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'One-stop' land search office set up
The Land Registry (LR) has set up a new Central Search Office (CSO) to provide a convenient "one-stop" land search service as part of its continuing efforts to further improve services to customers.
Located on the 19th floor of the Queensway Government Offices, CSO will centralise all search services of the Urban Land Registry on the same floor.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the new office today (Tuesday), the acting Land Registrar, Mr Kelvin Chan, said new arrangements had been introduced in CSO to speed up customer services.
"With the 'All Services' counter, customers can obtain, by attending a single counter, all the land records they require, including computerised land registers, diazo copies, copies of imaged or microfilmed documents and certified copies."
Mr Chan also introduced a new Document Express Self-Order Service.
"Customers can make use of the self-service computer terminals at CSO to obtain copies of imaged records without having to queue up for normal counter services," he said.
Looking ahead, Mr Chan said the service improvement computer projects were now in full swing and progressing very satisfactorily.
"The computerisation of all land registers will be completed by April 1997, an on-line search facility, the Direct Access Services (DAS) is already in place, and all land documents are being converted to electronic images to be maintained on the Registry's Document Imaging System set up in July this year," he said.
Mr Chan added that by early 1997, subscribers of the DAS would be able to receive facsimile copies of imaged documents at their own offices.
"Our aim is to set up a fully computerised and integrated Land Registration and Search System in 1998.
"With all land records maintained in electronic format, our customers will then be able to receive the services they require with no geographical boundary restrictions.
"Subscribers of DAS will be able to access any land records from their own offices while those who call at our counters will likewise be able to have all their requirements met in a single 'one-stop' visit," he added.
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