Landlords of the great estates in Scotland could be forced to sell to their tenants at below market values, the Strutt & Parker conference on Scottish Land Reform heard this week.
Under the new legislation from the Scottish Parliament, passed in March, crofters and community groups have new rights to buy their land.
Keynote speaker Max Floydd, from accounting firm Saffery Champness, said: “Landowners could see the value of their assets considerably diminished. It is vital for landowners to seek professional advice and prepare their estates for all eventualities.”
But, he added: “The best case scenario would be that there is limited uptake on the right to buy and that if land is purchased by tenants, it is done so at market value.”
Andrew Rettie, partner in charge of Strutt & Parker’s Edinburgh office, said: “I believe the new legislation will significantly reduce demand for crofted estates in the north and west of Scotland. There will still be interest from specialist groups such as the National Trust but private individuals will be nervous about buying.”
