Further calls for landlord leniency on farmers - commercial mortgages

25 September 2007

The farming industry has renewed its calls for landlords, banks and other financial institutions to act with restraint when it comes to seeking payments from farmers whose business has been affected by the current foot and mouth crisis.

The Tenant Farmers Association and the Farm Crisis Network have said that there is a danger that firms with commercial mortgages and other landlords are not taking the crisis seriously enough, and have called for more understanding of the problems.

TFA chief executive George Dunn has said that tenants may not be able to move out as required on the traditional end-of-tenancy date (September 29th) because of the restrictions imposed on the movement of livestock, according to the Western Mail.

"We are also getting reports that some landlords are taking a hard line on rental payments expecting them to be met on time despite the current circumstances," FCN deputy national co-ordinator Helen Bagwell noted, according to Farming UK.

TFA national chairman Reg Haydon added that the organisation has also urged retailers not to cash in on the crisis by slashing prices to unsustainable levels.