Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use the website?

Why do you charge for access?

This website is the product of over 21 years of research. To investgate landownership costs money. To begin with there are search fees in the Registers of Scotland. Every record costs at least £3+VAT to research. If there are 2000 records on the website then to keep the website current to within one year will cost at least £7200 per year or £600 per month in search fees. In addition there is the time taken to update and extend the coverage, time spent in the National Records of Scotland examining Sasines titles and the various site costs of hosting, site maintenance, Ordnance Survey charges and the rest. This website is also how I earn a basic living.

Why is some of the information out of date?

I could not afford to update all records when the site launched in September 2022. At that time, around 50% of records had a currency of less than one year with the other 50% dating back as far as 2002. The aim is to have all records current within one year by the end of 2023 (achieved with the exception of 2 outstanding records). Progress can be monitored on the News page.

To keep the information more up to date than one year would increase costs (see above). A currency of 6 months would cost over £14,400 in fees alone never mind taking twice the time. If you wish information that is current within 24hrs, please visit Registers of Scotland to obtain an up to date title.

How do I find out how much land a person owns?

The site is designed to let you find out who owns a certain parcel of land. If they own other land in the same name then you can use the search function to locate other properties. Frequently however, a person may set up different companies (all contolled by them) to own diffeent parcels of land and so a search in this case will not reveal all the properties owned by the person. I hope to be able to add a 'multiple holdings' search function in the future.

Are you looking for information about changes in landownership?

Yes, please. If you know that a change has taken place, please contact me at admin@whoownsscotland.org.uk. This will prioritise that record for an update which will involve checking the Land Register to confirm details.

Why have you only covered 60/70% of Scotland?

Researching landownership is time-consuming and costly. The aim of this website is to cover as much of Scotland as time and resources will allow (this depends on the level of income). To do this means focussing on the larger landholdings first and expanding to include smaller and smaller ones. Currently (Sep 2024), as a general guide, most of the properties on the website are larger than 200ha (500 acres). There are some above that threshold still to be included and some below that threshold that are included. The aim is to include as many of the landholdings larger than 100ha (250 acres) as possible. This will probably involve adding another 3000 - 4000 holdings which will cost at least £10,000 in search fees and another £20,000 or so in time. Hopefully the website will be reach this stage by the end of 2025.

I own land and the details recorded are incorrect

Plesase get in touch at admin@whoownsscotland.org.uk and we can sort this.

I have forgotten my Password

To reset your password, go to the Foxy subscription page, enter your email address and press the <Return> key on your keyboard. Foxy will search for your email address on the subscription database and, if it finds it, will prompt you to enter your password. If you have forgotten it, then click the <Forgot password> link (see image below). You will be sent a temporary password. Use that to complete the login on the same page and then enter a new password at the foot of the page.

If you cannot remember the email you used to subscribe, search your emails for the email sent to you from admin@whoownsscotland.org.uk when you subscribed. This will include the email you used. If you are still having difficulty, contact me at admin@whoownsscotland.org.uk.

How Do I Change my email address (username)?

We hope to develop a Customer Portal where you can do this and change other details but meanwhile, if you need to edit your email address, please contact admin@whoownsscotland.org.uk and I will do it on your behalf.

How Do I Change my Payment Details?

Click this link to change details.

Type in your email address to get started and you'll be prompted for your password. If you've forgotten your password there is a link to help you.

How Do I Cancel my Subscription?

If you have taken out a one month subscription, this will end at the end of the one month and there is nothing you need to do.

if you have taken out a one year subscription, you can cancel it by clicking on the "cancel this subscription" link in the email receipt you received when you subscribed. This will cancel the subscription at the end of the year (so you can continue to enjoy whatever period is left of your one year subscription) and it will not be auto-renewed.

If you no longer have this email, contact me at admin@whoownsscotland.org.uk and I will cancel the subscription for you.