Land Information moves to the Web

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) is phasing out paper-based lodgement of land transactions. By 1 July 2008 all survey and land title transactions are required to be lodged electronically on the Landonline system. Public counters in all processing centers will close from the same date.

LINZ says the system is good news for New Zealanders buying, selling and subdividing property because the automated process will be efficient and secure, issuing new titles faster.

Electronic lodgement means less paper handling and less manual processing work required. Over nine years LINZ will make changes to its processing operations, starting with cutting 112 positions over the next three years.

LINZ will no longer need five regional processing centers and expects centers in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin to be closed in 2015. The centers in Hamilton and Christchurch will remain.

The Landonline system was launched in 2000, and is now processing around 17,500 title and survey transactions a week.

Brendan Boyle, CEO of LINZ, says that moving to a fully electronic system is the only way to realize the benefits of Landonline. Running both a paper and an electronic system is uneconomic, he says.

The electronic lodgement requirement will be phased in gradually, starting with discharges on May 1, 2007, transfers and mortgages on August 1, 2007, survey transactions on September 1, 2007 and all remaining title transactions on July 1, 2008.

LINZ will provide free training to help surveyors and conveyancers make the move to the web.