The automated registration of title to land (ARTL) system in Scotland ; digital signatures on digital deeds
Young, Ken
I n Scotland, 99.99% of conveyancing business is in the hands of the Scottish legal profession, with solicitors acting either as agents for members of the public or as inhouse lawyers for corporations or public sector bodies. There is no legal barrier to members of the public handling their own conveyancing work, but the processes are complex and difficult and in real life very few members of the public attempt it. Consequently, virtually all applications for registration of title to interests in land that are prepared, completed and submitted by Scottish solicitors. I n 1999, when the concept of ARTL came into being, a policy decision was taken that it was inappropriate for Registers of Scotland (RoS) as the Scottish land registration authority to reform conveyancing business through the medium of a new electronic service. The prevailing view was that RoSS concern should be only to modernise the registration process. In other words, we did not think that it was for RoS to change conveyancing. ARTL therefore became an electronic registration system rather than an electronic conveyancing system. ARTL allows solicitors to conduct their conveyancing business in the traditional way, but makes it possible for them to interact directly with the Land Register, online, at the final stages of their work.
Event: International Conference of World Leading Countries on Electronic Conveyancing
Only personal, non-commercial use of this document is allowed.