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Established Titles

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Hong Kong souvenir plot company

Established Titles
Founded2019
FounderKaterina Yip
HeadquartersHong Kong
ProductsSouvenir plots
ParentGalton Voysey
Websiteestablishedtitles.com

Established Titles is a company which sells souvenir plots of Scottish land from 1 sq ft (0.09 m) to 20 sq ft (1.86 m). The company retains legal ownership of the land. While the company claims that those who buy the 'plots' can choose to be titled Lord, Laird or Lady, as part of a supposed "traditional Scottish custom", souvenir plots are too small to be legally registered for ownership and owners of souvenir plots do not have the right to officially title themselves. It owns land in Ardallie, Aberdeenshire, Dunfermline, Dumfries, Galloway and the Borders. YouTuber Scott Shafer's video alleging that the company was a scam caused significant controversy and many YouTubers to cease receiving sponsorships from the company.

Operations

It was founded by CEO Katerina Yip. Established Titles has allegedly been referred to the Advertising Standards Authority. It received backlash for its aggressive marketing efforts, which involves recruiting YouTubers for promotions. The company is owned by Hong Kong-based investment firm, Galton Voysey Ltd.

Controversy

On 23 November 2022, YouTuber Scott Shafer uploaded a video accusing Established Titles of being a scam that misleads its customers, advising YouTubers to stop working with the company as they do not legally bestow ownership. After the video went viral, many YouTubers dropped their sponsorships, including Philip DeFranco and SomeOrdinaryGamers. Established Titles defended itself in a letter to its partners saying that it was "under a targeted, completely unfounded attack based on bogus claims", claiming that it had been transparent about its practices. Many other YouTubers have released videos reasserting Shafer's stance.

Legally, the company never transfers ownership of the plots to the customers, but even if they did, the Court of the Lord Lyon has stated that "ownership of a souvenir plot of land does not bring with it the right to any description such as ‘laird’, ‘lord’ or ‘lady’". The Court also stated that laird is not a title but a description of an owner of a large estate, not a residential sized property or smaller, and that the titles lord or lady can only be conferred by letters patent, at the pleasure of the Sovereign. Additionally, the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012 specifically excludes souvenir plots, which it defines as a plot "of inconsiderable size and of no practical utility", from being registered in Scotland.

Established Titles said that the plots were "a fun gift, meant for a good laugh" and that customers are aware of this; this has been refuted, according to NBC News, by customers who have reported that they believed they were buying land.

References

  1. Robertson, Craig (4 December 2022). "Hong Kong investment firm buys Scottish land and claims it will make punters lords and ladies". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  2. ^ Tolentino, Daysia (2 December 2022). "Some YouTube creators are dropping their sponsorships with Established Titles after the company is accused of being a 'scam'". NBC News. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  3. McVicker, Daniela (3 April 2022). "Established Titles Partners With Nonprofits To Address Scottish Deforestation". Blue & Green Tomorrow. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  4. ^ Hunter, Ross (30 November 2022). "YouTube: Established Titles criticized for 'selling' Scottish land". The National. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  5. "Some YouTube creators are dropping their sponsorships with Established Titles after company is accused of being a 'scam'". NBC News. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  6. "Firm selling 'souvenir plots' of Scots land faces watchdog investigation". The National. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  7. "Some YouTube creators are dropping their sponsorships with Established Titles after company is accused of being a 'scam'". NBC News. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  8. "Terms and Conditions". www.establishedtitles.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  9. Shafer, Scott (23 November 2022). Established Titles Scam -YouTube's BIGGEST Con! Graham Stephan & Andrei Jikh. Retrieved 2 May 2023 – via YouTube.
  10. LaCapria, Kim (28 November 2022). "'Established Titles' Controversy". TruthOrFiction.com. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  11. Milner, Richard (28 November 2022). "How The Established Titles Scam Really Works". Grunge.com. Static Media. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  12. "Caution the souvenir hunters". Law Society of Scotland. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  13. "Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012". Scottish Parliament. p. s. 22.

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