«Portuguese Land Registry: New Online Services and On the Spot House» Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado, I.P. (PORTUGAL) Filomena Rosa, Registrar Outubro de 2009

Portuguese Land Registry: Main Guide Lines The Portuguese land registry is a public registry that aims immovable trade security by giving publicity to the rights and charges over a certain land or building. The Land Registrar is a public official and a public servant that, with technical independence, is intended to verify the legality of the acts for which registration is requested by interested parties, in face of : Legal requirements; The documents submitted; and, The previous registries, Verifying: the identity of the immovable, the legitimacy of the stakeholders, the compliance of documents with formal requirements and the validity of provisions contained therein.

Portuguese Land Registry: Main Guide Lines The land registry, in Portugal, according to the article 7th of the property registry code is the presumption that the right exists and belongs to the registered holder pursuant to the terms on which the entry defines it. The facts resulting transfer of rights or creating a burden on property can not be formalized by notaries or other professionals without that property being permanently registered to whom wants to convey or encumber.

Portuguese Land Registry: The Reform of 2008 The property registry code was reviewed by the decree of law 116/2008, and the main changes were: The property registry became mandatory; Public deeds are no longer mandatory and acts concerning property rights can be performed by officially attested private documents (authenticated private documents); Notaries, registrars, lawyers, solicitors and commerce and industry chambers are competent to officially attest (authenticate) private documents and have the duty to promote the registration ( legal obligation in order to make this professional work as on the spot shops). New services online were made available. The territorial jurisdiction of the Land Register was eliminated, which allows citizens and businesses to choose the service they consider faster or more efficient.

Portuguese Land Registry: The Reform of 2008 In the last world bank report, in the chapter dedicated to the Property Registry, Portugal appears as "Top Reformer" in the year 2008 by integrating the Top 10 of the most reformist and the fourth highest rise position on this matter: Portugal climbed 30 positions, from 82 .º place to 52.º, and managed to reduce the registration time in 30 days, 42 days to 12.

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES Since 1st January 2009 the following services, among others, are available at www.predialonline.mj.pt : Permanent Certificate; Deposit of authenticated private documents; Request registry acts via internet.

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES DEPOSIT OF AUTHENTICATED PRIVATE DOCUMENTS

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES DEPOSIT OF AUTHENTICATED PRIVATE DOCUMENTS The authentication (Official attestation of private documents) can only be performed by competent authorities: Lawyers, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Notaries, Solicitors and Registrars. The authentication’s validity of the private document pends on the deposit The deposit must be carried out in the private document’s certification date, by the entity responsible for the authentication

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES DEPOSIT OF AUTHENTICATED PRIVATE DOCUMENTS With the electronic deposit legal security hasn’t diminished since the authenticated private documents are only valid when holding the authentication sign and electronically deposited at www.predialonline.pt The creation of archives in the entities responsible for the authentication is expected, for the originals of the documents deposited

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES DEPOSIT OF AUTHENTICATED PRIVATE DOCUMENTS With the electronic deposit legal security hasn’t diminished since the authenticated private documents are only valid when holding the authentication sign and electronically deposited at www.predialonline.pt The creation of archives in the entities responsible for the authentication is expected, for the originals of the documents deposited

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES DEPOSIT OF AUTHENTICATED PRIVATE DOCUMENTS STATISTICS Until September 14236 authenticated private documents were deposited online.

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES PERMANENT CERTIFICATE

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES PERMANENT CERTIFICATE Access online, updated and in real time: Information pertaining registries in force; Mention of presentations pertaining pending registry requests.

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES PERMANENT CERTIFICATE Legitimacy Anymone can request a certificate, under the terms of the Portuguese Land Registry Code Deadline The Permanent Certificate must become available up to 48 hours upon payment

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES PERMANENT CERTIFICATE Costs Subscribing or renewing a permanent certificate has single fees a) € 6,00 (when requested online); b) € 15,00 (when requested at a service counter).

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES PERMANENT CERTIFICATE You may request and consult the permanent certificate at: www.predialonline.mj.pt The certificate request originates an access code The delivery of the certificate’s access code replaces the presentation of a paper certificate to any public or private entity.

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES PERMANENT CERTIFICATE STATISTICS Until September 1.360.538 permanent certificates were made available.

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES ONLINE REGISTRY REQUEST

Lawyers, Solicitors e Notaries holding a digital certificate. Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES ONLINE REGISTRY REQUEST Access this service at www.predialonline.mj.pt with a digital certificate, already available to: Lawyers, Solicitors e Notaries holding a digital certificate. Citizens with the citizen card

Or indice the document to be informally consulted in a public database Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES ONLINE REGISTRY REQUEST Requesting a registry has been dematerialised by filling in an electronic form. Documents to submit: Either send online; Or indicate the access code of a authenticated private document deposited; Or indice the document to be informally consulted in a public database

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES ONLINE REGISTRY REQUEST Specifications Possibility of requesting all acts subject to land registry A single electronic Journal Automatic annotation of the requests in the Journal, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week Automatic Messages to the presenter via e-mail Emolument reduction of 20% for some acts Payment with debit and credit cards Refunds by bank transfer

Portuguese Land Registry: NEW ONLINE SERVICES ONLINE REGISTRY REQUEST STATISTICS Until September 48.132 online registries were requested.

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE

This service became available on 24th July 2007. Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE AN ON THE STOP SHOP /SINGLE WINDOW SERVICE This service allows performing all the necessary procedures for the transfer or encumbrance of immovable property, immediately, at a single place – Land Register Offices or other register offices service points. This service became available on 24th July 2007.

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE OBJECT The following businesses pertaining residential property may be concluded in the On the Spot House: Purchase and sale; Simple loan and other credit and financing contracts concluded by credit institutions; Mortgage; Transfer of credits.

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE PROCEDURES Traditionally, buying a house can be complex and involve up to 17 operations / dislocations. With on the spot house all the necessary procedures are carried out in Register Offices: Obtaining documents necessary to the business conclusion; Payment of taxes (Municipal Transfer Tax and stamp duty); Contract conclusion; Carrying out necessary registries (e.g. Purchase and sale and mortgage); Additional Requests: (Change of tax address, obtaining the plans, payment remission of the Municipal Property Tax (IMI) and the Statement for the registry or update of the property in the land registry).

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE STATISTICS Until 30th September 2009 60.368 procedures have been performed through the “On the Spot House”. This service is now available in 297 register offices or other register service points all over Portugal.

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE BENEFITS A simpler and faster procedure … A single counter Based on applications which enable electronic communication between register offices, tax revenue offices, banks and municipalities Elimination of acts and formalities A safer procedure … The procedure’s control is no longer dispersed across several entities The property’s legal status is accurately known when performing the act The registry is carried out immediately

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE BENEFITS A cheaper procedure … Direct Costs : Purchase and sale with mortgage (e.g.: with financing): Traditional method (average price): around 950€ + Taxes On the Spot House: 600€ + Taxes and 400€ + Taxes, with house savings account. Indirect Costs : Elimination of dislocations, swifter and without the payment of dispensable formalities

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE ON THE SPOT HOUSE AT YOUR BANK Citizens and companies can now do business pertaining residential property, with bank financing, without going to registry services. The “On the Spot House at your Bank” service doesn’t have any additional costs.

This service also doesn’t have any additional costs. Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE ON THE SPOT HOUSE AT YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT This service is already available in real estate offices, through an agreement between the IRN, IP and the Association of Promoters and Property Agents. This service is provided by registrars and officials who practice acts in the offices of estate agents to obtain the This service also doesn’t have any additional costs.

Portuguese Land Registry: ON THE SPOT HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION The “On the Spot House” has been awarded with a Good Practice Label in the framework of the European eGovernment Awards 2009 in the category «eGovernment empowering citizens».

Thanks for your attention filomena.s.rosa@irn.mj.pt Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado, I.P. (PORTUGAL) Outubro de 2009