Crofts and crofting
This content applies to Scotland only.
Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. Get advice relating to England
A croft is not a house but a unit of agricultural land. Traditionally, crofting tenants rent their crofts from a landowner, but some crofters may also have bought their crofts. This means it's now possible to buy a croft, or the tenure of a croft, on the open market. This section looks at what you can do if you're interested in renting or buying a croft.
The Scottish Government is in the process of reforming the crofting system, and has more information on its website about crofting reform.
About crofts and crofting
This page explains what a croft is, who crofters are and how croft land is used. It also looks at how crofting laws work and what the Crofters Commission does.
Becoming a tenant of a croft
This page looks at how you can become a crofting tenant. Between 400-500 crofting tenancies change hands each year, but most pass between family members or to people the retiring crofter knows personally. However, tenancies do occasionally come up on the open market.
Inheriting a crofting tenancy
This page looks at what you need to do if you are left a crofting tenancy in someone's will. The situation will differ depending on whether the person who bequeathed you the tenancy was a member of your family or not.
Buying a croft on the open market
Around 150 owner-occupied crofts come up for sale on the open market each year. This page explains how to go about buying a croft and what your rights and responsibilities will be.
Getting consent from the Crofters Commission
This page explains what you need to do to get approval or consent from the Crofters Commission, for example, to assign or sublet your tenancy, or rent out an owner-occupied croft. This page also looks at what you can do if you aren't happy with the Commission's decision.
Useful links for crofters
This page lists useful websites containing further information for crofters or people interested in becoming crofters.
