About Jarrod_McAleese

Hi Community,   As you’re aware, the annual CPI fee increase for PEXA’s online lodgement and financial settlement service typically comes into effect on 1 July.   However, as previously announced, in light of current circumstances, PEXA fees will not increase at the beginning of the financial year – instead, the current pricing schedule will remain effective until January 2021.   As is usual, any future price adjustment will be in line with the Model Operating Requirements which are set and governed by ARNECC and will be calculated based on the Consumer Price Index for March 2020 (ABS 6410.0).   Additionally, fees for each of the Land Registries have been updated, with any revisions taking effect from 1 July 2020.   Links to Land Registry announcements: NSW SA QLD VIC (no change) WA   If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

Hi Community,   The busy End of Financial Year period is fast approaching and it’s important we all work together to ensure we can navigate the rush together. One way to assist the network with managing the impending high volume of transactions is to more evenly distribute settlement times throughout the day, when possible. Our data routinely shows that 12pm and 2pm AEST are the most popular settlement times. Despite this, half an hour either side, 11.30am and 2.30pm, are significantly less so. You may notice a message pop up within the PEXA Exchange prompting you to consider proposing a different settlement time – we encourage you to do so. By choosing a settlement time other than 12pm or 2pm you will be helping to spread settlements out across the day and ease the pressure on network parties, particularly the banks. Industry’s shared goals are to ensure seamless settlements and deliver the best outcomes for buyers and seller and supporting one another is key to achieving these.   To further assist you, we recommend you consult the ‘Bank Transfer Checklists’ linked below. detailing banks’ preferences for settlements, which we think you’ll find useful.   NAB: Westpac:  St George ANZ Suncorp / FMS CBA Bendigo Bank Limited CUA Galilee Gadens Brisbane MSA Macquarie: Estate Matters  Greater Bank If you have any questions or require any assistance, please reach out to one of the PEXA team or comment below. ... View more

Hi Community, PEXA, together with our Subscribers, has an important role to play in upholding the integrity of the network.  Ensuring all members are adequately insured plays a key role in this responsibility. This involves PEXA adhering to Requirement 14.4 of  ARNECC’s Model Operating Requirements (MOR) , which require PEXA to ensure that its Subscribers satisfy the Insurance Rules in Schedule 6 to the  Model Participation Rules (MPR) . Previously, having a conveyancing licence in NSW was evidence the licence holder was insured, however this is no longer the case as someone may obtain a licence without being insured. Read more here .    As such, from 9 June, PEXA has been requesting via email that all NSW conveyancers provide a copy of their organisation’s Certificate of Insurance for the year ending 2021, in order to keep using PEXA. We appreciate your assistance in helping us meet these requirements. You will have until 30 June to provide the Certificate of Insurance to PEXA.  Please note, if PEXA does not receive a copy of your firm’s Certificate of Insurance, your firm’s access to PEXA will be temporarily suspended until this is actioned. For more information, please email our helpful Account Services team: registration@pexa.com.au.   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

Hi Community,   In this Security Shorts video, Anish Dharmakkan from our PEXA Security team, provides some valuable advice on how to verify if a website is secure. Keep an eye out for more tips and tricks from our team and if you'd like more information on this topic, you can access helpful links below.   How to identify duplicate or unsafe websites Cyber-Criminals, the Modern-Day Con Artists ... View more

As previously advised, to support the state’s network at this time, the NSW Office of the Registrar General (ORG), NSW Land and Registry Services (NSW LRS) and PEXA have worked together to facilitate a temporary solution to lodge presently out of scope paper documents through the PEXA Platform.   The new lodgement process, referred to as COVID-19 Residual Lodgement, has been released in two phases.   Phase 1: As of 11 May 2020, PEXA Subscribers are able to lodge paper Real Property Act dealings with a Land Title Reference through the COVID-19 Residual Lodgement via the PEXA Platform. This functionality is available for both dealings that are not currently mandated for electronic lodgement, as well as mandated documents.   Phase 2: As of 25 May 2020, paper documents which don’t have a Real Property Act Land Title Reference or where the Land Title is not valid for electronic lodgement in the PEXA Platform, are able to be lodged through the PEXA Platform using a prescribed Title Reference.   We’ve outlined the differences between Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Residual Lodgement functionality below.   Item Tranche 1 Tranche 2 Land title(s) in Workspace Title(s) referenced in attached dealing. Multiple titles may be referenced. Generic Title – NO/REF/99999   Only the Generic title may be referenced. Land Title Reference Verification Only Titles valid for electronic lodgement may be used for Phase 1 dealings. Used when: one or more titles referenced in the attached dealing is valid, but not eligible for electronic lodgement, or; the dealing does not reference a Torrens title – e.g. PoA, MCP. Registry information Supply Yes – Land Title data shown in the PEXA Land Title screen. No. Title Activity Check Yes – Title Activity Check for each title in the PEXA workspace. No. Lodgement Verification Supported for the content of the Cover Sheet dealing only. Lodgement Verification does not validate the content of the attached dealing. Supported for the content of the Cover Sheet dealing only.   Lodgement Verification does not validate the content of the attached dealing. Digital Signing Digital signature is applied to the Cover Sheet dealing AND the attachment. Digital signature is applied to the Cover Sheet dealing AND the attachment. Lodgement Upon successful Lodgement, NSW LRS will return to PEXA the following status values:   LODGED – against the Lodgement Instructions UNREGISTERED – against the Dealing A Dealing Number will be returned for Lodgement of the Dealing. Lodgement of the Dealing also reflects Lodgement of the attachment.   The Attached Dealing will now be the subject of examination by the Land Registry, separate to PEXA. This process may take several days.   Upon successful Lodgement, NSW LRS will return to PEXA the following status values:   LODGED – against the Lodgement Instructions RECEIVED – against the Dealing   A Dealing Number will be returned for Lodgement of the Dealing. At this point NSW will WITHDRAW the Cover sheet.   NSW LRS will return to PEXA the following status values:   COMPLETED – against the Lodgement Instructions WITHDRAWN – against the Dealing Lodgement of the Dealing also reflects Lodgement of the attachment.   The Attached Dealing will now be the subject of examination by the Land Registry, separate to PEXA. This process may take several days.   Registration Upon completion of examination and successful registration, NSW LRS will return to PEXA the following status values: COMPLETED – against the Lodgement Instructions REGISTERED –  against the Dealing   A status of Registered against Dealing means also that the Attachment has been Registered. A Dealing search against the Title(s) will show: The Cover Sheet as Page 1 The content of the ‘Attached Dealing’ as Page 2.   NSW LRS will not advise the lodging party directly of the Registration status of the attached dealing. ... View more

Hi Community,   We are aware that users attempting to access the PEXA Exchange via a bookmarked link are encountering errors when logging in.   We are currently working on a resolution for this issue. To remedy this, please clear your cache (instructions for Chrome here).   Accessing the PEXA Exchange via Google, your browser's search bar or other means remains unaffected.   We'll provide a further update in due course.   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

PEXA Plus Marketplace provides a platform for practitioners in New South Wales and Victoria to compare and purchase land titles and other property searches from a range of different providers in one convenient location.   From 28 May 2020, in line with updates from authorities and councils, you may notice price changes to certain Equifax products. In addition, amendments have been made by PEXA, which will have a very minor impact on CITEC products.   If you have any questions regarding this or your PEXA Plus Marketplace experience, please reach out to us.   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

Hi Community,   On the WA Day public holiday, 1 June 2020, financial settlement and lodgement will not be available for Western Australia.   To help you prepare for the holiday period, planned outages and more, please refer to Calendar: Releases, Planned Outages & Public Holidays Hi Community,   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

Hi Community,   As previously announced, the NSW Office of the Registrar General (ORG), NSW Land and Registry Services (NSW LRS) and PEXA have worked together to facilitate a temporary solution to lodge presently out of scope paper documents through the PEXA platform during COVID-19. Phase 1 of this roll-out has been live since 11 May, enabling PEXA Subscribers to lodge paper Real Property Act dealings with a Land Title Reference through the COVID-19 Residual Lodgement via the PEXA Platform.   Please note that Phase 2 is available in PEXA from today. As part of this, paper documents which don’t have a Real Property Act Land Title Reference or where the Land Title is not valid for electronic lodgement in the PEXA Platform, will be able to be lodged through the PEXA Platform using a prescribed Title Reference. For a full list of paper documents available, please see NSW LRS FAQs here.     Helpful links Guidance on the COVID-19 Residual Lodgement process: https://community.pexa.com.au/t5/New-South-Wales/NSW-COVID-19-Temporary-Lodgement-Option-of-Paper-Dealings/gpm-p/19764 NSW LRS information pack: https://www.nswlrs.com.au/About/About/COVID-19-Key-Links Help card: see attached.   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

Many of us are adjusting to remote working at present, with the PEXA team no different. Our Head of Information Security @DavidWillett shares his best-practice tips for working from home, including routine patching and updating of your software, as well as utilising supported operating systems where possible.   ... View more

Hi Community,   The Service Charter has been updated in line with the deployment of Release 12.0.0 on 4 May 2020. Clean and marked up versions of the Service Charter can be accessed via the attachments at the bottom of this post.   Kind regards Jarrod ... View more

Hi Community,   The current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak presents a number of logistical challenges to industry, particularly to members regarding the in-person, physical lodgement of presently out-of-scope documents.   With this in mind, to support the state’s network at this time, the NSW Office of the Registrar General, NSW Land Registry Services and PEXA are working together to facilitate a temporary solution to lodging paper documents through the PEXA platform. This functionality will be released in two phases, commencing 11 May 2020.   From 11 May 2020, PEXA Subscribers will be able to lodge paper Real Property Act dealings with a Land Title Reference through the COVID-19 Residual Lodgement via the PEXA Platform.   From 25 May 2020, paper documents which don’t have a Real Property Act Land Title Reference or where the Land Title is not valid for electronic lodgement in the PEXA Platform, will be able to be lodged through the PEXA Platform using a prescribed Title Reference.   More information from PEXA is available here: https://community.pexa.com.au/t5/New-South-Wales/NSW-COVID-19-Temporary-Lodgement-Option-of-Paper-Dealings/gpm-p/19764.   Below are links to the ORG and LRS announcements:   NSW ORG: https://www.registrargeneral.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/823743/New_lodgment_option_during_COVID-19.pdf NSW LRS: https://www.nswlrs.com.au/About/About/Announcements/83 and https://www.nswlrs.com.au/About/About/COVID-19-Key-Links   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

Hi Community,   On the Labour Day public holiday on 4 May 2020, financial settlement and lodgement will not be available in Queensland.   To help you prepare for the holiday period, planned outages and more, please refer to Calendar: Releases, Planned Outages & Public Holidays   Kind regards, Jarrod ... View more

Hi Community,   With ANZAC Day falling on Saturday 25 April this year, the following Monday 27 April will be a public holiday in Western Australia. On this day, lodgement and financial settlement aren't available in WA. ... View more

Hi Community,   On 8 June, the Queen’s Birthday Holiday in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, financial settlement is not available for all states. This is due to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)'s closure. Lodgement is still available in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.   To help you prepare for the holiday period, planned outages and more, please refer to Calendar: Releases, Planned Outages & Public Holidays ... View more

Greater Bank has provided the following information and tips when completing a transfer as vendor or purchaser with them. Please let us know in the comments if this is helpful, and if there is further information you would like added.   If you are unable to progress a settlement via PEXA, send GB a conversation with an explanation and withdraw from the workspace. Where the transfer is mandated to be lodged in PEXA you will need to complete an exemption form and provide it to the lodging party prior to or during settlement.   If GB is acting as ‘Mortgagee on Title’ and ‘Incoming Mortgagee’ please ensure two separate invitations are sent, one for each role.   If there is an issue with settlement please forward a conversation in PEXA. For urgent matters please call:   Transfer – Sale (Mortgagee on Title) GB Discharges – 02 4921 9148 Transfer – Purchase (Incoming Mortgagee) GB Mortgage Processing – 02 4921 9790 Transfer – Sale (Mortgagee on Title)   How to initiate a sale request   Please advise the customer to complete and send a completed GB Discharge Authority via email to dischargesettlements@greater.com.au .   The GB DA is required to be emailed and uploaded to the PEXA workspace. Delays in settlement may occur if the DA is not emailed to the correct email address. It is recommended the tick box in PEXA is selected to notify when the DA has been emailed to GB.   If a GB DA is required, please phone the GB Discharges TEAM or a blank DA will be uploaded to the PEXA workspace upon receipt of the PEXA invitation.   PEXA invitation request   Please ensure the PEXA invitation is sent as early as possible or at least 10 days prior to settlement, with the customers’ full name and account number.   Document generation and settlement   The settlement date will not be accepted until the DA has been received and all pre-settlement conditions have been met.   When the DA has been received and verified, GB will create the respective documents, tick the box to confirm DA has been received and accept the settlement time and date.   GB will indicate via a PEXA conversation of any document verification delays and clearly advise of any action or outcome as required.   GB payout process   Indicative payout figures are confirmed within 3 business days prior to settlement.   Final payout figures are confirmed on the morning of settlement by 10am.   Payout figures in the PEXA workspace are indicative until the FSS has been signed by GB.   GB’s preference is for the practitioner to manage any surplus funds on PEXA. If the customer has provided a GB account for surplus funds on the DA, the account details will be provided by GB to the practitioner via PEXA conversation.   Preferred settlement times   GB preferred settlement time is Monday to Friday between 11am and 3pm.   If matters have not settled by 4pm we will unsign the documents and settlement will need to be rescheduled.   Same day settlements   Amending settlement date and time on PEXA on the day of settlement without confirmation from GB can result in settlement delays.   Transfer – Purchase (Incoming Mortgagee)   How to initiate a Purchase request   Invitations must include the customer’s full name and GB reference number, as per the correspondence emailed to your office when loan documents are created. Invitations will only be accepted where GB can identify the customer and the new loan account. We will decline invitations where there is no reference number and we cannot find an approved loan number in that name.   To avoid settlement delays please ensure invitation requests are sent as early as possible, or at least 10 days prior to settlement.   Preferred settlement time   GB preferred settlement time is Monday to Friday between 11am and 3pm.   The latest settlement time is 4pm. If matters are not settled by 4pm we will unsign the documents and settlement will need to be rescheduled.   Accepting settlement date and time   The requested settlement date will not be accepted until all customer loan documents and mortgage documentation have been returned and all special conditions of the loan met.  If loan documents and mortgage documentation has been received but there is outstanding special conditions to be met, we will advise you via PEXA conversation.   When loan documents have been received, GB will note the Settlement Summary page to advise if a shortfall authority has been signed and provide the last 4 digits of the account number.   Whilst GB provide communications with Lenders to follow up with customers, it is appreciated if you would also advise and pursue the customer to sign documents and meet all requirements to ensure settlement is not delayed.   GB will advise via conversation if the settlement date is not accepted and provide a clear reason and clear action for this.   As a general rule, 3 clear business days from receipt of all requirements is required for settlement.   Transfer of Land (TOL)   Please ensure the TOL document is created at least 5 days prior to settlement.   Completing financial settlement schedule (FSS)   GB is completely reliant on Total Funds Required for Settlement (TFRS). We do not balance to the Destination total.   GB prefers 3 days’ notice of TFRS to ensure sufficient funds are held for settlement.   GB will upload the available loan funds and registration fees to the Source funds when signed loan documents are received. This amount is the total amount available for settlement, and does not include internal fees and charges.   Once TFRS has been updated, if GB has a signed shortfall authority, GB will add the Purchasers Equity to the Source funds. It is up to you to advise the customer of the shortfall amount. If shortfall funds are not held in the nominated account GB will advise you via PEXA conversation to advise the customer to ensure funds are in the correct account.   Where there is no shortfall authority held by GB, the incoming proprietor must organise and provide the shortfall funds, and update the Purchasers Equity in the Source funds.   If GB holds surplus loan funds not required for settlement, a Destination transfer will be added and surplus funds will go to the customer’s nominated account at settlement.   Day of settlement   Please ensure all adjustments to TFRS are finalised at least 4 hours prior to settlement.   Any amendments made to the FSS (post GB sign off) may result in GB needing to reconfirm loan proceeds available which could cause settlement delays. 1 hour prior to the settlement time please ensure FSS schedule is finalised and signed off and the PEXA workspace is at ‘Ready Ready’ status.   ... View more

Hi Community, Please note that some Subscribers have inadvertently received a notification on the afternoon of 17 February 2020 stating that they have been randomly selected to complete PEXA’s Subscriber Review Process (SRP). For those that are unaware, PEXA’s SRP is a regulatory requirement for PEXA to confirm its members are complying with ARNECC’s Model Participation Rules (MPR). Subscribers are advised to disregard the notification received as it has been sent in error. Impacted Subscribers would have received an error message which either states “Security constraints prevent access to the requested page” or “User <email address> not found” upon clicking on “Start Questionnaire”. This issue has now been resolved and we apologise for any confusion and inconvenience caused. Please note that those in scope for the next round of questionnaires will also be sent an email with further background information, in addition to the notification seen today. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email: SubscriberReviewProcess@pexa.com.au.   Kind regards ... View more

Before processing an Estate Matter in PEXA, the request for consent or discharge must be received and assessed by Macquarie in writing (paper or email). How to complete an Estate Discharge Matter: Call 1800 087 820 to obtain a Discharge Authority Form Complete the Discharge Authority Form and email to clientservicesupport@macquarie.com If you have opened a workspace, please confirm the Workspace ID How to complete a Consent to a Transmission Application or Survivorship Application: Email clientservicesupport@macquarie.com to ask consent Attach a copy of the PEXA Consent to a Transmission or Survivorship Application If you have opened a workspace, please confirm the Workspace ID   Please note: You can only proceed with an Estate Matter (discharge or consent) once the assessment by Macquarie is complete. If there are outstanding documents required to assess a request, Macquarie will advise you. ... View more

Hi Community,   With PEXA Release 11.1.0 going live on Monday 10 February 2020, the Participation Agreement (for Representative Subscribers) and Service Charter will be updated. Clean and marked up versions of these documents can be accessed via the attachments at the bottom of this post.   Kind regards Jarrod ... View more

PEXA’s latest platform release goes live on 10 February 2020. Full details can be found here , but key highlights for Western Australian PEXA users include: New document: Change of Name Enhancements to Tasks, enabling them to more effectively guide you through your transaction Enhancements to the following WA document types: Mortgage of an Interest Mortgage of Part of the Land Caveat of Part of the Land Caveat as to some of the Proprietors  Displaying Issuing Detail information on the header of the Document List screen As part of Registry Information Supply, WA Land Registry will now provide PEXA with more Interests in Land Files can be attached to Transfers and Mortgages (Consent Letter) Extended scope of WA titles to allow Crown Titles to be transacted on It’s important to note that while an increased scope of titles will be available in PEXA, the current scope of Transfers remains unchanged. PEXA is continuing to work with industry partners on building out the 100% digital portfolio for WA PEXA users and will update members accordingly when new information is available. ... View more

Hi Community,   Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 7 will end on 14 January 2020. Its notice to consumers can be accessed here . Following this milestone, key software updates from Microsoft will no longer be released for Windows 7. Users who continue to use this operating system, or other unsupported operated systems, place their IT security at risk.   Updating your operating system to supported software is important best practice to ensure your business is suitably protected. In order to comply with the PEXA Subscriber Security Policy , Windows 7 users will need to upgrade to a supported operating system, such as Windows 10, as soon as possible. To help you navigate this change, we’ve compiled the below FAQ thread.     Why is Windows 7 no longer being supported by Microsoft? Microsoft’s notice to users can be accessed here . Why is it important to not use unsupported software? Unsupported software will not receive updates or security fixes which are vital in maintaining your system’s security. This leaves your system vulnerable to hackers who actively target unsupported systems. In addition, as per your obligations as stated in the PEXA Subscriber Security Policy: ‘Subscribers are required to maintain the security of their computer systems and keep them up to date, including taking reasonable steps to install patches and operating system updates’. When using unsupported software, this obligation can no longer be met as these products are not supported. In addition, running unsupported software may impact performance when using the PEXA platform, including your signing capabilities. What software, other than Windows 7, is no longer supported? The below software is no longer supported by Windows and Apple: Windows XP Windows Vista Mac OS X (Snow Leopard) Mac OS X (Mavericks) Mac OS X (Yosemite) Mac OS X (El Capitan) How can I upgrade my software? It is advised to upgrade directly to a supported operating system, such as Windows 10. Windows 10 can be purchased from the  Microsoft Store  or from leading technology retailers. PEXA also recommends reaching out to your IT professional or industry body to assist you with this upgrade.   Other helpful links:   Upgrading FAQs https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/12435/windows-10-upgrade-faq   Windows Vista end of support https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/22882/windows-vista-end-of-support   How to upgrade (macOS) https://www.apple.com/au/macos/how-to-upgrade/ ... View more

Hi Community,   PEXA is pleased to announce the launch of our new Status Page – live now at https://status.pexa.com.au/.   The page will contain key notices as well as a table indicating the availability of network services.   PEXA, together with our industry partners, endeavours to provide you with a seamless settlement experience. We hope you find the Status Page useful and encourage you to subscribe to stay up-to-date.     If you have any questions, please refer to our Community FAQs. ... View more