Re: Land Rights in Scotland
Correct, since the abolition of the feudal system in 2004 it is now possible to own land outright in Scotland. Previously all land was held under a feudal heirarchy where it would be granted by the Crown to noblemen who in turn would grant it to vassals. Traditionally noblemen were required to provide military service to the Crown and vassals were required to provide a proportion of their crops to their Superior though in the early twentieth century all such "casualties" were commuted to money payments. Vassals, or Landowners were still subject to payment of feuduties to the Superior but since 1974 could "commute" these by paying to the Superior a sum of money such as would enable the Superior to buy Government bonds which would provide the equivalent income as the feuduty would have done. The Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act finally abolished feuduties and other Superiors' rights such as sporting rights and the right to enforce title conditions in 2004. Some title conditions may however continue where there is a neighbourhood amenity interest, for example if you had been permitted to build a house in the grounds of your Superior's castle, there could still be a title condition which prevented you turning your house into a business premises. Titles are nowadays recorded in the Scottish Land Register. As others have said these are subject to the Right to Roam - you cannot exclude people from walking on your land but you can claim the cost of repairs if they damage your property while doing so.
Regional Director for Scotland for Clan Cunningham International, and a Scottish Armiger.
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