Customer survey scores a plus

Registers of Scotland (RoS) is committed to gathering evidence from all areas of our work to inform our efforts to deliver the very best services for all our customers.

Every year we conduct a customer satisfaction survey of solicitors and their relationship with RoS. This annual telephone survey targets 500 solicitors and these are drawn from the RoS customer database which holds contact details for over 5,000 solicitors. The survey is carried out by an independent company and they ensure that those selected reflect a proper cross section and representation of the solicitors who deal with RoS. To allow proper comparisons to be made, the questionnaire covers the same areas each year. This information is vital in helping us to assess your satisfaction with our services, to identify areas for improvement in our customer care, current services and our work in general, and to provide us with meaningful comparative data over the years.

Our latest survey has shown that we have achieved a rating of 99% for overall customer care, with 27% of solicitors surveyed rating RoS as “excellent”, up by 4% on last year. We are understandably pleased with this result but recognise that this is no time to rest on our laurels. While results in all areas were extremely encouraging, we will be working on a number of improvements including better communications with paralegals as well as solicitors, continued improvements in turnaround times and accuracy, refresher training for ARTL and more news on ARTL developments, and more Registers Updates.

We would like to thank all those who gave of their time to take part in this important survey.

Fees to change following working group review

Last year Registers of Scotland undertook a consultation on the fees we charge our customers for information from the registers. This is in line with our normal practice of regularly reviewing our fees and charges to ensure they offer the public and our business customers the best service for the best value.

As part of this consultation, we contacted a wide range of representative groups and bodies as well as hosting the consultation on our website. We also formed a working group consisting of representatives from the Conveyancing Committee of the Law Society of Scotland, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Scottish Consumer Council, the Society of Scottish Searchers and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Staff.

The consultation is now complete, and based on the findings ministers will be promulgating a Fee Amendment Order with a commencement date of 31 May. A Registers Update will be issued setting out the changes when Parliament has approved the Order. A number of the fees will be reduced, with some being increased. Overall the financial cost to the public and business users will fall.

For more information go to our website www.ros.gov.uk/ publications

ARTL UPDATE – as at 23 March 2009

15,025 ARTL transactions have taken place.

148 solicitors’ firms are currently on the ARTL system.

15 lenders are currently on the ARTL system.

10 local authorities are using the system.

29 full sign-up meetings scheduled for the next four weeks.

For up-to-date information and a full list of participating practices and companies go to: ros.gov.uk/artl/