Farms & Estates
Leaders in our field
What is involved?
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.
Key contacts
Iain Davis
Partner
Why choose our agricultural lawyers?
- 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.
Call us now to find out how we can help you.
Farms & Estates Lawyers
Clare Bellis
Partner
0186 578 1058
Iain Davis
Partner
0186 578 1144
Balvinder Jaj
Partner
0186 578 1063
Louise Lewis
Partner
0186 578 1105
Jane Maitland
Partner
0345 128 6963
Tom Walker
Partner
0345 166 6337
Laura Czapski
Director
0186 578 1168
Ben Derrington
Director
0345 030 5855
Tom Gauterin
Director
0345 030 5861
Lisa Mark-Bell
Director
0186 578 1154
Nigel Roots
Consultant
0345 128 6962
Masood Ahmed
Managing Associate
0186 578 1205
Katherine Burge
Managing Associate
0186 578 1081
Andrew Dashwood-Begg
Managing Associate
0186 578 1021
Daniel McNally
Managing Associate
0345 030 5728
Gemma Nicholls-Webber
Managing Associate
0345 404 1714
Rosalyn Shephard
Managing Associate
01865 781 023
Saira Ali
Senior Associate
0345 030 5860
Richard Biddle
Senior Associate
0186 578 1008
Thomas Byard
Senior Associate
0186 578 1135
Eleanor Arscott
Associate
01865 781 095
Noah Bachoco
Associate
0186 578 1293
Finbar Downing
Associate
0345 030 5428
Claire Lathwell
Associate
0345 340 4251
Agricultural Property Refresher: Farm Business Tenancies
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Articles 22nd Mar 2022- 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.
Client service
‘Doing the right thing’ is at the heart of Freeths. Find out more about our excellent client service and the strong set of values that guide the way we work.
Talk to us
Freeths are a leading national law firm with 13 offices across the UK. If you have a query about our services or just want to find out more, why not give us a call?
Contact: 03301 001 014