 573 6997.
Landlink Agency Ltd. Contact Liz Bewley or Sharon Patterson on 03 546 9952.
Nikkel Surveying Ltd. Contact Tony Nikkel on 03 528 4455
Capturing strata surveys
A number of surveyors have asked LINZ to clarify the requirements for capturing parcels on strata subdivisions in e-survey.
Spatial strata parcels cannot be primary parcels as once they become current, they violate the 'no-overlaps' rule. In Landonline:
- the capture of spatial strata parcels is restricted to tunnel and overpass situations - two distinct levels of unrelated ownership, and
- spatial strata parcels must not be used for buildings where a given parcel has been defined on more than one level, as a three dimensional polygon.
The authoritative definition for these parcels is the plan graphic.
For further information please go to Capturing of Strata Parcels on the Landonline website.
Inclusion of GPS data in Cadastral Survey Datasets
Established survey practice is to show all survey measurements on the survey plan, however in the case of GPS surveys, showing measured GPS vectors on survey plans is causing clutter on some surveys. While vectors can be tabulated to reduce clutter on the face of the plan the removal of system generated vectors on e-survey digital plan graphics can be tedious. Additionally, the captured vectors can still clutter the spatial view in Landonline and LandXML data extracts.
What's changing?
Following suggestions from surveyors to LINZ on alternative ways to capture GPS surveys, it has been agreed that it will be acceptable to replace some or most of the measured GPS vectors from base stations with calculated vectors between adjacent witness, traverse and boundary marks. The calculated vectors should be calculated directly from GPS measurements made in conjunction with the survey. For GPS calculated vectors the Observation Type must be captured as "calculated" (as required by the Surveyor-General's Rules for Cadastral Survey 2002/2). It is recommended that the Equipment Type be captured as "GPS".
This is a significant departure from usual practice and creates some additional risks for both the surveyors and LINZ that will need to be carefully managed.
It should be noted that not all boundary angles need to be directly connected to a witness mark; indirect connections are acceptable. The distance test for connection to a witness mark (rule 13) is "as the crow flies". With this approach the focus for positioning witness marks can be more on stability and permanence rather than convenience.
Some benefits
As well as the key benefit of reducing clutter on plans, a benefit of this new approach is that the GPS plan will look similar to a conventional survey, making it easier for many users to interpret the information. An added benefit of removing some of the measured GPS baseline vectors from the captured data is that this may result in improved response times for processing large surveys in Landonline.
Managing risk
The omission of some measured dimensions and substitution of calculated dimensions can increase the risk of errors going undetected. This means that Landonline validation checks could give a false indication of accuracy, even with a significant degree of network redundancy. It may also affect Landonline network adjustment and make it more difficult to resolve errors discovered by subsequent surveys.
Surveyors will be expected to demonstrate that they have adequately managed the accuracy risks. This should be covered in the survey report.
A tabulation of the measured GPS vectors or a summary of the adjustment results can be submitted as a supporting document. This will not routinely be used by LINZ for validation purposes but could be useful for demonstrating risk mitigation and for resolving any subsequent data conflict or data integration issues.
Update to Guidelines
A new addendum to the Cadastral Survey Guidelines (sections 4.2.5 and 4.2.6) will be published in November. It will include changes to the way GPS measurements can be represented in Cadastral Survey Datasets (CSD).
Where clutter is not an issue, surveyors can continue to capture measured GPS vectors if they choose to.
While this issue has been highlighted by e-survey data capture, the same principles can be applied to the presentation and capture of data for hardcopy plans.
Have you booked your e-survey training?
LINZ's free, on-site e-survey training is available until 28 February 2007.
We strongly encourage you take advantage of this offer now. It can take a year to gain confidence with the e-survey application so the sooner you begin the more adept you will be by 1 September 2007.
If the on-site training doesn't suit, you may like to consider the following self-help resources on the Landonline website:
- e-survey User Guide
- e-survey Computer Based Training – a CD-Rom provided when you sign up, or upgrade, to Landonline e-survey
- e-survey Quick Reference Cards
- shadowing by an e-survey specialist.
To book training, call LINZ Customer Support on 0800 665 463 (select option 2).
New e-survey tips and hints
The Tips and Hints section on the Landonline website includes a handy menu list and is continually being refined and added to. The following topics have just been added:
New Topic: Layout Sheets
Contains information on the visual display of new data versus underlying data.
Updated Topic: Delete Dataset
The 'Delete Dataset' section has been replaced with a new section titled 'Delete/Withdraw Dataset'.
Are you using all the e-survey tools and tips?
There is a wealth of self-help information on the Landonline website to assist with completing e-surveys in the e-survey section.
The e-survey Tips, Hints & Training Tools section includes links to the full on-line e-survey User Guide, Quick Reference Cards, Quick Links and training tools. The comprehensive Landonline Education Centre can be accessed by completing a search on any topic.
Are you notifying your Territorial Authority when a plan is ready for certification?
The number of councils joining Landonline is increasing and e-survey users may not remember to let Territorial Authorities know when a plan is ready for certification.
Once a survey plan is ready, you can request a TA Certification online by clicking on the 'notify TA' button to indicate you require a TA Certification for your e-survey and send a message through Landonline to the TA to advise a request for certification is forthcoming.
The message lets the TA know there's an e-survey in their workspace waiting for it to be e-certified, saving valuable time for you and the TA.
e-dealing
Online e-dealing practise tools just got better
It has just got easier for conveyancing professionals to gain familiarity and confidence with e-dealing through LINZ's online practise tools. The latest tools have greater functionality and are more closely aligned to the Landonline application.
The online e-dealing practise tutorials are designed to bridge the "knowing-doing" gap in e-dealing, especially if you delay using e-dealing after receiving training. Its easy to forget some of the steps if you don't work with e-dealing straight away.
The tutorials cover discharge of mortgage, transfer and a new mortgage. You can practise how to creating an e-dealing, prepare, certify and sign instruments, settle, release, and submit an e-dealing.
You can choose to 'walk through' or 'practise' within the tool. 'Walk through' provides an overview of how the instrument works and 'practise' encourages you to input prescribed data and follow the interactive, easy step-by-step process.
The tutorials can be used to train other staff in your firm or as a refresher.
Improvements will continue to be made to the tools so keep reading Landwrap for the next update.
Are you e-dealing at 90% yet?
Making e-dealing a part of your daily process is not always straightforward – it takes time to implement and establish a level of confidence, especially for larger firms.
We're here to help you gain confidence with e-dealing and reach the target of 90% electronic lodgement of all e-capable instruments by the end of November. By achieving this, you're on track for 100% e-lodgement of all discharges at 1 May 2007.
Joanna Pidgeon, a partner at Hesketh Henry in Auckland shared her firm's story about their introduction to e-dealing and how they lifted their usage to a level that reduced any anxiety leading up to the May deadline in LawNews Issue No. 39.
Last month of free e-dealing training – have you booked?
A limited number of places are still available for free e-dealing training until the end of November but you'll need to get in quick.
Call our Customer Support on 0800 665 463 (select option 1, then 1) to secure your place now.
Firms also need to be aware that it can take up to 15 working days to complete the set-up process before trainers can come on-site.
We also provide online practise tools and quick reference cards to help you get up and running.
Business Implementation Tools for conveyancers now available
We have developed a number of business tools for conveyancers to help you implement e-dealing.
A number of groups were involved in developing the tools to ensure they cover all the information you need and limit any roadblocks to e-dealing.
You'll find them in the e-dealing section on the Landonline website under 'e-dealing Training resources'.
Your feedback is always welcome so please email info@linz.govt.nz if you have any comments or suggestions about the new business implementation tools.
Westpac Banking Corporation name change
On 1 November 2006, the New Zealand retail banking business of Westpac Banking Corporation ("Westpac") vested in Westpac New Zealand Limited ("Westpac NZ") under the Westpac New Zealand Act 2006 ("Act"). This included mortgages that have been granted in favour of Westpac, or any of its predecessor names.
Accordingly, if a vested mortgage is varied, or discharged, or otherwise dealt with, on or after 1 November 2006, Westpac NZ, not Westpac, will be the mortgagee dealing with the vested mortgage.
Land Information New Zealand ("LINZ") will update "Landonline" at the earliest opportunity to reflect the change in mortgagee. The change is currently scheduled for the weekend of 11-12 November 2006.
Until LINZ is able to make the change, the name on the computer register will remain Westpac. Section 8 of the Act provides the authority for you to register a dealing for Westpac NZ despite the name discrepancy.
What does this mean for you?
If you are registering a discharge of a vested mortgage via e-dealing, the screen will pre-populate the name of the mortgagee that is recorded on the register at that time. The discharge may be registered against the name that appears on that screen (that is, Westpac or Westpac NZ) even if it is not the same as the name of the mortgagee on the register.
If you are registering a dealing in relation to a vested mortgage in the paper environment before LINZ changes the name of the mortgagee, the name of the mortgagee on your documents may be "Westpac New Zealand Limited" so will not be the same as the name of the mortgagee on the register (that is, "Westpac Banking Corporation"). You do not need to take any additional actions in relation to this. Simply submit the registration in the name of Westpac NZ.
If you are registering a dealing in relation to a vested mortgage in the paper environment after LINZ changes the name of the mortgagee and your documents were signed before 1 November 2006, the name of the mortgagee on your documents may be "Westpac Banking Corporation" so will not be the same as the name of the mortgagee on the register (that is, "Westpac New Zealand Limited"). You do not need to take any additional actions in relation to this. Simply submit the registration in the name of Westpac NZ.
If you have any queries, please contact David Collins, Senior Counsel, Westpac New Zealand Limited phone (03) 371 6203.
Territorial Authorities
Calling all Territorial Authorities
Territorial Authorities (TAs) that have gone through the Landonline enablement process have been sharing their experiences with LINZ and we are finding that each council's environment is unique.
TAs using e-certification is an integral part of the survey process. It is only when all parties and phases of the end-to-end survey process are online that the full benefits of online cadastral surveys will be realised for all. This includes TAs, the survey community and their respective clients – the public of New Zealand.
Online cadastral surveys provide councils with time savings and remove the need for paper-based processes.
The information gathered will allow LINZ to develop some useful case studies and information tools.
Currently, 28 TAs have e-certification licences and many more are embarking on enablement.If your TA would like more information on the case studies to streamline moving to Landonline TA e-certification, email jlawrence@linz.govt.nz.
