Terms & Conditions

1. The Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland is the copyright of Historic Environment Scotland. All rights reserved. Other than for reasons of private research in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, no part of the Register may be reproduced, stored, sold, hired out or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the Buildings at Risk Service.

2. The information held on the Register is the opinion of the Buildings at Risk Service. It does not necessarily reflect that of Local Planning Authorities (although it has been generally ratified by them) or any other persons or organisations.

3. Inclusion on the Register does not imply criticism of the building owner, some of whom may be actively seeking to restore the building.

4. Inclusion on the Register does not give any automatic right of access whatsoever to properties or their surrounding land.

5. Inclusion on the Register does not imply availability. Users should never assume that a particular building is for sale. Where it is stated that a property is ‘not available’ or the owner is ‘anti-selling,’ the Buildings at Risk Service has been made aware that it is explicitly not for sale. Whatever the circumstances potential purchasers should always approach owners with tact and sensitivity.

6. The Buildings at Risk Service does not own any of the properties on the Register nor does it act as agent for any particular property. The Service cannot become involved in any negotiations regarding the sale or lease of any property.

7. Inclusion on the Register does not imply an automatic opportunity for development; in some cases consolidation as a ruin may be more appropriate. Anyone who is interested in acquiring a property is strongly advised to seek advice from the Local Planning Authority and Historic Environment Scotland before purchase.

8. The Buildings at Risk Service is not a grant aiding body. Furthermore, inclusion on the Register does not imply that a building will automatically be eligible for grant aid.

9. The condition of the property is the Buildings at Risk Service's opinion based on a visual external inspection of the building. It is not a technical, structural or financial appraisal. The description is only ever intended to be general. Although a property may appear to be at risk from its external appearance, it should not be assumed that this is mirrored internally, particularly in cases where a building is secure and internal access has not been possible.

10. All property details are provided by external individuals or agencies, or else are abstracted from other published sources. Under the terms of the Property Misrepresentation Act 1991, all descriptions, dimensions, references to condition, statements of necessary permissions for use and occupation, and all other details are given in good faith and are believed to be correct. However, any potential purchasers should not rely upon them as a statement of fact, but should satisfy themselves of their correctness by inspection or other means.

11. Property information is publicly held in Scotland via the Registers of Scotland. Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 the Buildings at Risk Service does not therefore require consent from the owner to hold this information.

12. The Buildings at Risk Service does exercise an ethical responsibility to ensure that to the best of its ability, building owners are made aware that their details are held on the Register. However, the owner may prove difficult to contact, particularly in cases where there has been a number of changes in ownership. In such cases the Service cannot accept responsibility for ownership details appearing without the owner’s knowledge.

13. The Buildings at Risk Service collects information solely for the purpose of documenting and publicising buildings at risk. The use of this information is strictly determined by this purpose.

14. Property owners have the right to enquire what information is held about their property on the Register. The Buildings at Risk service will satisfy these requests in a timely manner and in an easily intelligible form.

15. Given the parameters within which the Buildings at Risk Service operates, the task of ensuring that all information on the Register is accurate and up-to-date is immense. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that information is correct, inevitably some erroneous information may appear. It is for this reason that we would respectfully ask all persons using the service to proceed with tact and diplomacy.

16. If information is found to be inaccurate property owners have the right to request that the Buildings at Risk Service amends it in a timely manner. However, property owners do not have the right to request the Buildings at Risk Service to remove information entirely.

17. The Buildings at Risk Service cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information provided by third parties.

18. The Buildings at Risk Service exercises a right to provide the general public with any information available on the Register. It cannot accept responsibility for the subsequent use of this information by members of the public, which may include commercial research.

19. Similarly, the Buildings at Risk Service cannot accept responsibility for the results of any actions undertaken on the basis of the information it provides in the Register.