Maybe tenant has pin inset with silver (8)
I believe the answer is:
cottager
'maybe tenant' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'pin inset with silver' is the wordplay.
'pin inset' becomes 'cotter' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'with' indicates putting letters inside.
'silver' becomes 'Ag' (Ag is the chemical symbol for silver).
'cotter' going around 'ag' is 'COTTAGER'.
'has' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cottager that I've seen before include "Tenant perhaps" , "One living in a small house" , "Inhabitant of small simple house in the country" , "Countryman" , "country-dweller" .)