If your charity owns, or has an interest in, land and property in Scotland, there is new legislation which may apply to you.
The Register of Persons with a Controlled Interest in Land (RCI) is a new public register managed by the Registers of Scotland (RoS). While there are existing Registers in Scotland which provide details of the owner or tenant of land and property in Scotland these Registers do not detail who can significantly influence or control the owner or tenant’s decisions about the land. The RCI aims to improve transparency of land ownership in Scotland by providing this information.
The RCI contains information about:
- The land or property
- The owner or tenants
- Any person who has a controlling interest over the land
Who needs to register
If you are the owner or a tenant with a lease of more than 20 years, you are known as the recorded person. Your details are usually already held publicly elsewhere, such as in the Land Register of Scotland.
You will only need to make an entry in the RCI if another person or entity has significant control or influence over any decision you make in relation to the land or property. These people are known as associates.
The RoS website contains lots of information to help you understand whether or not you need to register. You can use their RCI self-assessment tool to check if you need to register.
Legal requirement
If you are the Recorded Person and there is a person with significant interest and control over decisions about the land or property (an Associate) you must make an entry in the RCI. The deadline for making an entry is Monday 01 April 2024.
For full details about this legislation and the steps you may need to take, please click here (linked for your convenience).