When zamindars were in bad times, they often resorted to various tactics to maintain control over their zamindari. These were in fact their survival tactics. Following are the important ones.
1. Zamindars created fictitious sales during auction. Their own men would make highest bid and later refused to pay up. After repeating this exercise for couple of occasions, the government would be tired and sell it back to zamindar at lesser rate.
2. A part of Estate was often transferred to female members of the family, and that part of property could not be taken by the government any more.
3. Zamindars put hurdle in purchase and occupation of the estate by others by use of sheer muscle power.
4. Sometimes even peasants under the influence of zamindars opposed auction of estate.