Effect
Section 150 – Property affected by inhibition
423.Section 150(1) provides that inhibition may affect any heritable property. This is subject, however, to section 153, which limits the property that may be affected by an inhibition in certain cases.
424.Subsection (2) provides that any rule of law authorising inhibition against any other category of property is abolished. In particular, the rule that inhibition may affect property which may be subject to the diligence of adjudication (which is not limited to heritable property) is abolished by this provision.
425.Subsection (3) states that property is acquired on the day the deed transferring the property is delivered. For the purposes of subsection (1) this means that, where a person has a deed delivered to them which transfers ownership of a house to them, an inhibition executed against that person will affect the house even if the person’s title to the house has yet to be registered. This subsection also applies to section 157 of the Titles to Land Consolidation (Scotland) Act 1868 which states that inhibition does not affect property acquired by a debtor after the inhibition is executed. So if inhibition is executed before the day that a deed transferring a house is delivered, the house will not be affected by the inhibition.
Section 151 – Effect on inhibition to enforce obligation when alternative decree granted
426.This section provides that where there is an inhibition to enforce a decree for performance of a particular act and subsequently a decree for the alternative conclusion for payment is granted (for example, following failure to comply with the original decree), the inhibition continues in force and is treated as if it was executed to enforce payment under the later decree. Without this provision, the inhibition would lapse and a new inhibition would have to be executed to enforce the decree for payment.
Section 152 – Effect of conversion of limited inhibition on the dependence to inhibition in execution
427.This section applies to the situation where a creditor obtains a decree for payment of all or part of a principal sum in an action in which the creditor had executed inhibition on the dependence. Under section 15J(b) of the 1987 Act (inserted by section 169 of this Act) the court can limit the warrant allowing inhibition on the dependence to specified property. The effect of this section is that when that limited inhibition turns into an inhibition in execution of the decree (which happens when decree is granted) it is no longer limited to that property.
Section 153 – Property affected by inhibition to enforce obligation to convey heritable property
428.This section provides that where an inhibition is executed to enforce a decree for implement of an obligation to convey or grant a real right in heritable property, the inhibition is limited to the heritable property to which the decree relates. This section therefore modifies, in the cases to which it applies, the effect of section 150.
Section 154 – Inhibition not to confer a preference in ranking
429.This section abolishes the rule that an inhibition confers a preference by exclusion in any sequestration, insolvency proceedings or other process in which there is ranking. Inhibitions no longer confer any preference. However, this section does not affect any preference in a sequestration or proceedings where the inhibition is executed before this section comes into force even if the ranking process itself does not begin until after the section comes into force. Subsection (4) defines “insolvency proceedings”.
Section 155 – Power of receiver or liquidator in creditors’ voluntary winding up to dispose of property affected by inhibition
430.Section 155(2) amends the Insolvency Act 1986 by inserting section 61(1A) which provides that an inhibition which comes into force after the creation of a floating charge is not an effectual diligence. This means the inhibition does not restrict the power of a receiver appointed under such a floating charge to deal with any property which would normally be affected by the inhibition. Section 38(3) of this Act determines the date of the creation of a floating charge.
431.Subsection (3) inserts section 166(1A) into the Insolvency Act which provides that a liquidator in a winding up can exercise his or her power under Schedule 4 of that Act to sell property without that being affected by any inhibition in effect against the company’s property.
