Living in Interesting Times: Landonline, Leader in its Field at What Cost?

Abstract

The defining feature of conveyancing practice in the twenty-first century will be the utilisation of electronic means to lodge data, to register dealings, and to record changes to title. The purpose of this paper is to explore the changes to the conveyancing system ushered in by the advent of an automated register. The author focuses on two areas of particular interest. First, what it the potential for, and effect of, fraud or mistake under the automated register? Second, what are the consequences of a technical failure? The paper concludes that while the automated registry has the potential to be a success, some changes must be made to ensure that the system is still guaranteed by the State, not the individual user, and can respond in the event that it is inoperable for any period of time.