Commissioner urges tenants and landlords to meet more

REPORT: Scotland’s Tenant Farming Commisioner sets out proposals

Tenant farmers and landlords have been told to make more effort to meet regularly on a face-to-face basis.

That was one of nine recommendations made by Scotland’s Tenant Farming Commissioner, Bob McIntosh, in a report to Scottish ministers on ways to improve relationships between land agents, tenants and landlords.

The report, which includes findings from a survey of landlords and tenants on the conduct of agents, found 17% were dissatisfied with the conduct of an agent.

The main reasons for dissatisfaction were: poor communication and inadequate recording of the outcome of meetings; unnecessarily aggressive or condescending behaviour; lack of transparency, openness and honesty; and lack of awareness of the impact of a single transaction on the relationship between landlord and tenant.

“It is clear most agents perform their duties in a professional manner but the actions of a small minority can have a disproportionate effect on the reputation of the agent, their employers or their profession,” said Dr McIntosh.

“It is important therefore that everyone involved from training establishments, employers, the professional bodies and the agents themselves, consider the recommendations carefully and take action to ensure there is continuous improvement leading to a reduction in the instances of dissatisfaction.”

Dr McIntosh’s eight other recommendations mostly relate to the need to improve interpersonal skills of agents through more training, assessment and feedback mechanisms.

He has recommended that the professional bodies representing the majority of agents increase awareness of, and ease access to, their complaints procedures. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing welcomed the recommendations.

Picture: Kris Miller. Spring work was in full swing at Muirdrum as farmers made up time after a late start to the season.