Tenancy law reforms ‘will knock down barriers’ for farmers
March 27th 2020The government is introducing legal reforms to provide greater flexibility for tenant farmers. It says the Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) will provide greater flexibility in tenancy law, bring legislation into the 21st century and make it fit for purpose for modern farming needs. Amendments include repealing the minimum succession retirement age of 65 to provide tenants with the flexibility to decide when it is right for them to retire and…
MPs call for root and branch reforms to cut inheritance tax
March 19th 2020A group of MPs have called for root and branch reforms of the inheritance tax system, including a cut in the standard rate from 40% to 10%. They also want to scrap most of the current tax reliefs, including the seven-year rule that allows you to pass on wealth without any tax implications. Instead, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Inheritance and Intergenerational Fairness wants a new annual allowance of £30,000…
Advising the Agriculture Sector on Future Proofing Their Businesses
January 22nd 2019THE focus of the agricultural world was tuned into a unique event which tackled challenges and opportunities in the sector against the backdrop of an uncertain post-Brexit economy. More than 125 people packed into The Shepherd’s Inn at Rosehill, Carlisle, for the Future Proof Farming event, which was a collaboration between four major organisations. Legal firm Cartmell Shepherd joined forces with accountants Armstrong Watson, The Cumberland Building Society and The…
Homeowners have covenant modified to allow barn conversion
January 2nd 2019By Jonathan Carroll Director and Head of Agriculture A married couple have succeeded in having a restrictive covenant modified to allow them to build more than one house on part of their land. The couple had bought the land together with a farmhouse in 2001 for £600,000 from a college. They then obtained planning permission allowing them to convert two outbuildings, the “Modern Barn” and the “Old Barn”, into a single…
Farming Partnerships – Things to be Careful
September 21st 2018By Jonathan Carroll, Head of Agriculture Yet again a farming family dispute has led to huge legal costs, when a decent partnership agreement would have prevented it for a tiny fraction of the sums lost. The Wild family farmed Beard Hall Farm from 1965, which was owned by dad, Ben. Ben and his wife Jean brought their son, Malcolm, into the partnership in 1978 when he was just 16, but…
