A young family is waiting to discover if they must vacate their farm by October 31 after being asked to re-tender for a farm that they had occupied for 30 years.

Ross and Donna Robertson, of Mains of Tongue, in Sutherland, have yet to discover if their annual lease on the 62-hectare farm will be awarded to another tenant. Mr Robertson was brought up on the farm which had been in the family since his grandfather took on the lease in 1992.

Following the passing of Ross’s grandfather, the tenancy was passed on to the next generation 16 years ago. In recent years the tenure had been cut from a five-year let to an annual let which was processed annually with no outside bids.

However, according to the Robertsons, the estate’s land agents announced this spring that the farm’s annual lease was going to be open for tenders. This is for the land only as the family of five’s farmhouse is on a separate lease.

Speaking to The Scottish Farmer Mrs Robertson said they were told in March to be prepared to vacate the property at the end of May if they failed to win the open tender process. Mrs Robertson complained to the agents that this was too short a time to move their 200 recently lambed ewes and seven Luing cattle.

As a result, they were granted an extension to the end of October. The Robertsons are planning to put in a bid for the land, but Donna explained they are not hopeful of winning the bid.

The land agents acting on behalf of the estate owners declined to comment on the commercial matter.