Books of Council and Session - Single Handling Dealing with Post

Process Steps

1.0 Start of day: C&S and Judgments

1.1 The files generated by the previous working day’s intake must be printed off (the end-of-day files).

1.2 When the printing is finished there should be acknowledgement letters, preambles, flysheets and a presentment book.

1.3 The presentment book sheets go into the appropriate box, which is located on top of the CAJR mail ‘pigeon holes’ – otherwise, the Back Desk Area.

1.4 Flysheets for C&S go into a buff folder (box of used buff folders in CAJR Despatch area), and placed with the end-of-day backlog, in the black shelving unit.

1.5 Preambles and acknowledgement letters should be secured together, in their separate bundles, and placed in the yellow tray, on the ‘Plans table’, in the Despatch area.

1.6 The previous day’s covering letters should be placed in the black ‘desk tidy’ on the plans table, in the Despatch area.

2.0 Morning post

2.1 SO1s will separate the ROI deeds from the C&S deeds; the C&S deeds will then be separated into RO2 deeds and SO1 deeds.

2.2 The deeds are distributed amongst the CAJR team.

2.3 Any LR mail is passed to a team leader.

3.0 Backing up

3.1 Remove deeds, letters and forms (C&S1) from envelope, keeping deeds with appropriate letter / form.

3.2 Check agents letter to ensure that the deed is for registration in the Books of C&S, if not refer to CAJR Team Leader.

3.3 Check that the deed has a backing sheet.

3.3.1 Where the deed does not have a backing sheet, create one using the backing sheet template available in the CAJR Fileshare.

3.4 Check how many extracts are required.

3.5 In pencil, on the bottom left hand corner of the first page to be copied, write whatever the required number of extracts is (if greater than one).

3.6 Number up all pages to be copied. Some agents require their original backing sheet to be numbered too. See the PLP list (Print Lead Page), for agents this applies to.

• NOTE: the backing sheet should only be marked as PLP if the sheet carries the agent’s address.

3.7 Any pages not to be numbered i.e. signing instructions or blank pages, should be ‘X’ed off’ and not numbered.

3.8 Check to see whether deed is to be registered for preservation or preservation and execution.

3.9 On the last numbered page of the deed, beside the pencilled page number, write either D/ or D/E depending on whether deed if for preservation or preservation & execution.

3.10 For deed with its own backing sheet, date stamp on the top left corner of sheet; add agent details and town, to bottom right of sheet, if they don’t appear on the sheet.

3.11 Fill in the number of pages, number of extracts (if more than 1) and FAS ID (only use post payment FAS ID numbers - check that the agent has quoted correctly)

3.12 On the backing sheet template, also add party details, deed type, agent details and town.

3.13 Stamp backing sheet with Extracts stamp, adding number of extracts requested, and also with Execution stamp, if required. Also, remember to add ‘Extracts’ and ‘Execution’ to the template, as required.

3.14 If the deed has duplicate plans, check that the number of plans submitted corresponds with the number of extracts required and put them in a clear plastic folder; on a post-it note, write ‘CLR copies x' (whatever number), add the day’s date to the post-it note and stick to plans. Also add this text to the covering letter, and the backing sheet.

3.15 Place covering letter, deed, plans, and any other attached paperwork, into a yellow plastic folder, and place to one side, ready for the legal check.

4.0 Dealing with cheques

4.1 If the deed has a cheque, confirm that the amount and the payee are correct, that it has been signed and dated, and that it has been signed within six months of being received.

4.2 If the cheque meets all criteria, write the deed type, FAS ID and the first party on the back of it.

4.3 On the submitting letter / form, and the backing sheet of the deed, write 'FWA' ("Fee With Application"). Attach cheque to submitting letter / form and original deed, with a paperclip.

4.4 If the cheque is incorrect, write ‘cheque to be returned’ on letter, and put cheque aside. Cheque return procedure:

4.4.1 Amend cheque return letter, to reflect details. 

4.4.2 Staple cheque to letter, put in an envelope, and place on mail trolley.

5.0 SO1 legal check

5.1 Check that relevant parties are named and designed.

5.2 Check testing clause – ensure that it has been signed by relevant parties and witnesses.

5.3 Check that witnesses have been named and designed (in accordance with the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995).

5.4 If a deed fails on any of these criteria, it must be returned to the agent, using the relevant returns letter; it must also be recorded on Cool ICE and in the Returns folder.

6.0 Entering deeds onto CAJR database

6.1 Log into CAJR system

6.2 Select deed code or choose from dropdown menu.

6.3 Click on Parties+ and enter the first party. Enter party surname, party forename and party town (for a company, the company name is entered into the party surname). Once complete, click on OK.

6.4 Enter FAS number.

6.5 Enter agent’s reference. If no reference, use signatory name or similar.

6.6 Enter number of pages and number of extracts requested by agent.

6.7 Select whether Preservation or Preservation & Execution (system defaults to this option); when prompted, confirm selection.

6.8 Enter lease details, where given (click on LEASE – this will appear for relevant deed types).

6.9 Once all details have been entered, click the OK button. At this point, the system will generate a unique deed number.

6.10 Write the unique deed number onto the deed, the letter or form, and plans (with a post it pad). If this proves to be the first deed of the day, write ‘START’ beside the unique number.

6.11 Place the numbered deed and covering letters into separate piles (on desktop, in desk tidy etc.), then move on to the next application.

6.11.1 Ensure that piles are in numeric order and facing the same way i.e. face down. The importance of this will become apparent during the collating procedure.

7.0 Collating the days intake

7.1 Deeds.

7.1.1 All of the deeds from the various inputters for that day, are collected onto a vacant desk.

7.1.2 The deeds are collated or ‘put together’ into numerical order. They should be put into a single pile, face down, starting with the first deed of the day.

7.1.3 Once the deeds are put together (a normal day’s intake will usually produce three manageable bundles), secure them together using a black strap, and put into the department safe.

7.1.4 The last bundle of C&S deeds should be left in the Back Desk Area – this is so that anyone who is working late can add their own work to the bundle, before putting it into the safe.

7.2 Covering letters.

7.2.1 All of the covering letters, from the various inputters for that day, are collected together on a vacant desk.

7.2.2 The letters are then collated, in the same fashion as the deeds. They should be put together in a single pile, face down, starting with the first covering letter of the day.

7.2.3 Once the letters have been collated, a FAS number check must be run on all the intake for that day. 

7.3 Two person check.

7.3.1 Before running the check, via the CAJR database, click on Presentment Book Display, select Generate, then Print. Collect the print-off from the CAJR5 printer.

7.3.2 With one person reading out the various agents, from the headers of the covering letters, the second person should check that the agent name on the Presentment Book agrees with what appears on the letter. If the FAS in the presentment book is in error, go into the CAJR database, call up the deed entry using the unique run number and amend the FAS entry to reflect the covering letter.

7.3.3 Place completed bundle in Despatch area (see 1.6).

8.0 Dealing with legal check returns

8.1 Cool ICE.

8.1.1 From your PC desktop, select Cool ICE.

8.1.2 Select CAJR Returns, C&S (Submit), then Enter.

8.1.3 Input all relevant details (Party names, Deed type, Officers initials, Reason, and a description of the reason for return, in the Comments), then Submit.

8.1.4 Take a note of the rejection code, and write this onto the agent’s covering letter.

8.2 Returns folder CAJR (the Returns folder is located in the CAJR fileshare).

8.2.1 Enter relevant details into the spreadsheet, then take note of the cell number. You will record this identifier onto the covering letter (which is retained and archived).

8.2.2 Prepare a returns letter, to accompany the rejected deed. From the second page of the letter, select the reason for rejection. Delete all irrelevant rejection reasons, and the rejection code (but keep a record of the rejection code). (The Returns letter template is located in the CAJR fileshare).

8.2.3 You will need to print off two copies of this letter.

8.2.4 On one of these copies, or on the agent’s covering letter, record the rejection code, and the agent’s FAS number (plus any other relevant information).

8.2.5 One of these copies plus the agent’s covering letter now have to be archived. Place them both into a yellow folder, and put them into the Returns tray (next to the mail trolley).

8.2.6 Return the original deed, along with the covering letter, to the agent. Place envelope in relevant section of mail trolley.