Explanatory Notes

Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007

2007 asp 3

15 January 2007

The Act

Commentary

Part 4 – Land Attachment and Residual Attachment
Chapter 2 – Attachment of land
Foreclosure
Section 118 – Registration of decree of foreclosure

351.Section 118 provides for the effects of registration of the decree of foreclosure in the appropriate property register. Subsection (1) provides that the debtor’s right to bring the land attachment to an end by paying the debt is removed and the land will vest in the creditor. At the same time, the land will no longer be subject to the land attachment, securities or any diligence ranking after the land attachment and the creditor will have the right to redeem any security or diligence ranking prior to or equally with, the land attachment. Effectively, the creditor will now own the land (or, in the case of a long lease, will become the tenant in place of the debtor).

352.Subsection (2) provides that, despite the decree of foreclosure, the debtor will remain liable for any balance due to the creditor which is not extinguished by the price at which the creditor is (under section 117(8)(c)) deemed to have acquired the land and for any sums due to any creditor under a postponed security. Subsections (3) and (4) provide that the creditor’s title will not be challengeable on the ground of any irregularity in the diligence or foreclosure proceedings although the debtor will retain a right to claim damages for wrongful diligence.