Notarial searches revamp to tackle long delays

Notaries are experiencing long delays at the crucial searches unit at Identity Malta, as errors in the way property registry notes are compiled are lengthening processing duration and fees.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici has said the reason for the delays has been a persistent problem since the person who single-handedly manned the software for the searches, passed away.

“The software was some 25 years old when this person passed away. Nothing ever happened until 2015 when Identity Malta started working on an alternative solution that is gradually developing,” Bonnici said in a reply to a parliamentary question.

Notaries who find errors in the way searches are being compiled at the Identity Malta registry are being asked to pay for the missing notes when they request a correct search.

The prospect of missing notes in notarial searches could present a liability for property buyers, Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi noted in his PQ.

Bonnici replied that the problems being faced by notaries were made clear in a symposium organised by the Notarial Council, and added that information that had been compiled over the years had not been correctly verified.

“These errors are increasing due to the increased volume of work especially in the property sector. Identity Malta is working closely with the Notarial Council to reduce the errors and a new system is being developed according to notaries’ needs: very soon a revision of all the indexes will start, to amend all the past errors.”