Sorry Mate, But This Is Business

 The wind has started lifting the plastic roofing off the shed. It's nasty cheap stuff which comes away in splinters not sheets. We've had to do repairs a couple of times during the past four years but we won't be bothering again. This is a job for whoever ends up buying the place. 

We have copies of the correspondence between our representative and the neighbour who is thinking of making us an offer. The neighbour strikes a plaintive note. Do we not understand how distressing it is for him to have developers threatening to build houses on his doorstep? And please would we bear in mind how much it'll cost him to renovate the farm if he buys it.  Our man withholds the tea and sympathy and says he's still negotiating with the developers and when he's done the neighbour can come in with a better offer if he wants to.