That was the explanation given by landlords Wemyss Properties, after tenants in the village feared they could be victims of a Coaltown-type clearout.

One distressed resident called the Mail to say she had received a phone call from the firm asking her to let in a surveyor for the purposes of selling her house.

She and a number of other panic-stricken residents took the firm to task later that day.

The mum – who wished to remain anonymous – said: "Quite a few people got the same phone call and it caused a bit of a stir so they cancelled all the surveys and they have since tried to say to us they are not selling houses with tenants in them."

Wemyss Properties struck a heavy blow to almost 50 households in Coaltown of Wemyss when they announced a £6m mass sell-off in July last year.

After months of protracted talks, tenancies were saved through a 'confidential' deal clinched by Kingdom Housing Association.

Although the exact terms of the deal remain unclear, the cash handed over to Wemyss Properties Ltd was bolstered by £1m from Fife's council tax coffers.

Currently, two West Wemyss houses owned by Wemyss Properties are up for sale, as are the pub and the hotel.

The Mail understands the manse will be next.

The tenant estimated 15 households had contacted the firm's office that day seeking reassurance their short-term tenancies were safe.

"A lady who works in the office came to see us and said the calls had been put across to us wrongly, but I don't know," she said.

"I guess they were pretty worried because they didn't expect so many people to come at them."

She added: "They explained they wanted the surveyor to come in to see what deeds they have on the property. They said they did not have them for all the properties. I'm a little sceptical."

A spokesman on behalf of Wemyss Properties Ltd assured there would be no repeat of the Coaltown crisis which thrust the Wemyss family into the national headlines.

He said: "As individual houses in West Wemyss become vacant they are being put up for sale and surveys are being undertaken for these properties.

"This does not affect existing residents who will continue in their tenancy as normal. No tenant properties will be put up for sale."

He explained: "Two tenants mistakenly received calls but we have since met with them to give reassurances over their tenancy."

However, a resident from the Coaltown of Wemyss campaign group informed the Mail he had heard of the intended surveys three weeks ago.

"People in the West Wemyss have our sympathy – this makes us remember where we all were this time a year ago.

"Perhaps this is a drip-feed sell-off and that would be sad. Above all, we must remember we are talking about people here, not houses."

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