Farms & Estates
We offer a full spectrum of services tailored to our agricultural and rural clients. You can rely on us to help you with dispute resolution, health and safety (including enforcement action by the HSE), regulatory compliance, estate management, land transactions, landlord and tenant issues, planning, construction and development.
What is involved with farms & estates?
The focus of agricultural enterprises has changed over the years, particularly with diversification opportunities. It is more important than ever to ensure that you have the right advice. From the development of agricultural property and implementation of business structures, to environmental agreements and succession planning, Freeths have over 50 years of experience.
We offer a full spectrum of services tailored to our agricultural and rural clients. You can rely on us to help you with dispute resolution, health and safety (including enforcement action by the HSE), regulatory compliance, estate management, land transactions, landlord and tenant issues, planning, construction and development.
Our capable team can also advise you on financial matters such as the preservation of your rights under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and tax planning (including inheritance, APR, BPR, capital gains, VAT and stamp duty land tax), as well as wills and trusts.
Why choose our agricultural team?
- Our specialists regularly advise clients with interests in rural, agricultural and equine matters
- Expect clear, practical advice from a friendly team of lawyers with a wide experience of rural issues
- We act for some of the largest estates the UK – and many of us have farming or agricultural roots
- Ranked in the top tier of both The Legal 500 and Chambers as nationally recognised as experts
Freeths are nationally recognised for advising agricultural and landed estate clients. We know just how challenging the landscape can be for you. Our team draws on the specialist talent and experience of lawyers from different legal disciplines to provide a complete legal service at highly competitive rates.
In particular, we have earned a reputation for understanding the complexities of estate management and agricultural property. You can trust us to come prepared with know-how unique to your industry. Whether you need assistance on how to deal with trespassers, or a family lawyer to protect farm assets before marriage, we use a wealth of combined experience to help find the best solution for your business.
Notable work
- Assisted with a complex residential purchase involving barns on a farm being converted into bespoke properties. Investigated title and undertook research to ensure historic rights of the land would not encumber our client.
- Acting for farms, landowners and companies in a wide range of property transactions including dealing with freehold and leasehold interests, agricultural land and property, Basic Payment Scheme and the Agri-environmental schemes.
- Acquisition of a farm including 200+ acres, listed farmhouse and buildings, riparian and railway frontages and entitlements. The case involved dealing with various title and agricultural issues and was settled at a value of over £3 million.
- Sale of a farming estate to 13 separate buyers. The individual lots varied from bare agricultural land, in hand farming operations, estate cottages. Balvinder dealt with various issues including first registration of a number of lots, defects in title and planning issues.
- Acting for a farmer on an AHA tenancy challenging a notice to quit (settled favourably at arbitration) where the client’s land was the centre of a proposed new housing development.
- Trust reorganisation for a farming family working with accountant and corporate colleagues to restructure family company. This was to enable succession to family business and protection of interests in land for family members not involved in the business.
- The acquisition of the Kiddington Estate for a sum in excess of £23 million. Including 1,500 acres of agricultural land, some 35 estate houses and cottages (including the majority of the village of Kiddington), commercial business premises totalling over 6,000 square feet, as well as an in hand farming enterprise, tenanted farm and woodland.
- Administering high net worth estates, including those with agricultural and business property, and advising in relation to tax mitigation measures and reliefs available.
- Acting for the funder of anaerobic digester plants involving lending of over £10 million to farm businesses. Freeths dealt with the drafting of transaction documents, reporting on title to agricultural farmland and advising on planning conditions.
- A £12.6 million refinance of farm, dairy unit and farm cottages to include redemption of existing charges over 1,850 acres and four new charges over 650 acres.
Testimonials
"Freeths is particularly good in relation to family planning and land promotion for development. I have found Freeths have a very good knowledge an...
The Legal 500, 2024
"The team made themselves readily available and responded quickly to any queries. The communication between individuals of the team appeared excell...
The Legal 500, 2024
"The team was most attentive with suggestions made and highly skilled at all levels from trainees to partner."
The Legal 500, 2024
Meet our team
Louise Lewis
Partner & Joint Head of Oxford Trusts, Estates and Tax Team
Lisa Mark-Bell
Director & Joint Head of Oxford Trusts, Estates and Tax Team
Andrew Dashwood-Begg
Managing Associate
Gemma Nicholls-Webber
Managing Associate
Rosalyn Shephard
Managing Associate
Contact us today
Whatever your legal needs, our wide ranging expertise is here to support you and your business, so let’s start your legal journey today and get you in touch with the right lawyer to get you started.
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