Circular No. 7513/S1/2020, Guidelines for Document Writers

Purpose and scope

Circular No. 7513/S1/2020 dated 25 February 2020 was issued after the Head of the Registration Department continued to receive complaints about document writers. In particular, members of the public had complained that document writers were not giving receipts for document preparation charges, despite an earlier instruction requiring them to maintain receipt books.

The circular also directs subordinate registration officers to follow the earlier instructions cited in it. Those instructions include guidelines for document writers and a direction that document writers and land brokers should not be allowed inside Sub-Registrar Offices.

Who is affected

The requirements apply to:

• All document writers who prepare documents for members of the public.
• Document holders who pay document preparation charges.
• Registration officers who receive documents for registration.
• Sub-Registrars who scan and maintain registered document records.
• Deputy Heads of the Registration Department, who must obtain acknowledgement from registration officers in their respective regions.

Key requirements

Circular No. 7513/S1/2020 requires the following procedure:

• Every document writer must give the document holder a receipt for the charge collected for preparing the document.
• The receipt must accompany the document when it is presented for registration.
• Registration officers must confirm that the receipt has been submitted with the document before carrying out registration.
• The Sub-Registrar must scan the fee receipt with the relevant document as a reference document.
• The Sub-Registrar must also place and maintain the receipt in the office file.
• The procedure applies from 1 March 2020.

Practical effect for document holders

A person using a document writer should receive a receipt showing the document preparation charge and should present that receipt with the document at the registration office. The registration office is instructed to check for the receipt and preserve it both as a scanned reference document and in its office records.

Circular No. 7513/S1/2020 also requires its details to be displayed on the notice board at every Sub-Registrar Office. Deputy Heads of the Registration Department must circulate it to registration officers within their regions, obtain acknowledgement and report the details.