I’m continuing to send you regular updates to outline the measures that Registers of Scotland (RoS) is taking in response to the ongoing public health emergency and how these measures are helping businesses and customers.
Updates this week include:
- RoS ready to meet customer demand as limits on house moves relax on 29 June
- Digital services take the lead as RoS buildings remain closed to post and personal presentments
- Date for the opening of the Register of Deeds to be announced next week
- RoS supports four new Scottish tech start-ups
Moving to Phase 2
From Monday 29 June, all home moves are permitted, provided they can be carried out safely. The Scottish Government has released new guidance outlining how property transactions will work in phase 2.
While we welcome this positive step forward for the Scottish housing market we acknowledge that the process of finding and moving into a new home will be different. We will all have to continue to adapt practices and procedures to ensure that the risk of spread of COVID-19 is reduced as far as possible.
This is why RoS will continue to work remotely and our building will remain closed to post and personal presentments. Our focus will continue to be the provision of high quality digital services through our new online submissions processes.
Customers getting back to work
RoS is ready and able to meet customer needs as we move into this new phase of national recovery from Coronavirus. As a quick recap for those that may be coming back to work after a period of time away, or who may not have seen last week’s update, I’ve included a summary of our current products and services below.
The new range of systems created during the lockdown period have been developed and deployed in record time. Feedback clearly shows that services have been working well and have been extremely well received by customers to date.
You will continue to be kept informed on any new developments. In particular, when we plan to declare the application record fully re-open. This won’t happen until a date is agreed with the Law Society of Scotland and customers have had an opportunity to retrieve and send us all existing application paperwork from their offices.
The record re-opening is the trigger point defined in the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 for advance notices in the system (that have not yet been replaced by an application) to start to expire after 10 days.
Register of Deeds
The Register of Deeds is a priority for RoS as lockdown restrictions ease. We know that many of you will have submissions such as leases, wills or minutes of agreement that you want to send in.
As the purpose of this register is to preserve original deed documents, it is something which currently demands a degree of manual processing. We are working hard to prepare safe working procedures for our colleagues in this area to allow this register to re-open. We will have an update for you next week on the date that you can expect this to happen.
In the meantime, if you have a particularly urgent case please contact customer services as outlined below.
Support for Scottish start-ups
As part of our wider work to support the Scottish economy, I am pleased to announce that four more Scottish businesses are to be supported through Geovation Scotland.
The accelerator programme – which is run by RoS and Ordnance Survey – aims to support Scottish start-ups looking to use geospatial or property data to solve problems and deliver value to businesses in Scotland.
The initiative launched in Scotland last year and offers the companies involved access to a wealth of data, mentoring and resources as well as funding to develop their business.
We look forward to working with this new cohort of tech entrepreneurs to help them reach their full potential as we all continue to support the economy of Scotland.
RoS service summary
Please see below for the summary of our services. If you have a complex or urgent application then we would recommend you continue to speak to one of our senior advisors for guidance: email customerservices@ros.gov.uk or phone 0800 169 9391.
Online systems
Emergency coronavirus legislation is in place that allows us to accept digital submissions in the following areas.
Land register
Advance notices
Register of Inhibitions and Register of Judgments
Sasine register
We are working on a digital solution for sasine register applications and aim to launch in early July.
Existing services
You can also access our existing online business services for
- ScotLIS for business
- Digital Discharge Service
- Reports
Copies of our documents continue to be available via our website.
Ordering deeds
The vast majority of deeds will be provided in the usual way. However, we are currently unable to source:
- Extracts from any register
- Duplicate plans
- Burgh Register deeds
Extract orders will be placed on hold and processed when this service becomes available again. If you have an urgent requirement for any of these services please contact customer services so we can arrange to support you via our emergency processes.
We hold digitised sasine deeds from the mid-1870s and all copy deeds should continue to be ordered via our website.
For larger orders you can email customer services.
Contacting us
Use the links below to be directed to the dedicated mailbox or customer service contact who will be able to help:
- Sasine register (until the digital system is available)
- Register of Deeds
- ScotLIS support enquiries
- Post registration enquiries
- Land register rectification requests
- Compensation payments
- Search requests
- Development plan approval
- Copy deeds
- Requests for land and property data
- GIS services
- Crofting register applications
- Register of Community Interests in Land (Agricultural Tenants)
- Register of Protests
A bespoke email address covid19enquiries@ros.gov.uk is available for general questions about RoS processes and procedures during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Please direct enquiries about specific property transactions and cases to:
Email: customerservices@ros.gov.uk
Phone: 0800 169 9391
If there is anything else you would like to bring to my attention during this period, please email FAO Jennifer Henderson: rossecretariat@ros.gov.uk.
Jennifer Henderson, Keeper of the Registers of Scotland