The Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land  (RCI) will make it far easier to see who owns or is a long term tenant of land in Scotland.

Launched in April 2022 the RCI requires individuals and organisations to submit to the register before the deadline of 1 April 2024, after which point they could risk being fined up to £5,000.

Registers of Scotland maintains the RCI and provides guidance and support on who needs to apply and how to do so.

The register shows who controls the decisions of owners or tenants (for more than 20 years) of land and property in Scotland, where this information may not be publicly transparent elsewhere.

In trying to find out information about land, it may not be clear who makes the decisions about land and property. The land register and the sasines register may not show this information. This can make contacting the correct people difficult.

Keeper of the Registers of Scotland, Jennifer Henderson, said:

“Registers of Scotland are pleased to be custodians of another register that offers insight into the transparency of land and property ownership nationwide.

“The data within the Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land is already becoming a valuable asset for the people and economy of Scotland.” 

Click on this link for more information if you think you need to register: Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land (RCI)

The Regulations are not intended to capture those who own their own home, where there is no one who has significant influence or control over them.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, in the Scottish Government Mairi Gougeon said:

“Who owns and controls Scotland’s land and property matters, which is why we launched the Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land in April 2022.

“The Register was designed to provide greater transparency over who has control over decision making in relation to land and property and the two-year transitional period to make an entry is now coming to an end.

“Non-compliance will become a criminal offence as of 1 April 2024 which means those in scope who should be on the Register but have not met the deadline could risk a fine of up to £5000.

“The regulations are not intended to capture those who own their own home  where there is no one with significant influence or control over them. 

“I urge everyone who may be unsure, to go to the Registers of Scotland website and make use of the extensive guidance on offer.”