Farming
Struggling tenants call for cuts in rents
ABYSMAL prices, rising costs
and the falling single farm payment
should see rent reductions
for tenant beef and sheep farmers.
George Dunn, chief executive
of the Tenant Farmers' Association
(TFA), also ruled out increases
for dairy farmers and
said only a small rise in arable
rents may be justified.
He was addressing a
TFA/George F White meeting on
rent reviews held in Skipton.
Old style rents are based on
production and earnings capacity
but costs must also be taken
into account.
That includes those created by
regulations such as livestock
identification, cross compliance,
nitrate vulnerable zones, and the
entry and higher level schemes.
Farm waste regulations, involving
a charge of about £75 a
tonne, should also be factored in.
Kevin Guy, of George F White,
said tenants who receive a
rent review notice should "question
everything and accept nothing."
They should familiarise themselves
with their tenancy agreement
and double check anything
the landlord or agent claims.
The landlord has certain conditions
to meet and tenants
should check they are doing so.
Mr Guy suggested groups of
tenants could benefit from sitting
down together and comparing
notes to ensure they "do not
give bullets for the landlord to
fire."
Some landlords claimed they
could get a lot more rent for property
on the residential letting
market but the meeting was told
that was not the case.
"Comparing you with a residential
letting is like comparing
chalk with cheese," said Mr
Dunn.
Another George F White/TFA
rent review meeting is at Sedgefield
Racecourse on Thursday, at
6.30pm.
To attend, contact Andrew
Entwistle on 01388-527966.
12:50pm Tuesday 18th March 2008
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