Landwrap July 2015 - Issue 119

Issue 119

You might have noticed that Landwrap has been published on a different date than usual as we're now publishing Landwrap on the first Tuesday of each month. 

This month there is an update on Advanced Survey and Title Services (ASaTS); we let you know that the Landonline disaster recovery test scheduled for Saturday 18 July has now been postponed; and ask if there are any improvements you'd like to see in Landonline.

Also, we remind surveyors to use the correct heading for schedules/memorandums; advise that the new driver licences have the expiry dates on the back so both sides will now need to be copied for identification purposes; and discuss our testing of a beta version of Windows 10.

Last but not least, we give you an update on proposed legislation to help Inland Revenue enforce tax rules around property and what that will mean for Landonline.

Advanced Survey and Title Services (ASaTS) – an update for Landonline users

An update on LINZ’s project for updating and expanding the range of services offered by Landonline.

LINZ is continuing its work on its Advanced Survey and Title Services (ASaTS) project for updating and expanding the range of services offered by Landonline.

This year LINZ will work through the government approval processes for the Detailed Business Case for ASaTS.

We’ll provide further updates on progress through Landwrap and our websites and will continue to work with stakeholder groups like the Institute of Surveyors and the Law Society. We’ll also be monitoring the market to keep stock of innovations in technology that are on offer.

While our goal is that ASaTS would eventually replace Landonline, we remain committed to supporting it until that time.

Landonline disaster recovery test now postponed

The Landonline disaster recovery test scheduled for Saturday 18 July 2015 has now been postponed. Landonline will now be available on Saturday 18 July.

We’ll update you as soon as a date has been confirmed for the test.

Prioritisation of Landonline workspace enhancements

Are there improvements or changes you want to see in Landonline? LINZ is keen to get your views as part of our regular system enhancements.

In the longer term, LINZ is looking to make significant updates to the services offered by Landonline through our Advanced Survey and Title Services project. However, until this is in place, we’ll continue to make system enhancements as part of our commitment to ensuring Landonline is supported and operating well.

To have your say on these enhancements, visit our Landonline Enhancement Wiki. This is a web tool that allows you to make suggestions and to also rank suggested enhancements so we can better understand our customers’ priorities.

The Wiki will be available until 17 July for you to create, edit, review and rank enhancements you’d like to see.

From 20 to 31 July, you will have the chance to vote on the top ten ranked items in each business group that you have an interest in.

For more information about the wiki and how to access it, see the 'Prioritising Landonline enhancements' link below.

Related Content

• Prioritising Landonline enhancements (/land/landonline/landonline-releases-and-system- updates/prioritising-landonline-enhancements)
• Advanced Survey and Title Services (ASaTS) – an update for Landonline users (/news/2015- 07/advanced-survey-and-title-services-asats-%E2%80%93-update-for-landonline-users)

Related External Content

• Landonline enhancement Wiki (only available to Landonline digital certificate holders) (https://mediawiki.landonline.govt.nz)

Headings for Schedule and Memorandum of Easements

Make sure you have the correct heading for your Schedule/Memorandum.

To avoid the risk of delay or requisition, we’d urge surveyors to make sure they use the correct heading for a Memorandum of Easements, Schedule of Easements or Schedule of Existing Easements in their CSDs.

Headings for these must comply with Rule 10.2.1 (b)(i) or 10.2.2(b)(i) as appropriate.

‘Memorandum of Easements’ must be used where the Territorial Authority has specified the creation of mandatory easements as part of the consent conditions.

‘Schedule of Easements’ must be used for all new non-mandatory easements that are being created.

‘Schedule of Existing Easements’ must be used for existing easements included in the CSD.

Using the new NZ drivers licence for e-dealing proof of identity

It’s essential to show that the client photo ID you use to verify identity for e-dealing is current and not expired. For NZ driver licences this will now mean copying both sides.

The NZ Transport Agency has recently changed the format for licences so that expiry dates are on the reverse side of all newly issued licences. We’ll need to see a copy of this side as well as the front so we can be certain that the licence is current.

We understand you may have already used a newly issued licence for client identification without copying the reverse side. In these cases, you will not need to get a copy of the date and it will not trigger any compliance issues if the transaction is reviewed by LINZ – the new format means it will be clear to us that the licence has been recently issued and was therefore current at the time it was relied upon for identity verification. However, please do ensure you take a copy of both sides for any future transactions.

Related Content

Proof of identity for dealings (/kb/79)

Are you planning on upgrading to Windows 10?

Our testing for Windows 10 has commenced.

With Microsoft releasing Windows 10 this month, LINZ has been testing a beta version to make sure it will work with Landonline. Results from these initial tests suggest it will be compatible.

We will do further testing once the production version of Windows 10 has been officially released on 29th July 2015. Once that has been completed we will update our support pages (see link below) in early August and also announce the results in the September Landwrap

Early adopters are welcome to try Windows 10 as soon as it is released, but if you are reliant on Landonline we strongly recommend you defer any upgrade until we announce the results of testing the production version in August/September.

While a new browser, Edge (aka Spartan), will come by default with Windows 10, the release will also include Internet Explorer 11 for those who require the legacy features of Internet Explorer. Until testing has been completed on the new browser we recommend using Internet Explorer 11.

Related External Content

• Microsoft Windows 10 website (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/features)  
• Microsoft Edge webpage (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/microsoft-edge)

Taxation (Land Information and Offshore Persons Information) Bill

Collecting IRD numbers for property transactions: an update for Landonline users.

If passed, legislation to help Inland Revenue enforce the tax rules around property will mean some changes to Landonline later in the year.
The Government’s Taxation (Land Information and Offshore Persons Information) Bill proposes amendments to the Land Transfer Act and the Tax Administration Act. It will require:

• buyers and sellers of residential property to provide their IRD numbers at the time of property transfer, and those with tax residence in another country also having to provide their Tax Identification Number from their home jurisdiction (there will be an exemption for the main home)
• offshore persons to provide evidence of a New Zealand bank account in order to obtain an IRD number.

The Bill is likely to be passed by the end of September (along with relevant regulations), subject to legislative process. Changes to Landonline would then be put in place from 1 October to allow for the collection of IRD numbers and, where necessary, Tax Identification Numbers.

LINZ will work with the Law Society and other groups representing lawyers and conveyancers to provide updates on what the Bill would mean for them and supporting process guidance. We’ll also update Landonline users about any changes closer to the time.

We encourage lawyers and conveyancers to start discussing the need for IRD numbers with clients who are unlikely to qualify for an exemption, should the Bill be passed. Those who may need them for property transfers post 1 October (should the Bill be passed) can take steps now to help ensure settlement and registration goes smoothly by:

• having their IRD number at hand (IRD numbers are often included on payslips. They are included on all letters and statements from Inland Revenue. For people who have registered, IRD numbers are accessible through myIR Secure Online Services accounts (link below) and/or Inland Revenue’s VoiceID service) or
• applying for an IRD number, if they need one.

One important proposed change worth noting is that Trusts will likely be required to provide a Trust IRD number for any property transfers. Key points to note for Trusts:

• Under the proposed legislation, the Trust’s IRD number must be provided rather than the personal IRD numbers of the individual trustees.
• If the trust owns a non-earning property and doesn’t currently have an IRD number it will likely still need to get one if the trust plans to transfer property (whether as transferee or transferor) as the personal IRD numbers of the individual trustees aren’t an acceptable alternative.
• Collection of IRD numbers for Trust beneficiaries will likely not be required.

More information on the Bill is available on the Beehive website, and through the IR Tax Policy site (link below).

Related External Content

• Inland Revenue's myIR Secure Online Services account (http://www.ird.govt.nz/online- services/campaign-myir.html)
• The Beehive media release - 25 June 2015 (http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/bill-strengthen- property-tax-rules-passes-first-reading)
• Inland Revenue's Tax Policy page (http://taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/bills/51-34)