Agricultural Landlord & Tenant Code of Practice for England

Founded on three principles ‘clarity, communication and collaboration’ the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England was published yesterday.  This follows Defra’s response in May 2023 to the Rock Review: Working together for a thriving agricultural tenanted sector (2022).

This voluntary Code exists to support landlords and tenants, and their professional advisers to establish and maintain positive, productive and sustainable commercial relationships through dialogue and a sense of fairness and proportionality.

As an easy-to-read document it looks at best practice for the life of a tenancy from the initial grant of a tenancy including selection of tenant and agreement of tenancy terms, the routine engagement during a tenancy including rent reviews, repairs and improvements to the property as well as new opportunities, schemes and agreements, and finally through to termination and renewal.

As an agent, we aim to follow the Code in working constructively with our clients and other parties within our agreed remit and professional obligations.  As a member of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, we will be using their model agreements, which have been revised to reflect the Code of Practice.