Registers page

Officially launched on 31 July by the Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Foundation is Registers of Scotland’s (RoS) unique contribution to Homecoming Scotland 2009.

The installation consists of a complex animation telling the story of the birth and growth of Glasgow in a unique and highly visual way, using state-of-the-art graphics and projection methods. Standing on a platform above a screen, visitors look down on the landscape as it changes below them and Glasgow’s story unfolds from prehistory to the present day and beyond. RoS records from the Sasine and Land Registers, dating as far back as the 16th century, have been used to help piece together Glasgow’s history.

This free exhibition has been supported with sponsorship from Scottish Water and Ross & Liddell. It should be of interest to Glasgow residents as well as anyone visiting the city, and is designed to appeal to people of all ages.

The presentation lasts approximately 15 minutes and is being shown until 20 September in RoS’s customer service centre at 9 George Square, Glasgow.

To book a time, please call 0141 251 0993 (9am-5pm) or email ros@adeptmg.com . Viewings are half hourly from 10am until 4pm.

 New Deputy Keeper (Service Delivery)

Andy Smith, previously Registration Director at RoS, has been appointed as the Deputy Keeper (Service Delivery). He took up post on 24 August 2009.

Andy is now responsible for Service Delivery, which includes the Registration, Customer Services and Business Development Directorates.

Andy joined the civil service in 1979. His career included a number of years in the Department of Employment (now the Department of Work and Pensions), followed by a variety of posts within RoS, including land surveying and managing the delivery of RoS digital mapping system. He has an MBA from Edinburgh University and a Diploma in Conveyancing from Abertay University. 

Registers Direct 2 launched 

On Tuesday 25 August, we launched an upgraded version of registers direct. This online searching system provides information from the RoS registers. 

Existing users will be moved over to the new system in stages over the next couple of months. Just before your move date, your lead user will receive two separate emails giving you all the details you will need, including new usernames and passwords.

Changes have been made at functional, design and infrastructure levels and include:

• improvements to the search engine to make the results more relevant to the search parameters;
• supplying title plans as PDF files, meaning that DAS Applet is no longer required; and
• using more up-to-date mapping for the index map.

You can get to know the upgraded registers direct by viewing the training demonstrations and technical requirements on our website at ros.gov.uk/registersdirect2. In particular, Register of Inhibitions users should familiarise themselves with the new search methodology by reading the FAQs. 

• If you would like more information or have any questions, please contact our eServices team on 0845 607 0160 or email eservices@ros.gov.uk .

  ---

Second quarter property statistics

On 5 August, RoS released Scotland’s residential property prices for the second quarter (April-June) of this year.

Key points

• Total value of sales across
• Scotland registered during the quarter was over £2.3 billion, a decrease of 51.2% on the same quarter last year.
• Volume of residential sales showed a decrease of 47.8% compared to the same quarter last year.
• Average price of a residential property in Scotland has decreased by 6.5% since the same quarter in 2008 and is now £145,553.
• You can view the statistical release, which contains house type information and averages by local authority, at: ros.gov.uk/public/news/ news_releases.html

Conveyancing conferences

Following on from four successful conferences in June, we are continuing our series of conveyancing conferences run jointly with the Law Society of Scotland.

The next three conferences will be held at:

• Dumfries Easterbrook Conference Centre: 8 October
• Dundee Apex City Quay: 20 October
• Edinburgh Signet Library: 22 October
• Topics covered will include:
• pricing of residential properties in the current economic climate;
• changes in procedures for land registration applications;
• rejected applications and how to avoid them; and
• significance of recent Lands Tribunal decisions (e.g. PMP Plus).
• Just choose the event you want to attend and book it through the Law Society of Scotland’s website lawscot.org.uk. Attendance costs £30.00 + VAT.