Mike Norgrove (ex Dir of Complaince) replaces Mike Wells who has gone
to head up Risk Intellegence
Land Registry are making various written announcements that could impact
on our current directions, for example they say they will be re-directing
SDLT returns as part of BTR 3 - Business Transformation Programme 3 –
via their own software to one of their three new channels which will include
an e-payments and e-signature facility. We have now established that this
is only in the discussion stage and they will liase with us once their ideas
firm up.
HMRC are talking about raising their commitment to TPV's who they now
recognise have a value to fill the ‘functionality’ gaps of their
own software.
HMRC have also put out a ‘feeler’ that the Market could replace
the current free HMRC software – if certain criteria is met, again,
we are trying to firm up the scenarios which could allow a free at point
of use model, yet generate funding at some point.
In an effort to raise the profile of SDLT it has been agreed by the CASH
group that we need an ‘association’ along the lines of BASDA,
BCS, AFSS etc so ECLOG – E-Conveyancing Liaison Group – has
been established to ensure Stamps is taken as seriously as PAYE etc.
Lord Carter and HMRC want to shift the responsibility of assessing the
validity of a return by allowing TPV’s access to their six Golden
Risk Rules that they currently use to assess incoming returns. The idea
is to reduce the number of rejections, and allow them to re focus their
resources onto the repeat offenders.
The new Abnormal Rent Calculator has now been tested and should appear
soon alongside the other calculators.
HMRC are now seriously considering accreditation – its just they
can't agree what form this should take.
HMRC are now looking to the next three / five years and how the SDLT form
should be optimised for an electronic environment.
We are pressing now for the release of batches of payslip numbers that
can be embedded in our software to do away with the payslip books.
