On the move

As part of our estate strategy, Registers of Scotland (RoS) is consolidating our business locations and relocating our Customer Service Centres. The Customer Service Centre currently located on George Square, Glasgow will move to our offices in Hanover House, Douglas Street, Glasgow and open there on Monday 27 February 2012.

The plans to move the Customer Service Centre currently located on Queen Street, Edinburgh, are progressing and we plan to open the new centre in Meadowbank House, 153 London Road, Edinburgh this summer.

From Monday 27 February 2012, the Customer Service Centre in Glasgow will be located at the following address: Hanover House, 24 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 7NQ.

The opening hours are unchanged and we are open to customers at the following times:

• Monday: 08.30-16.00
• Tuesday: 08.30-16.00
• Wednesday: 10.00-16.00
• Thursday: 08.30-16.00
• Friday: 08.30-16.00

The contact telephone number for the Customer Service Centre in Glasgow is: 0845 607 0164; fax: 0141 306 1721.

Training accreditation

Registers of Scotland (RoS) regards the training and development of expert staff as an essential part of the commitment to delivering professional and efficient registration of property and legal rights. We recently had our technical training programme for Plans staff in the Land Register accredited by Napier University, and aligned to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. This means that our staff can now gain nationally recognised qualifications for their knowledge and skills.

So far 20 of our Plans staff have been awarded qualifications, ranging from a Certificate in Land Registration (Plans) – First Registration, to a Diploma in Land Registration (Plans).

Rejection fee

It is a year since the £30 fee for rejection of an application was brought in. The fee was introduced by the Fees in The Registers of Scotland Amendment Order 2010, with the aim of reducing the large volume of applications that had to be rejected at the point of receipt. Over the course of the last

12 months the volume of rejected applications has dropped by 50%. We are grateful to our customers for working with us to reduce the number of rejected applications.

The majority of applications are rejected for reasons connected with the registration form or with the registration fee, or a combination of both. Use of direct debit can prevent applications being rejected for reasons associated with the registration fee. See www.ros.gov.uk/fees/payment for further information and set-up forms. Information on the use and completion of application forms can be found at www.ros.gov.uk/gettingitright, or by contacting our Customer Service Centre – email: customer.services@ros.gov.uk or tel: 0845 607 0161.

The volume of rejected applications has dropped by 50%

ARTL update

As at 08 February 2012

55,275 transactions have taken place

• 676 solicitors’ firms are currently on the ARTL system

• 29 lenders are currently on the ARTL system

• 13 local authorities are using the system

ARTL can now process applications containing a transfer with a value of more than £1 million.

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

Registers of Scotland is encouraging voluntary applications for registration of titles in the Land Register: see the feature at Journal, October 2011, 22.