Having worked for more than 30 years with both landlords and tenants, I can honestly say that I have never encountered the sort of experiences which this anonymous tenant describes. In fact, I have only come across landlord/tenant relationships which have been thriving due to the mutual respect and understanding each side has for the other.

Landlords invariably are involved in some form or another in farming themselves and so understand the difficulties and pressures which a tenant may face, and it has been my experience that landlords have treated their tenants sympathetically, particularly over the last 10 years or so when farming has not been easy for anybody.

It has taken the last five years for both landlords and tenants to come to terms the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003, and however imperfect the act may be, both sides realise that they must work within its confines.

The anonymous tenant's remarks about all classes of tenants being given the right to buy at any time does his cause no favours whatsoever and can only help to diminish the supply of land being offered for rent since landlords will invariably be wary of letting land at all if this threat is going to hang over them.

C. B. STRANG STEEL

Threepwood

Blainslie