Registers of Scotland is leading the drive to complete the digital, map-based Land Register of Scotland, continuing our proud tradition of leading innovation in recording land and property ownership.
This tradition began when we established the world’s first national land register, the General Register of Sasines, in 1617, relying on verbal descriptions of property boundaries. The modern land register records exact boundaries on a digital map, making it easier to interrogate than the 400-year-old sasine register.
A complete land register will reduce the cost of buying and selling property and facilitate access to information about ownership for businesses and individuals across the country. It will be a national asset for Scotland and we are excited about the possibilities.
At present, 62 percent of property titles, relating to 30 per cent of Scotland’s land mass, are on the land register. Until recently, property titles mostly moved from the sasine register to the land register in response to a sale, which triggers an application for registration. From 1 April 2016, a new standard security also triggers a move to the land register.
For commercial property owners, voluntary registration provides the opportunity to use their expert knowledge of their property to register exactly what they own, streamlining business costs and securing titles for the future.
For many commercial owners who have proceeded with voluntary registration, a major factor in the decision is the prospect of lower cost property transactions. Businesses looking to refinance their property will also find the process much simpler with a land register title.
The clarity of a title on the land register is another advantage for commercial owners. For organisations wishing to dispose of properties they no longer use, the ability to see exactly what you own can be absolutely vital. This clarity, along with the state-backed warranty included in a land register title, helps facilitate business planning and asset management, meaning titles on the land register are easier, faster and cheaper to transact with than those on the sasine register.
I am looking forward to visiting Chambers across Scotland in the near future to talk with you about our commitment to the target set by Scottish ministers to complete the land register by 2024.
In the meantime I thought I would let you know about the ways in which we are proving support to businesses wishing to voluntary register.
n Our fees for voluntary registration have been reduced by 25 per cent until at least 2019.
n Our team of experienced advisors are available to guide owners through the process
n Each organisation can access a dedicated advisor who will work with them from the outset.
n Our plan assistance service, which translates the information in property deeds into a plan suitable for registration, has been particularly popular.
To find out more about voluntary registration contact Registers of Scotland’s advisors on LRCompletion@ros.gov.uk or visit
ros.gov.uk/lrc
Russell Wilson, Registers of Scotland
Lead voluntary registration advisor
