A new policy will be implemented on 3 January 2020 introducing that any powers of attorney (PoAs) registered prior to 2009 and held in storage will be securely destroyed.
Solicitors wishing to hold certain original PoAs must write to us before 31 December 2019 indicating the specific documents required. For further information, please contact opg@scotcourts.gov.uk
By way of background, it has been our practice to hold PoAs registered before 2009 in a secure, off-site storage facility. The previous policy was to recall these from storage when notified of a terminating event and arrange return of the PoA document to the original sender. However, we will no longer retain and return original PoAs to the sender. All documents held in storage will be securely destroyed.
All registered PoAs will continue to be held digitally for twelve months following termination of a PoA. As set out in our Records Management Policy, we hold the scanned image on record and can provide copies, if required, during this period.