VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi Justice Department began a 50-day inspection of 22 local notary offices yesterday (Sept 18).

Customers at a notary office in Ha Noi. A 50-day inspection started yesterday to bring the chaos of notary offices under control in the city.

During the inspection, a team will review the notaries' permits, human resources and accounting data as well as their implementation of financial obligations between January 1, 2012 and June 1, 2013.

The first notary office inspected was Toan Tam Notary Office in Quoc Oai District.

Early this month, Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong admitted that many notary offices were still negligent when it came to verifying documents during a question-and-answer session held by the National Assembly's Law Committee.

He also said that some offices had sought to attract customers by reducing fees, creating an unfair advantage.

In late June, the Ha Noi People's Court sentenced Hoang Van Su, 56, a notary at Ha Noi's Notary Office No 5, to four years in prison for "negligence causing serious consequences".

According to the verdict, Su notarised a series of faked capital contribution contracts for the then-director of a paint joint stock company without verifying them. The director then illegally appropriated VND10 billion (US$470,000) from four people.

The Notary Law, which took effect in 2007, regulates the operation of notary offices and organisations in detail. Notary activities contributed nearly VND1 trillion ($47.3 million) to the State budget in the past six years.

Source: VNS