  The rapid neutron nucleosynthesis process involves an enormous amount of very
exotic neutron-rich nuclei, which represent a theoretical and experimental
challenge. Two of the main decay properties that affect the final abundance
distribution the most are half-lives and neutron branching ratios. Using
fragmentation of a primary $^{238}$U beam at GSI we were able to measure such
properties for several neutron-rich nuclei from $^{208}$Hg to $^{218}$Pb. This
contribution provides a short update on the status of the data analysis of this
experiment, together with a compilation of the latest results published in this
mass region, both experimental and theoretical. The impact of the uncertainties
connected with the beta-decay rates and with beta-delayed neutron emission is
illustrated on the basis of $r$-process network calculations. In order to
obtain a reasonable reproduction of the third $r$-process peak, it is expected
that both half-lives and neutron branching ratios are substantially smaller,
than those based on FRDM+QRPA, commonly used in $r$-process model calculations.
Further measurements around $N\sim126$ are required for a reliable modelling of
the underlying nuclear structure, and for performing more realistic $r$-process
abundance calculations.
