Lands & Survey Department Implements New Operational Procedures

The Lands & Survey Department (LSD) announces several measures to ensure the continuity of its services as well as the health and wellbeing of its employees and customers, during the onset of COVID 19. Among the measures which took effect on Monday, 23 March is the closure of its offices until Monday, 6 April 2020. Other measures are as follows:

The Registrar of Lands will accept instruments that are signed and witnessed simultaneously in counterpart, where the transferor’s signature is on a different page from that of the officer. This allows a transferor to sign an execution copy of a document in the presence of, but at a safe distance from, the officer who would apply his/her signature and officer details on an identical execution copy.

The Registrar of Lands will also allow officers, who are so prescribed under the law, to verify a client’s identification using video conference technology as long as officers can demonstrate that they:

• Are reasonably satisfied that the Government-issued identification is valid and current;

• Can compare the image in the Government-issued identification with the client to be reasonably satisfied that it is the same person;

• Record (with the applicable date) the method used to verify the client’s identification; and

• Otherwise, comply with their obligations under applicable laws relating to client identification.

The LSD will allow an additional 45 days within which to submit documents executed during this period for the payment of stamp duty and registration fees, with no penalties and interest for a total of 90 days for documents executed between the 1 February 2020 and 15 April 2020.

The LSD also advises that Lodgments for attorneys in private practice, Category A licensed financial institutions and the Credit Union can be scanned and submitted by email to landreglodgement@gov.ky. Submit all lodgments along with the attached Statutory Declaration, confirming that they have the original documentation. The Declaration form can also be found online at www.caymanlandinfo.ky.

All other customers may drop off their documents utilising the drop-in-box, located near LSD public counters.

Alternately, customers may submit less urgent documents such as Change of Name or Change of Address, Deletion of Death of Joint Proprietor & Discharge of Charges by mail to: Lands & Survey Department, 133 Elgin Avenue, Government Administration Building, Box 120, Grand Cayman KY1-9000, Cayman Islands

Customers are encouraged to settle all their fees by using wire transfer/direct debit.

For complete banking details as well as to access the full list of changes to LSD services, please visit our website at www.caymanlandinfo.ky.

All changes to LSD’s operations will remain in effect until 1 May 2020.