Peter Bevis And Highland Titles On Bletherskite Part Two The ASA Complaint

From the Bletherskite blog http://www.bletherskite.net/2011/02/23/end-to-buying-a-fake-scottish-title/

Peter Bevis says: December 9, 2012 at 3:48 pm Of course anyone can call themselves Laird without purchasing a plot from us, or indeed from anyone.

That isn't what it said on the Lochaber Highland Estates (run by the same people as Highland Ttiles Glencoe Estates) website earlier this year, In fact thanks to a reader we know that this was precisely the issue mentioned in a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) on 19/09/2012. What it said on their website was "The Title of Lord, Laird or Lady depends on owning a Scottish Estate".

Added 03/03/2013

Highland Titles / Lochaber Highland Estates now have had four complaints with the Advertising Standards Agency held against them since September 1012. I would appear that they are indeed regularly publishing misleading information on their own internet site.

It would seem if it really was Peter Bevis of Highland Titles Glencoe Estates who posted that, then he is quite aware that - "anyone can call themselves Laird without purchasing a plot from us, or indeed from anyone", but chose to say on his website that it is required to buy land in Scotland in order to do so!

That is an example of the standards of honest and integrity of the people behind Highland Titles Glencoe Estates , very little, you cannot believe a word they say.

A couple of quotations taken from the comments at http://highlandtitlesscam.wordpress.com illustrate nicely the point that no land purchase in Scotland or anywhere else is required in order to call yourself Laird, Lord or Lady. The ownership of land has no relevance.

"You’ve forgotten to mention that the titles Highland Titles Glencoe Estates and their like “sell”, are also fake, there is no title. Buying a piece of land in Scotland confers no right to any title that is not available to non land owners. 

Anyone in the UK can call themselves pretty much whatever they like so long as there is no intention to commit fraud by doing so. So a non landowner calling themselves Lord Of Glencoe is just as valid as a landowner doing the same thing, there is no difference. 

All these “title sellers” are doing is distorting and abusing Scottish tradition to make it seem that it is possible to gain a real title by giving them money to buy a worthless piece of land in Scotland, when doing so does not confer any title and non landowners can do exactly the same thing for free. 

Anybody in the UK and many other countries can get their bank details & names on credit cards etc. changed to Lord Of Glencoe for free, without buying any land in Scotland! Just make out a Deed Of Change of name yourself and do it if you want.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deed_of_change_of_name 

When you buy a piece of land that is all you get, a piece of land, that is it, Oh you might want to read the following before doing so to make sure you are even buying any land with real rights.
http://www.journalonline.co.uk/Magazine/57-4/1011036.aspx#.UEhaao1lR4d"

"Supporters of these fake title schemes frequently trot out that the proof the titles are real is that people have changed their name on bank accounts etc. to for example, Lord Of Glencoe successfully  and I dare say that might be even be true. The trouble is that the fact of ownership of land in Scotland had nothing whatsoever to do with the name change. The same people could have changed their name to Lord Of Glencoe in exactly the same manner without owning any land anywhere ever!!! 

The other standard “proof” is that it is fully legal to style oneself as a Laird Lord or Lady by owning land in Scotland, and it is ….. but it is also equally fully legal to style oneself as a Laird Lord or Lady without owning land anywhere, there is no difference. 

It’s a simple con carried out by people with little care for anything other than making money with as little effort as possible, who have no regard at all for Scottish traditions or culture, don’t have anything to do with it."

If you bought a piece of land in Scotland from Highland Titles Glencoe Estates and was led by them to believe that any Scottish title came with, or is in any way connected to that land purchase, I'd say you have been conned, ask for your money back.

***********************************************************************************

I have a lot more evidence suggesting dishonest and unethical business practices by several souvenir plot / title vendors which I have not published.. If you are a bona fide journalist or Government department with an interest in investigating this business and would like access to that evidence, please get in touch with me by using the email address on the right or sending me a comment marked "confidential", I will not publish comments so marked

Peter Bevis On Bletherskite Part One - Buy a Title Scam

It would appear that Peter Bevis of Highland Titles Glencoe Estates has made a personal appearance over at  http://www.scotclans.com/end-to-buying-a-fake-scottish-title/ Whether or not it really is Mr Bevis of Highland Titles I cannot confirm, you'll have to make up your own.mind, I think it really is him. I can have a look at what was posted and comment,

Peter Bevis says: December 4, 2012 at 8:59 am - It is of course relatively easy for an enthusiastic troll, with an ability to create multiple anonymous websites and use Photoshop to change our website, so as to confuse a single Scotsman journalist.

Funny that he does not say which particular anonymous websites he is referring to, or specify which parts of any of his websites he thinks Photoshop has been used to change, or how the content has been changed. I can say that no image or quotation on this blog has been adulterated in any way, any images or quotations appearing here are true and accurate reflections of the content of the website or other sources they were taken from, at the time they were taken. Accusations really need to be specific or they can be considered as hot air and bluster. My contact email is clearly shown, nobody from Highland Titles, or any other company, has ever contacted me with a complaint that any of the content of this blog is inaccurate.

Peter Bevis says:December 4, 2012 at 8:59 am - In 2013, The Highland Titles Nature Reserve moves into the control of a Scottish charity run by a membership of thousands. The lies and spin perpetrated by two or three small minded bigots will not change that fact.

Interesting he does not actually name the charity, and anyone reading the above would be excused for thinking this charity actually exists now, it does not, as we learn reading further down the page. Then there are accusations of  "lies and spin" without pointing out a single example.

Peter Bevis says: December 4, 2012 at 9:52 am - The charity is being formed by our solicitor, Colin Liddell, a Specialist in Charity Law with the firm J & H Mitchell WS of Pitlochry

After writing "The Highland Titles Nature Reserve moves into the control of a Scottish charity", we then learn that this charity has not actually been set up! Is it not a tiny little bit presumptuous to make such statements before the charity actually exists? It may be that some such organisation may come into existence at some point, but stating that it is a fact is a little premature. It is far from a trivial process applying to become a Scottish charity, and it is very possible for applications to fail at any stage .... still no name for this charity. I understand Highland Titles even announced the first annual general meeting of this charity before it has even been formed!

Highland Titles Glencoe Estates in Private Eye - Buy a Title Scam

Thanks to a reader we can report that Highland Titles Glencoe Estates have made it into the pages of the magazine Private Eye, issue number 1328 ....  And again in Private Eye (issue number 1339 page 11) when they were caught using fake newspaper articles.

"LAIRDSHIPS 

Meet the Macduffers

WARNINGS from Forestry Commission Scotland that owners of woodland face £5,000 fines if they fail to tackle diseased ash trees present a new problem for the already questionable business of selling tiny parcels of land and telling punters that purchase entitles them to call themselves Laird or Lady.

The gift lairdship industry has been around for a while, despite consumer groups warning that owning patches of land – some as small as a square foot does not really entitle people to a title. According to the Court of the Lord Lyon (in charge of all things heraldic in Scotland), the title “Laird” is “not appropriate for the owner of a normal residential property, far less the owner of a small souvenir plot of land”.

One of the largest lairdship companies, Highland Titles, offers all its buyers the title Laird or Lady of Glencoe and the “right” to wear Glencoe tartan and bear the Glencoe coat of arms -even though the Glencoe Woods where the small plots are for sale aren’t even part of the Glencoe estate, but on the nearby Keil Estate.

As well as looking silly, purchasers who use the Glencoe crest would risk committing an offence under Scottish heraldic law (something Scottish football clubs have recently discovered is very much alive and kicking).

Highland Titles, which is registered in, er, Guernsey and run by self-styled “philanthropist, conservationist, biologist” Peter Bevis, advertises that its woods consist of “native Scottish broadleaf, either oak, ash, rowan, hazel…” A Forestry Commission Scotland spokesman tells the Eye that statutory plant health notices could be served on either the owner or manager of woodland, which would be decided on a case by case basis. Fines are imposed for failure to comply.

Lairdship companies could of course reassure customers that there is no such risk by admitting that since souvenir plots are not registered in the Land Register, buyers don’t actually own the land any more than they do the title (as Registers of Scotland warned in a law journal article earlier this year). But then, what could they claim to be selling?"

Highland Titles have mentioned this article on their own Facebook page, and in typical fashion have put their owns spin on it and as usual their take is - let's just say somewhat misleading. They have even altered the text on the Highland Titles website to support their new story. Lets have a look at what is says on the relevant bits of their Facebook page text.

"Unfortunately the gist of the piece is that all our Lairds might find themselves liable for dealing with Ash Dieback, 

the fungal disease chalara that is sweeping through British ash trees. There are fines for landowners who fail to deal with diseased ash trees. 

Unfortunately for Private Eye, they were so excited with the potentially humorous side of this story that nobody thought to check whether the Mountain Ash that forms a part of the understory of Glencoe Wood is related to the ash trees that suffer from Ash Dieback. 

Forestry Commission state:
Rowan trees are easily mistaken for ash but they are not susceptible to chalara and should not be reported."

Unfortunately for Highland Tiltes, the Private Eye article made no mention of trees which may have been recently planted. Glencoe Wood also consists of MATURE woodland, and some of that woodland has been sold as plots. I'd be very surprised indeed if none of that mature native woodland did not have ash trees susceptible to ash dieback. Highland Titles seem to have forgotten to mention this - ooops!

The have also changed the story about their planting on the Highland Titles website to suit.

From Google cache at 25 November 2012 on the FAQs page.

“The type of tree we plant for you will depend on the type of land we plant it in. It will be a native Scottish broadleaf, probably an oak, ash, rowan, hazel, birch, holly, willow or alder.”

But on 01 December 2012 the same FAQ now reads.

“The type of tree we plant for you will depend on the type of land we plant it in. It will be a native Scottish broadleaf, probably an oak, mountain ash (rowan), hazel, birch, holly, willow or alder.”

Glencoe Wood is mature woodland, long predating Highland Titles. Their argument that MOUNTAIN ASH is not ASH is a classic straw man ploy, they can use it to make the article look ridiculous, even though it wasn't what was said. Highland Titles can not honestly say there are no ash trees in Glencoe Wood, they have not exhaustively catalogued all of trees in the wood, and it is a suitable native species as they acknowledged in their (now amended) planting list.

In fact we have it from Highland Titles own material that Keil Hill does indeed contain native Ash trees, from their own "Interpretive Plan" http://highlandtitles.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Interpretive-Plan-Final.pdf save a copy before they change it, I have!!.

"Keil Hill has two relict areas of established deciduous woodland, with a mixture of birch, oak, ash, hazel, rowan and holly and willow. The Hill enjoys a damp, humid climate with high rainfall and acidic soils. Salachan as a place name, means "willow"."

Note that Ash and Rowan are mentioned separately!  Oh dear Highalnd Titles caught out fibbing yet again! If you bought a plot and it contains any ash trees, you could indeed be liable if you fail to tackle diseased ash trees as pointed out by Highland Titles own Facebook page. Unless of course you don't really own the land, in which case you have been conned, and you'd have to wonder what you did actually buy?

Highland Titles have made another appearance in Private Eye (issue number 1339 page 11), when they were caught using fake newspaper articles as part of their marketing effort, read about it here.

***********************************************************************************

I have a lot more evidence suggesting dishonest and unethical business practices by several souvenir plot / title vendors which I have not published.. If you are a bona fide journalist or Government department with an interest in investigating this business and would like access to that evidence, please get in touch with me by using the email address on the right or sending me a comment marked "confidential", I will not publish comments so marked.

The Lochaber Highland Estates Buy a Title Not For Profit Saga Continued

After my receiving the reply in my last post from Ricky Guilmoto of the Guernsey income tax department about  Lochaber Highland Estates' not for profit status, I enquired about the apparent inability of the Guernsey Tax department to disclose the public records of registered not for profit companies, I received the following reply.

Thank you for your e-mail of the 10th September, 2012.

I have discussed your query with the Deputy Director and in reply can advise that in general terms an organisation can only be registered as a Non Profit Organisation (NPO) if it is, in fact, non profit making. My enquiries so far have not established that this is the case.

As you can appreciate, the affairs of the company are confidential unless it is required to not only be registered as a NPO but to be registered in the public part of the register, which is on our website.

At present there is nothing to suggest that an offence has been committed under The Charities and Non Profit Organisations (Registration)(Guernsey) Law, 2008, as amended, which is the only legislation this office has the power to enforce.

I suspect that the gist of your complaint may be that the company was wrongly asserting that it was non profit making and that you may have been misled in your dealings with it. If that is the case the complaint would probably fall within the remit of the Advertising Standards Authority rather than this office, as the advertising on the website could appear to be incorrect.

As you have noticed, the website has now been changed to remove the claim that the company was “Not-For-Profit”.

I understand that the register of companies in Alderney is indeed separate from the Guernsey register, and may be contacted by telephone on 822817.

I hope this answers your query.

Ricky Guilmoto
Income Tax Inspector

So it would appear that the Guernsey income tax authorities are unable to easily establish whether or not a company claiming not for profit status does actually have that status. I find that a bit odd, but as it is straight from the Guernsey tax office I'll have to take it as being true.

More worryingly, it appears that in the Channel Islands it is perfectly ok for a company to announce publicly that it is in fact a not for profit organisation without registering as such. so long as it is not actually one!

Is that why the Channel Islands are commonly known as a scammers paradise? Is it that companies can do whatever they want with no consequences? Are the Channel Islands authorities willing to cover up abuse like this without even comment never mind doing anything about it? I would advise not dealing with any Channel Islands companies at all ever, until some kind of reasonable transparency and accountability of companies registered there is put in place.

The Lochaber Highland Estates Not For Profit Statement

Up until sometime last week Lochaber Highland Estates, run be the same people as Highland Titles Glencoe Estates were claiming on their website to be a not for profit company. Not for profit companies in the Channel Islands which includes Alderney where they are based, are required
by law to be registered as not for profit if that is what they are.



Lochaber Highland Estates are not registered as a not for profit company in the Channel Islands, the document listing properly registered companies is available here, Lochaber Highland Estates are not on it.  If they are a not for profit company they may have been breaking the law, namely the Charities and Non Profit Organisations (Registration) (Guernsey) Law, 2008. Details can be seen here and here.

I sent an enquiry to Guernsey Trading Standards enquiring about Lochaber Highland Estates regarding their not for profit status. At first there was no reply at all, then after a further enquiry I received the following email.

"The Charities and Non Profit Organisations (Registration) (Guernsey) Law, 2008 is administered by the Office of the Registrar of Non Profit Organisations.  I have tried to contact the Registrar but he is not in the office until the 4th September, unfortunately Trading Standards has no powers under this law and we cannot take any action.  I will make sure that your complaint is passed to the Registrar as soon as he is available."

While I was waiting for this reply from Guernsey Trading Standards, I found an email address for the Registrar (npo@gov.gg), and sent an email to it, I have never received a reply to that email or any acknowledgement that it was ever received. Lesley Smith of Trading Standards kindly forward my enquiry to the Registrar, here is the reply I received from Mr Ricky Guilmoto of the Guernsey Tax department.

"Thank you for your e-mail, which you will see was forwarded on to me yesterday afternoon by Lesley Smith.

I am sorry but I cannot confirm whether the company has complied with the Charities and Non Profit Organisations (Registration) (Guernsey) Law, 2008 nor outline to you what action may be taken. However, I can assure you I will look into your complaint and take whatever steps are necessary.

I realise you had asked for more information but I’m sure you can appreciate why I cannot go into any more detail. 

Ricky Guilmoto
Income Tax Inspector" 

 Shortly after I received this email the not for profit claim "We are proud to be a not-for-profit organisation", was removed from the Lochaber Highland Estates website and was replaced by "We are proud to be a Limited Company".

There are a couple of things that puzzle me, if Guernsey Trading Standards have no powers to investigate a company which may be acting illegally, what do they actually do, and what powers do they have? Also I find it strange that the Registrar is unable to disclose whether a company does or does not comply with the regulations when it is a matter of public record and something I was able to find out for myself anyway by searching for and finding the relevant document freely available on the Internet.

I have made further enquiries to clarify why the information is not available, and whether any action taken can be disclosed after any investigation has been concluded, but have as yet not received a reply.

Lochber Highland Estates have definitely been claiming to be a not for profit company while not being so registered as required under the Charities and Non Profit Organisations (Registration) (Guernsey) Law, 2008.

If they are not and never have been a not for profit company they should never have been claiming this status, so doing is dishonest. This gives an impression to members of the public that they comply with the regulations required, and that their accounts are subject to proper examination and availability, when this is not the case.

This is yet another example of the dishonest practises used by the people that run these companies to try to legitimise their scams, and give an impression of respectability to their dubious conservation claims. Remember, it is the same people that are behind both Lochaber Highland Estates and Highland Titles Glencoe Estates.

Also remember that it is supposedly a professor, a barrister, and a qualified accountant that run these companies, so I'd think it can hardly be in error that they made this not for profit status claim.

***********************************************************************************

I have a lot more evidence suggesting dishonest and unethical business practices by several souvenir plot / title vendors which I have not published.. If you are a bona fide journalist or Government department with an interest in investigating this business and would like access to that evidence, please get in touch with me by using the email address on the right or sending me a comment marked "confidential", I will not publish comments so marked

Cease & Desist Notice From Highland Titles - Buy a Title Scam

Seems my little blog is upsetting Highland Titles. They issued a Cease & Desist notice. Not on grounds that I've said anything inaccurate ... nope ... on grounds of copyright infringement.

June 2, 2012
Sender Information: Highland Titles Limited trading as Lochaber Highland Estates
Sent by:  Lochaber Highland Estates
GB Recipient Information:
Google, Inc. [Blogger]
Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA 

Sent via: online form: Form
Re: Infringement Notification via Blogger Complaint
Google Form: copyright DMCA Complaint of alleged copyright infringement 

1. Complainant's Information
Name:
Company name: Lochaber Highland Estates
Full legal name of the copyright holder: Highland Titles Limited trading as Lochaber
Highland Estates
Country of residence: GB 

2. Your copyrighted work
Location of copyrighted work (where your authorized work is located):
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/domestic?domesticnum=2486520
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/t-find-number?detailsrequested=Câ„¢mark=2486519
Description of the copyrighted work:
The blogspot site is passing off as associated with Lochaber Highland Estates by its choice of name
http://lochaberhighlandestate.blogspot.com/ and by its use in the text of
words which have been trademarked by Highland Titles Limited. Examples are:
Lochaber Highland Estates, Laird of Lochaber.

Well that is a bit rich coming from Highland Titles, who themselves are not above stealing other peoples intellectual property. Remember the Glen Etive & Glen Fyne Special Protection Area map they stole from Scottish National Heritage, put their own logo on to make it look like theirs, and put on display on their website? SNH made them remove that one!

Then there is the matter of the image on their Facebook page which they do not have the copyright holders' permission to use. I'm not telling them which one and the copyright holder has kindly agreed to leave it there for the time being as evidence of copyright infringement.

Oh yes, then there was the case when Peter Bevis was involved in his fishing license con, http://highlandtitlesscam.wordpress.com/the-fishing-rod-licence-application-scam/ caught red handed using the Environment Agency’s official rod licence logo without their knowledge or permission.

They even had the cheek to infer themselves to be a Government service - "leading users to infer it was a Government service" - http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2011/09/fee-or-free-telephone-preferen.html

It is sad that the people that run Highland Titles Glencoe Estates are supposedly a distinguished professor, a lawyer, and a qualified accountant, but they stoop so low as to steal without a second thought other peoples' property. Could it possibly be that the qualifications are as fake as their titles?

Highland Titles Glencoe Estates Jubilee Wood Project

The debacle that is the Highland Titles Glencoe Estates Diamond Jubilee Wood Project continues and the story has now changed substantially. Read the original post about it here. The text on their own diamondjubileewood.com website has recently been edited, and their own newsletter from Autumn / Winter 2012 has also been altered in an attempt to make it look like the current story has always been the story.

There is more information about this project and their original claims over at the highlandtitlesscam blog.

The changed story appeared after my original blog post (link above) and the discussion about their Jubilee Wood Project on the scots-titles.com forum.

The claim to be "in partnership with the Woodland Trust is no longer being made, but they do apparently make a false claim that the Woodland Trust confirmed that the land was entirely suitable for planting as below.

"Highland Titles acknowledges the valuable support given by the Woodland Trust during their visit to Keil Hill to inspect the site with us in 2011. The Woodland Trust confirmed that the land was entirely suitable for planting, but that as only 50 acres of the proposed new 60 acre wood would be newly planted (the other 10 acres being existing larch woodland and birch) we would not qualify to be included in their Diamond Woods scheme"

I contacted Andrew Campbell of the Woodland Trust and he denies having ever indicated that the land is suitable for planting, either in part or as a whole. Seems like more misleading information from Highland Titles, and more claims which do not stand up when questioned.

Original Autumn / Winter Newsletter

Recently Modified Autumn / Winter Newsletter

It seems that the only advice offered by the Woodland Trust was that the site was not suitable to be included as part of their Diamond Jubilee Woods Project.

Dunans Castle Buy A Title Plot Of Land Scheme

I came across this post on the Fake Scots Titles website forum, I have checked the details and they are correct. It would seem that the people who runs the Dunans Castle scheme are not above using underhand techniques to sell their nonsense too.

From http://www.scots-titles.com/forum/fake-scots-titles-exposed-group3/scots-title-reseller-scams-forum12/laird-of-dunan-castle-terms-conditions-thread1.13

"Now there's a thing, there is a website at http://www.onesquarefoot.net which supposedly reviews & compares "lairdship schemes" and it finds the Dunans Castle affair the best. I was interested to see who owns the domain so I looked it up.

Domain Name: ONESQUAREFOOT.NET
Created on..............: 2008-10-11 13:58:06 GMT
Expires on..............: 2012-10-11 13:58:08 GMT
Last modified on........: 2011-10-12 13:58:11 GMT
Registrant Info: (FAST-13507728)
arbu.co.uk
Charles Dixon-Spain
Dunans, Glendaruel
Colintraive, Argyll, PA22 3AD
United Kingdom

Hold on, is that not who runs the Dunans Castle scheme? Oh look yes it is! That will be an unbiased website giving honest opinion then! Is it just me or is there a distinct lack of integrity here? 

On the "about" page of the onesquarefoot.net website it says "We’re an independent site reviewing online products, particularly products which originate and celebrate Scotland." 

You might trust people that find their own product to be the best in their own review to give unbiased opinion without even having the decency to declare who they are. and pretend to be independent , I wouldn't, and I wouldn't trust anything else they say either."

Yet more evidence of a lack of integrity and transparency by another peddler of this rubbish.

Update

This domain has now had the owner's details hidden behind a privacy protection scheme. One would wonder why the owner of any genuine review website would do that? Another indicator that this website is not genuine.

Funnily enough it transpires Highland Titles also have a fake review site which they pretend is independent and nothing to do with them ... where they find they are the best ...

Law Society Of Scotland Article On Buy A Title Souvenir Plots & Fake Titles

This article it taken from the official magazine of the Law Society Of Scotland, The Journal, 16 April 2012, something you might want to think about if you are considering buying land in Scotland as a souvenir plot.
http://www.journalonline.co.uk/Magazine/57-4/1011036.aspx#.UBG047Se58F

"Registers page: Clients seeking a "souvenir plot", perhaps believing it will confer the right to a particular title, should be warned that they may not get what they hope for.

by Registers of Scotland.

There have been a few articles in the media recently about companies who are selling off tiny pieces of land, known as “souvenir plots”, in the Highlands. Some websites suggest that ownership of the plot carries with it the right to use the title of laird, lord or lady.

Given that some websites claim that the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979 “removes the normal requirements to register your land… thus permitting the sale to take place under Contract Law”, the Keeper would like to clarify her position on the subject.

A souvenir plot is defined in the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979 as “a piece of land which, being of inconsiderable size or no practical utility, is unlikely to be wanted in isolation except for the sake of mere ownership or for sentimental reasons or commemorative purposes”.

The Keeper is required to reject an application for registration in the Land Register, if the land to which it relates meets the description of “souvenir plot”. However, the fact that the Keeper is obliged to reject registration does not necessarily mean that “ownership” can be obtained by some other means.

A real right of ownership in land (in the sense of a right that is enforceable against third parties) can only be obtained by registration in the Land Register or by recording a deed in the Register of Sasines as appropriate.

Solicitors who are consulted by a client in relation to the purchase of a potential souvenir plot should bear in mind that in some cases, the land in question might not be of “inconsiderable size”; in such cases, no exemption from registration applies.

No title with your title

The Court of the Lord Lyon commented: “Ownership of a souvenir plot of land does not bring with it the right to any description such as ‘laird’, ‘lord’ or ‘lady’. ‘Laird’ is not a title but a description applied by those living on and around the estate, many of whom will derive their living from it, to the principal landowner of a long-named area of land. It will, therefore, be seen that it is not a description which is appropriate for the owner of a normal residential property.

“It cannot properly be used to describe a person who owns a small part of a larger piece of land. The term ‘laird’ is not one recognisable by attachment to a personal name and thus there is no official recognition of ‘XY, Laird of Z’.

“The words ‘lord’ and ‘lady’ apply to those on whom a peerage has been confirmed and do not relate to the ownership of land.

“Ownership of a souvenir plot of land is not sufficient to bring a person otherwise ineligible within the jurisdiction of the Lord Lyon for seeking a coat of arms.”

Highland Titles Glencoe Estates Diamond Jubilee Wood Project At Keil Hill

Highland Titles Glencoe Estates claim to be planting a 60 acre 30,000 tree Diamond Jubilee Wood at Keil hill http://www.diamondjubileewood.com, and also claim that the Woodland Trust examined the site to give advice.

Quotes from their website

"and have been most appreciative of the advice given to us by the Woodland Trust** on the suitability of our proposed project"

"** Highland Titles acknowledges the valuable support given by the Woodland Trust during their visit to Keil Hill to inspect the site with us in 2011."

"Our plans have already been laid with the active support and expertise of various conservation bodies."

I was concerned about the suitability of the site for the planting of native Scottish species of trees, so I contacted the Woodland Trust to enquire as to whether they did conduct a site inspection and what the results of the inspection were. Below is the reply from Andrew Campbell, Senior Advice and Partnerships Manager for the Woodland Trust.

Dear xxxxx

Your e-mail has been passed to me for my attention.

We are aware of Highland Titles and their web-site regarding their Diamond Jubilee Wood.

I did visit the site in October 2011 following an enquiry by the owner about the suitability of the site as a Diamond Jubilee Wood as part of the Woodland Trust’s UK Jubilee Woods project.

We did not approve the site as a Diamond Jubilee wood candidate on the grounds of area (the possible planting areas identified as suitable for native tree species was less than our required 60 acres) and the limited people engagement opportunities during the establishment stage on the site.  Following us turning this Diamond Jubilee Woodland proposal down we have had no further correspondence with the owners or their local agent.

For clarification, we are not endorsing this site - this is a project entirely separate from our own Woodland Trust Jubilee Woods project.

With regards

Andrew Campbell
Senior Advice and Partnerships Manager

In this newsletter (*** see note at foot) Highland Titles claimed that they were in "partnership with the Jubilee Wood project for The Woodland Trust". This is clearly misleading as the Woodland Trust did not approve the project. Even though they were rejected as being unsuitable, they still claimed to be a part of the Woodland Trust Jubilee Wood project!

If Highland Titles Glencoe Estates are actually planting this wood on Keil Hill, they are doing so without advice given by the experts at the Woodland Trust.

Which must also bring into question the suitability of the site for all the other trees they claim to be planting. If the Woodland Trust could not find 60 acres suitable for the planting of native species of trees, where then are they planting the thousands of trees every year they are claiming?

Readers may also be interested in this blog post.

*** The text in this newsletter has been altered recently. I will put up a link to the original which I have a copy of when I find somewhere to put it and the time to put it there. Thanks to this forum thread for alerting me to this fact http://www.scots-titles.com/forum/fake-scots-titles-exposed-group3/scots-title-reseller-scams-forum12/scottish-highland-titles-no-longer-trading-thread6.52#postid-934

Original Highland Titles newsletter text reads:
"Highland Titles is proud to announce a new partnership with the Jubilee Wood project for the Woodland Trust"

Altered Highland Titles newsletter text reads:
"Highland Titles is proud to announce a new project; creating a Diamond Jubilee Wood with advice from the Woodland Trust"

UPDATE 26/08/2012

The text on the diamondjubileewood.com website has now also changed and so has the story. It now reads:

"Highland Titles acknowledges the valuable support given by the Woodland Trust during their visit to Keil Hill to inspect the site with us in 2011. The Woodland Trust confirmed that the land was entirely suitable for planting, but that as only 50 acres of the proposed new 60 acre wood would be newly planted (the other 10 acres being existing larch woodland and birch) we would not qualify to be included in their Diamond Woods scheme"

Andrew Campbell of the Woodland Trust denies having ever indicated that the land is suitable for planting, either in part or as a whole.

***********************************************************************************

I have a lot more evidence suggesting dishonest and unethical business practices by several souvenir plot / title vendors which I have not published.. If you are a bona fide journalist or Government department with an interest in investigating this business and would like access to that evidence, please get in touch with me by using the email address on the right or sending me a comment marked "confidential", I will not publish comments so marked