Issued by NFU Scotland on behalf of the Tenant Farming Forum

Scotland’s Tenant Farming Forum has urged all interested parties to support the nation’s Rent Review Working Group (RRWG) by submitting views on the rent review process.
 
The newly created Group, chaired by Henry Graham, is charged with reviewing how the rent review process works in practice and identifying what, if any changes or improvements need to be made to rent reviews.

Following today’s meeting of the TFF, chairman Phil Taylor said:

“Having a rent review process that is fit for purpose is in the best interests of Scotland’s tenanted sector.  I welcome that the Rent Review Working Group is up and running, with the objective of reporting to TFF in November 2012.

“The opportunity now exists for all organisations and individuals with an interest to engage and provide comment to the RRWG on rent reviews and on the factors that determine rents.  I urge them to do so before the 31 August deadline so that this crucial piece of work for our tenanted sector can be completed.” 

Notes to Editors

• The four members of the Rent Review Working Group are Henry Graham (chairman), Ian Duncan Millar, John Ross and John Mitchell.
• The Group is looking for responses to the following questions, which it feels will provide it with sufficient information for the Group to report back to the TFF later this year. The four questions are:
  • Section 13 of the 1991 Act contains the legal framework for a rent review, what do you consider to be its main strengths and weaknesses, both in principle and practice?
  • Rent reviews of 1991 Act tenancies presently take different factors into account.  How do you consider 1991 Act rent reviews are presently conducted in Scotland and will the Court of Session findings in the Moonzie Farm case materially alter present procedures?
  • Where a landlord and tenant are unable to agree a revised rent themselves, how best should that dispute be resolved?
  • By comparing and contrasting Section 13 of the 1991 Act with alternative rent review provisions (including the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986) what changes would provide material differences in the outcome?
•  To allow the Group time to consider views on the current rent review process, all responses should be submitted no later than by 31 August 2012.   The Group would ask that responses are restricted to no more than 2 sides of A4 paper.  Responses should be sent electronically to Alan Barclay, who will be providing administration support for the Group, at RentReviewWorkingGroup@scotland.gsi.gov.uk .  

Ends

Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006