Dec 19 2017
STFA URGES TENANTS TO TAKE PART IN GOVERNMENT SURVEY ON AGENT’S CONDUCT
Scottish Tenant Farmers Association
News Release
8TH October 2017
STFA URGES TENANTS TO TAKE PART IN GOVERNMENT SURVEY ON AGENT’S CONDUCT
The Scottish Tenant Farmers Association has welcomed the start of a government survey of professional agents representing landlords and tenants. The survey is an all-important first step in gathering information for the Tenant Farming Commissioner’s review of the operation of professional agents which, under last year’s Land Reform Act must be completed by next Spring. In its Autumn newsletter STFA has alerted members to expect a call from the survey contractors and if contacted, to make sure they respond openly to the questions asked. All answers will, of course be treated in absolute confidence.
Commenting on the survey STFA Director Angus McCall said; “This survey is an important piece of work in providing the TFC’s review with real evidence of how professional agents are operating on the ground. Although most agents behave in a responsible and professional way, STFA has long been aware of bad practice which has always been difficult to substantiate. The TFC’s review should now be able to put some facts to the anecdotes for all to see.
“Landlords and tenants have become increasingly reliant on their professional advisers who now exert a disproportionate influence over the way in which let land is managed and on the relationships between landlords and tenants. Nowadays landlords invariably engage outside firms of land agents to factor their tenanted farms. The days of the traditional management style of the residential estate factor living on the estate and knowing the tenants are long gone to be replaced by commercially driven firms of land agents with little personal knowledge of the estate and often the workings of the tenanted system. This lack of understanding and sometimes tactless behaviour usually comes to the fore during rent reviews leading to conflict and acrimony.
“Land agents are at the sharp end of dealings with tenant farmers and we have been pleased to see that the spectre of a review of the conduct of professional agents has already seen an improvement in their behaviour. STFA is well aware that there are still some individuals who seem to have a cavalier attitude in the way they conduct their business and we hope that this survey will help flush them out and put an end to the bad practice which has given their profession such an unfortunate reputation. There will, however, always be maverick landlords, tenants and agents who will continue to ignore codes of practice and codes of conduct and it will be up to the industry to put pressure on them to mend their ways.”