Revised table of fees
23 January 2012

A major review was undertaken of the Table of Fees for Messengers-at-arms and Sheriff Officers over the last two years. This was the first comprehensive review since 1990. As a result of that review revised tables were introduced on 23 January 2012.

After discussions with the Lord President's Private Office, the Tables were amended to remove the three bands in each column of the Table of Fees for service of documents to be replaced with one band which was set as the existing band 2 fee.

For work carried out in areas defined by a Scottish Government publication as remote rural, there will be a 30% uplift in the fee for service in these areas. In practice, the remote rural uplift will not exceed the existing band 3 fee chargeable.

An additional fee is also now chargeable when Officers deal with higher value actions exceeding £100,000. In these cases, an additional fee at the rate of 0.01 per cent of the action value can be charged in addition to the service fee.

Other fees such as interdicts, repossessions and ejections remain unaltered by these changes subject to an inflationary increase of 3.8%.

The review was undertaken as a result of an ever-changing marketplace following continuing legislative changes resulting in reductions to core activities and increased operating and fuel costs.

Future submissions for fee increases will be presented to the Advisory Council on Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers, based on a cost of time survey similar to that operated by the Law Society of Scotland, which will then advise the Lord President on any appropriate changes.