Law

Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2017-11-30, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 124 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 Constitution and general functions of Crofters Commission.
  3. 2 Particular powers and duties of the Commission.
  4. 2A Ministers' power to modify functions of Commission
  5. 2B Annual report
  6. 2C Duty to produce plan
  7. 2D Status of plan
  8. 3 Meaning of croft and crofter.
  9. 3ZA Registered crofts
  10. 3A New crofts
  11. 3AA Registration of new crofts
  12. 3B Compensation for constituting holding outwith crofting counties as croft on application of tenant
  13. 3C Appeal against assessment under section 3B
  14. 4 Enlargement of crofts
  15. 4A Exchange of crofts or parts of crofts
  16. 5 The statutory conditions.
  17. 5A Complaint as respects breach of the statutory conditions
  18. 5AA Crofters: residency duty
  19. 5B Termination of tenancy for misuse or neglect
  20. 5C Crofters: duty to cultivate and maintain
  21. 6 Rent.
  22. 7 Renunciation of tenancy.
  23. 8 Assignation of croft.
  24. 9 Division of croft
  25. 10 Bequest of croft.
  26. 11 Intestacy.
  27. 12 General provision.
  28. 13 Authorisation by Land Court of acquisition of croft land.
  29. 14 Consideration payable in respect of acquisition of croft land.
  30. 15 Determination by Land Court of terms and conditions for conveyance of the site of the dwelling-house.
  31. 16 Provisions relating to conveyance.
  32. 17 Provisions supplementary to sections 13 and 15.
  33. 18 Adjustment of rent for remainder of croft where part conveyed to crofter.
  34. 19 Provisions relating to existing loans and heritable securities.
  35. 19A Schemes for development
  36. 19B Meaning of “owner-occupier crofter” etc.
  37. 19C Duties of owner-occupier crofters
  38. 19D Division of owner-occupied crofts
  39. 20 Resumption of croft or part of croft by landlord.
  40. 21 Crofter’s right to share in value of land resumed by landlord.
  41. 21A Reversion of resumed land
  42. 21B Commission consent for absence from croft
  43. 21C Extension of consent for absence
  44. 21D Variation of condition in consent for absence
  45. 22 Absentee crofters.
  46. 23 Vacant crofts.
  47. 24 Decrofting in case of resumption or vacancy of croft.
  48. 24A Applications to decroft by owner-occupier crofters
  49. 24B Commission's powers in relation to applications under section 24A
  50. 24C Application of section 25 in relation to decrofting directions
  51. 24D Effect of decrofting direction
  52. 25 Provisions supplementary to s.24(3).
  53. 26 Provisions as to removal of crofter.
  54. 26A Commission's duty to investigate suspected breach of duty
  55. 26B Enforcement of duties of crofters and owner-occupier crofters: general
  56. 26C Notice of suspected breach of duty
  57. 26D Undertakings: general
  58. 26E Circumstances where the Commission may not take action under section 26H or 26J
  59. 26F Commission duty to take action under section 26H or 26J
  60. 26G Division of croft before taking action
  61. 26H Crofters: tenancy termination procedure
  62. 26J Owner-occupier crofters: letting procedure
  63. 26K Appeals
  64. 27 Provisions as to right to sublet.
  65. 29 Miscellaneous provisions regarding subleases of crofts.
  66. 29A Letting of owner-occupied crofts
  67. 29B Status of tenant under a short lease
  68. 30 Compensation to crofter for improvements.
  69. 31 Permanent improvements made on crofts for purposes of subsidiary or auxiliary occupations.
  70. 32 Assessment of compensation for improvements.
  71. 33 Record of improvements.
  72. 34 Compensation to landlord for deterioration or damage.
  73. 35 Assessment of compensation for improvements or deterioration on joint application to Land Court.
  74. 36 Compensation to cottar for improvements.
  75. 37 Crofter’s right to share in value of land taken possession of compulsorily.
  76. 38 Reorganisation schemes.
  77. 38A Appeal to Land Court: special provision as respects reorganisation schemes
  78. 39 Putting into effect of reorganisation schemes.
  79. 40 Obtaining of information by Commission.
  80. 40A Annual notices
  81. 41 Register of Crofts.
  82. 42 Crofters.
  83. 43 Supplementary provisions as to loans under s.42.
  84. 44 Cottars
  85. 45 Former crofters and cottars who have acquired site of the dwelling-house.
  86. 46 Owner-occupiers of like economic status as crofters and other persons.
  87. 46A Regulations concerning loans
  88. 47 Appointment, etc., of grazings committee or grazings constable.
  89. 48 Powers and duties of grazings committees.
  90. 49 Common grazings regulations.
  91. 49 AGrazings committees: duty to report
  92. 50 Use of common grazings for forestry purposes.
  93. 50A Joint forestry ventures etc.
  94. 50B Use of common grazing for other purposes
  95. 51 Enlargement of common grazings.
  96. 51A New common grazing
  97. 51B Registration of new common grazings
  98. 52 Miscellaneous provisions as to common grazings, as to lands held runrig, and as to use by crofters of peat bogs, etc.
  99. 52A Appeal to Land Court: general
  100. 53 Jurisdictional provisions.
  101. 53A Extent of boundaries
  102. 53B Access to croft
  103. 54 Crofters Holdings Book.
  104. 55 Service of notices
  105. 55A Public notification
  106. 56 Provisions as to entry and inspection.
  107. 57 Provisions as to compulsory purchase of land and as to management of land.
  108. 58 Provisions as to representations.
  109. 58A Obtaining Commission approval or consent
  110. 58B Variation of conditions on approval or consent
  111. 59 Financial provisions.
  112. 59A Equal opportunities
  113. 60 Regulations and orders
  114. 61 Interpretation.
  115. 62 Application of Act to Crown.
  116. 63 Transitional provisions and savings, and repeals.
  117. 64 Short title, commencement and extent.
  118. SCHEDULE 1 THE CROFTING COMMISSION
  119. SCHEDULE 2 The statutory conditions
  120. SCHEDULE 3 Permanent improvements
  121. SCHEDULE 5 Provisions as to security, etc., of loans
  122. SCHEDULE 6 Transitional provisions and savings
  123. SCHEDULE 7 Repeals
  124. TABLE OF DERIVATIONS

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124 provisions

SCHEDULE 5 Provisions as to security, etc., of loans

Sections 19(1), 43(4) and (6), 45(2) and 46(3). 1 The loan shall be secured by a heritable security over the land in favour of the Secretary of State. 2 The loan shall either be repaid by half-yearly instalments of principal with such interest and within such period (not exceeding such period as may be fixed by the Treasury) from the date of the loan, or at such date thereafter not exceeding 18 months as may be agreed on, or shall be repaid with such interest and within such period by a terminable annuity payable by half-yearly instalments. 3 The amount for the time being unpaid may at any time be discharged, and any such terminable annuity may at any time be redeemed in accordance with tables fixed by the Secretary of State. 4 A certificate by the Secretary of State that the whole of the loan has been repaid or that such terminable annuity has been redeemed shall, without any other instrument, operate as a discharge of the loan or extinction of the terminable annuity, as the case may be, and the recording of such certificate in the Register of Sasines or the registration of the certificate in the Land Register of Scotland shall be equivalent to the recording or the registration of a discharge of the said heritable security. 5 The Secretary of State shall cause to be prepared and duly recorded all documents necessary for securing the payment of any loan over land made by him, and shall include in the loan the cost so incurred, or to be incurred, in accordance with scales set forth in tables fixed by the Secretary of State.

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SCHEDULE 6 Transitional provisions and savings

Section 63(1). 1 In so far as anything done under an enactment repealed by this Act could have been done under a corresponding provision of this Act, it shall not be invalidated by the repeal but shall have effect as if done under that provision. 2 Where any period of time specified in an enactment repealed by this Act is current at the commencement of this Act, this Act shall have effect as if the corresponding provision thereof had been in force when that period began to run. 3 Any reference in any enactment or document, whether express or implied, to an enactment repealed by this Act shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to the corresponding enactment in this Act. 4 Nothing in this Act shall affect the enactments repealed by this Act in their operation in relation to offences committed before the commencement of this Act. 5 The repeal by this Act of section 22 of the 1955 Act shall not affect the operation of that section in so far as it relates to a person who is the owner and occupier of a holding mentioned in subsection (6) of that section. 6 Notwithstanding the repeal by this Act of section 3 of the Crofter Forestry (Scotland) Act 1991, the amendments made by that section to section 1 of the Forestry Act 1979 and to section 2 of the Farm Land and Rural Development Act 1988 shall continue to have the same effect as they had immediately before the commencement of this Act.

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SCHEDULE 7 Repeals

Section 63(2). Part I Enactments repealed so far as they apply in the crofting counties Chapter | Short title | Extent of repeal 49 & 50 Vict. c. 29 | The Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 | Section 30. Section 33. 1 & 2 Geo. 5 c. 49 | The Small Landholders (Scotland) Act 1911 | Section 28. 1976 c. 21 | The Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 1976 | Section 17(2). Part II Other enactments repealed Chapter | Short title | Extent of repeal 3 & 4 Eliz. 2 c. 21 | The Crofters (Scotland) Act 1955 | The whole Act. 9 & 10 Eliz 2 c. 58 | The Crofters (Scotland) Act 1961 | The whole Act. 1976 c. 21 | The Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 1976 | The whole Act except section 17. 1985 c. 73 | The Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 | Sections 30 and 31. 1991 c.18 | The Crofter Forestry (Scotland) Act 1991 | The whole Act.

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TABLE OF DERIVATIONS

Showing the derivation of the provisions of the Act NOTE: The following abbreviations are used in this Table— 1955 | = The Crofters (Scotland) Act 1955 (c.21) 1961 | = The Crofters (Scotland) Act 1961 (c.58) 1968 | = The Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1968 (c.70) 1973 | = The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c.65) 1974 | = The Housing (Scotland) Act 1974 (c.45) 1975 | = The Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c.21) 1976 | = The Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 1976 (c.21) 1985 | = The Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c.73) 1991 | = The Crofter Forestry (Scotland) Act 1991 (c.18) R (followed by a number) | = The recommendation so numbered in the Appendix to the Report of the Scottish Law Commission. Provisions | Derivations 1 | 1955 s.1; 1961 s.1; 1976 Sch.2 para.4. 2 | 1955 s.2; 1976 Sch.2 para.5. 3 | 1955 s3(1), (2), (5) and (6); 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.9; 1976 s.14. 4(1) | 1961 s.2(2). (2) | 1961 s.2(2A); 1976 Sch.2 para.17. (3) | 1961 s.2(3). (4) | 1961 s.2(5). 5(2) | 1955 s.3(3). (3) | 1955 s.3(4). 6 | 1955 s.5. 7 | 1955 s.7; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.1. 8 | 1955 s.8; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.10; 1968 Sch.2 Pt.I para 1; 1976 s.15 and Sch.2 para.6. 9 | 1955 s.9. 10 | 1955 s.10; 1968 Sch.2 Pt.I paras.2 and 3. 11 | 1955 s.11; 1968 s.8 Sch.2 Pt II. 12(1)–(4) | 1976 s.1. R1. (5) | 1955 s.28(4); 1976 s.21. 13 | 1976 s.2. 14 | 1976 s.3. 15 | 1976 s.4. 16 | 1976 s.5. 17 | 1976 s.6; R2. 18 | 1976 s.7. 19 | 1976 s.8.; Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990 (c.35) s.22. 20 | 1955 s.12; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.11; 1976 Sch.3; 1985 s.30(1); 1991 s.2(1). 21 | 1976 s.9; 1985 s.30(2); R3. 22 | 1955 s.17; 1976 Sch.2 para.9. 23 | 1955 s.16; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.5 & Pt.II para.12; 1968 Sch.2 Pt.I para.17; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 s.13 Sch.2 para.8; R4. 24 | 1955 ss.12(4), 16(7),(9) and (9A). 25 | 1955 s.16A; 1976 s13(3). 26 | 1955 s.13; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.3. 27 | 1961 s.11. 28(1) to (16) | 1961 s.12; 1976 Sch.2 para.20. (17) | 1961 s.19(2). 29 | 1961 s.13; 1976 Sch.2 para.21. 30(1) | 1955 s.14(1); 1968 s.8 Sch.2 Pt.II. (2) | 1955 s.14(2). (3) | 1955 s.14(3). (4) | 1955 s.14(8). (5) | 1955 s.14(10). (6) | 1955 s.14(11). (7) | 1955 s.37(1). 31 | 1961 s.5. 32 | 1961 s.6; 1968 Sch.2 paras. 19 to 21. 33 | 1955 s.6. 34(1) | 1955 s.14(6). (2) | 1955 s.14(7). (3) | 1955 s.14(8). 35 | 1955 s.14(9). 36 | 1955 s.28; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.7. 37 | 1976 s.10. 38 | 1961 s.8. 39 | 1961 s.9. 40 | 1955 s.15; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 Sch.2 para.7. 41 | 1961 s.3; 1976 Sch.2 para.18; 1991 s.2(7). 42(1) to (6) and (8) to (10) | 1955 s.22; 1961 s.14; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 s.12(2), (5) and (6); 1985 s.31. R5(a) and (b). (7) | 1961 s.14(2). 43 | 1955 s.23; 1957 s.10(7). 44 | 1955 s.28(3). 45 | 1976 s.12(1),(3),(4) and (5). 46(1) to (3) | 1955 s.31; 1976 s.12(2) and (5); 1976 Sch.2 para.13. (4) | 1961 s.14(1). 47(1) to (9) | 1955 s.24; 1961 15(1), Sch.1 Pt.II para.13; 1976 s.16(1). (10) | 1961 s.15(6). 48 | 1955 s.25; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.14; 1976 s.16(2) and (3); 1991 ss.1(1) and 2(2). 49 | 1955 s.26; 1961 s.15(2) and (3) Sch.1 Pt.II para.15; 1976 s.16(4); 1991 s.2(3). 50 | 1991 s.1(2). 51 | 1961 s.2(4) and (5). 52 (except subs (6)) | 1955 s.27; 1961 s.15; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 s.16(5) and Sch.2 para.11; 1991 s.2(4); R6(a) and (b). (6) | 1961 s.15(5). 53(1) | 1961 s.4(1); 1976 Sch.2 para.19. (2) | 1961 s.4(2). 54 | 1976 s.17(2). 55 | 1955 s.29. 56 | 1955 s.30; 1975 ss.289E, 289F and 289G. 57 | 1955 s.32; 1963 s.47. 58 | 1955 s.33. 59 | 1955 s.35 60 | 1955 s.36. 61 | 1955 s.37; 1961 s.17(1); 1973 Sch.27 Pt.II para.20; 1976 s.21. 62 | 1955 s.38; 1976 s.19. Sch 1 | 1955 Sch.1; 1976 s.18. Sch 2 | 1955 Sch.2; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.20; 1991 s.2(5). Sch 3 | 1955 Sch. 5; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para. 21; 1974 s.25(3); 1991 s.2(6). Sch 4 | 1961 Sch.2; 1973 s.237(2). Sch 5 | 1955 Sch.3; 1976 Sch.2 para.15. Provisions | Derivations 1 | 1955 s.1; 1961 s.1; 1976 Sch.2 para.4. 2 | 1955 s.2; 1976 Sch.2 para.5. 3 | 1955 s3(1), (2), (5) and (6); 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.9; 1976 s.14. 4(1) | 1961 s.2(2). (2) | 1961 s.2(2A); 1976 Sch.2 para.17. (3) | 1961 s.2(3). (4) | 1961 s.2(5). 5(2) | 1955 s.3(3). (3) | 1955 s.3(4). 6 | 1955 s.5. 7 | 1955 s.7; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.1. 8 | 1955 s.8; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.10; 1968 Sch.2 Pt.I para 1; 1976 s.15 and Sch.2 para.6. 9 | 1955 s.9. 10 | 1955 s.10; 1968 Sch.2 Pt.I paras.2 and 3. 11 | 1955 s.11; 1968 s.8 Sch.2 Pt II. 12(1)–(4) | 1976 s.1. R1. (5) | 1955 s.28(4); 1976 s.21. 13 | 1976 s.2. 14 | 1976 s.3. 15 | 1976 s.4. 16 | 1976 s.5. 17 | 1976 s.6; R2. 18 | 1976 s.7. 19 | 1976 s.8.; Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Act 1990 (c.35) s.22. 20 | 1955 s.12; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.11; 1976 Sch.3; 1985 s.30(1); 1991 s.2(1). 21 | 1976 s.9; 1985 s.30(2); R3. 22 | 1955 s.17; 1976 Sch.2 para.9. 23 | 1955 s.16; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.5 & Pt.II para.12; 1968 Sch.2 Pt.I para.17; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 s.13 Sch.2 para.8; R4. 24 | 1955 ss.12(4), 16(7),(9) and (9A). 25 | 1955 s.16A; 1976 s13(3). 26 | 1955 s.13; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.3. 27 | 1961 s.11. 28(1) to (16) | 1961 s.12; 1976 Sch.2 para.20. (17) | 1961 s.19(2). 29 | 1961 s.13; 1976 Sch.2 para.21. 30(1) | 1955 s.14(1); 1968 s.8 Sch.2 Pt.II. (2) | 1955 s.14(2). (3) | 1955 s.14(3). (4) | 1955 s.14(8). (5) | 1955 s.14(10). (6) | 1955 s.14(11). (7) | 1955 s.37(1). 31 | 1961 s.5. 32 | 1961 s.6; 1968 Sch.2 paras. 19 to 21. 33 | 1955 s.6. 34(1) | 1955 s.14(6). (2) | 1955 s.14(7). (3) | 1955 s.14(8). 35 | 1955 s.14(9). 36 | 1955 s.28; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.I para.7. 37 | 1976 s.10. 38 | 1961 s.8. 39 | 1961 s.9. 40 | 1955 s.15; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 Sch.2 para.7. 41 | 1961 s.3; 1976 Sch.2 para.18; 1991 s.2(7). 42(1) to (6) and (8) to (10) | 1955 s.22; 1961 s.14; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 s.12(2), (5) and (6); 1985 s.31. R5(a) and (b). (7) | 1961 s.14(2). 43 | 1955 s.23; 1957 s.10(7). 44 | 1955 s.28(3). 45 | 1976 s.12(1),(3),(4) and (5). 46(1) to (3) | 1955 s.31; 1976 s.12(2) and (5); 1976 Sch.2 para.13. (4) | 1961 s.14(1). 47(1) to (9) | 1955 s.24; 1961 15(1), Sch.1 Pt.II para.13; 1976 s.16(1). (10) | 1961 s.15(6). 48 | 1955 s.25; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.14; 1976 s.16(2) and (3); 1991 ss.1(1) and 2(2). 49 | 1955 s.26; 1961 s.15(2) and (3) Sch.1 Pt.II para.15; 1976 s.16(4); 1991 s.2(3). 50 | 1991 s.1(2). 51 | 1961 s.2(4) and (5). 52 (except subs (6)) | 1955 s.27; 1961 s.15; 1975 ss.289F and 289G; 1976 s.16(5) and Sch.2 para.11; 1991 s.2(4); R6(a) and (b). (6) | 1961 s.15(5). 53(1) | 1961 s.4(1); 1976 Sch.2 para.19. (2) | 1961 s.4(2). 54 | 1976 s.17(2). 55 | 1955 s.29. 56 | 1955 s.30; 1975 ss.289E, 289F and 289G. 57 | 1955 s.32; 1963 s.47. 58 | 1955 s.33. 59 | 1955 s.35 60 | 1955 s.36. 61 | 1955 s.37; 1961 s.17(1); 1973 Sch.27 Pt.II para.20; 1976 s.21. 62 | 1955 s.38; 1976 s.19. Sch 1 | 1955 Sch.1; 1976 s.18. Sch 2 | 1955 Sch.2; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para.20; 1991 s.2(5). Sch 3 | 1955 Sch. 5; 1961 Sch.1 Pt.II para. 21; 1974 s.25(3); 1991 s.2(6). Sch 4 | 1961 Sch.2; 1973 s.237(2). Sch 5 | 1955 Sch.3; 1976 Sch.2 para.15.

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