Renting-out Agricultural Land in Scotland Survey

As part of the review of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003, the Scottish Government commissioned Ipsos to carry out a survey of agricultural landlords. The aim of the research was to assess the nature of agricultural land tenure arrangements in Scotland and to better understand the issues faced by agricultural landlords in Scotland. This included an examination of the proposal to grant tenant farmers, with agricultural tenancies secured under the 1991 Act, the Absolute Right to Buy (ARtB). 

The survey measured: details of agricultural landlords’ businesses; the current level and types of agricultural land owned and rented in Scotland; changes in land tenure since 2000; views on the future of the farming sector in Scotland; landlords’ relationships with their tenants and the local community; views on the Absolute Right to Buy; and plans for the future of their business.

The survey complemented a number of other surveys, also conducted by Ipsos, with tenant farmers and rural landowners who do not currently rent-out land, to support the Scottish Government’s Agricultural Holdings Legislation Review.

Download the full research report from the Scottish Government website.

Technical details

Postal and online surveys were conducted with 1,113 landowners who rent-out agricultural land in Scotland, sourced from Single Application Form returns that included seasonally let-out land and registrations for pre-emptive right to buy (PRtB) of a 1991 Act tenancy. Fieldwork took place between 1 April and 16 May 2014.