THE deadline for conveyancing industry to transition to electronic lodge documents has been extended seven months.
On Friday, April 13 Lands Minister Rita Saffioti said the extension would give the industry – including settlement agents and lawyers – with more time to prepare for the transition to electronic conveyancing.
Ms Saffioti said the WA registrar of titles Jean Villani granted a general exemption from the requirement to electronically lodge certain documents relating to the registration of interests in land until December 1, 2018.
She said the original timeline had been for a May 1 start date.
In a statement Ms Saffioti said both she and the registrar were firmly of the view that electronic conveyancing provided the safest, fastest and most efficient way to transact property and protect the integrity of the state’s land titles register.
Ms Saffioti said the extension was a pragmatic and sensible approach to ensuring the conveyancing industry can move as one toward electronic transactions in good time.
“Electronic conveyancing is the simplest, fastest and safest way to conduct property transactions within the digital economy,’’ she said.
“The industry is encouraged to work as one to adopt the new practice before the December 1 deadline for the benefit of consumers, the property sector and to further strengthen integrity of the state’s land titles register.”
