Tenant Farming Rent Review Survey: final report

8. Conclusions

The majority of tenant farmers are satisfied with the current rent review process. There is some degree of dissatisfaction with the current rent review process for a minority of tenant farmers.

It is clear that familiarity with the legislation is related to tenant farmer satisfaction with the rent review process, with tenant farmers who are familiar with the legislation reporting higher levels of satisfaction. This also is related to tenant farmers' perception of the ease of the rent review process. Where respondents said they were very or fairly familiar with the rent review legislation they were more likely to find the process easy.

The survey also found that where the rent review process is undertaken by the landlord directly there is also a correlation with satisfaction. Moreover, where this is the case, the majority of tenant farmers feel that their relationship with their landlord stays the same throughout the process.

Where the agent is responsible for the rent review process, on both sides, satisfaction with the overall process was lower. This is supported by the fact that the third most common suggestion for improving the rent review process related to dissatisfaction with agents.

A third of tenant farmers were happy with the current rent review process and could not think of any improvements or suggestions. When asked for their suggestions on how the current rent review process could be improved, the most common response from tenant farmers was that they could not think of any improvements or suggestions (23%). Where comments were made, the most common themes were:

• rents should take into account a range of factors such as the type of land, productivity and repairs;
• dissatisfaction with agents;
• a need to simplify the process/ legislation;
• better communication between tenant farmers, landlords and other parties;
• lack of options or consultation in terms of rent increases;
• a need for more transparency/ consultation on decisions/ a standard framework/ independent body.

There is a low degree of dissatisfaction or desire to improve the rent review process from tenant farmers. The majority are content.