Frank Smith & Co Solicitors

Welcome to our news page and comments keeping you up to date on matters relevant to our clients.

My first experience in an office/law firm

My experience over the last few days has not only given me a view of what an office is like but has also changed my view of solicitors and people in the law industry. I have always had an interest in law but mainly the criminal side of it, as before coming here, I felt…

Agricultural Property Relief – is planting trees the best option for your estate?

For those farmers engaging in succession planning, it’s well known that farmland in the UK is eligible for Agricultural Property Relief (APR) which provides 100% relief from Inheritance Tax (IHT) and that Tenancies under the 1986 Agricultural Holdings Act, are afforded 50% Inheritance Tax relief. What remains less-well known is that land which is turned…

Sustainable Farming Incentives – What’s available to help your farm go green?

Since the UK left the European Union, a number of new agricultural policies have been introduced to support farmers. In this blog, Frank Smith & Co Solicitors Agricultural team will look to explain the different systems in place to support farmers transition to a greener way to operate. Reaction to leaving the EU Following Brexit,…

Upcoming EPC changes to rental properties

The Government has published plans to change the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating required for rental properties. The current regulations state that only properties with an EPC rating of A to E are legally allowed to be rented, and it is now being proposed that all rental properties will need an EPC rating of…

Landowners who accommodate mobile masts on their land have recently responded to a survey describing a substantial drop in received rental payments. Although something of an eyesore, not to mention an inconvenience, these masts were once a good source of income for landowners. In recent years, however, the needs of the public have eclipsed the…

The importance of appointing an Executor to safeguard your family’s inheritance

Unlike in Hollywood films, with families gathered in a wood panelled room, with the Executor sitting at a leather table reading the recently deceased’s Will aloud and delivering the news of which members are to receive assets from the Estate. In the UK, the reality is somewhat different. Although we do not have ‘Will readings’…

Building Safety Act 2022 – Protecting Leaseholders from building safety costs

Leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act came into force on 28 June 2022. It looks to deliver protections for qualifying leaseholders from the costs associated with remediating historical building safety defects, and further measures that will allow those responsible for building safety defects to be held to account. The Act makes it clear that…

Disputes between caravan owners and local council planning officials over the status of mobile homes are something of a longstanding concern. Are these caravans mobile homes or developments? Recently, in the Appeal of Sally Turner a lawful development certificate was refused by Canterbury council for siting a mobile home for use ancillary to the main…

Grants Available for Farming in Protected Landscapes

Farmers and landowners are now able to apply for funding, through the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FIPL) programme, for one-off projects. If your proposed project delivers a fundable outcome for the climate, nature and people – you may be eligible for a grant. The programme has been developed by DEFRA with the support of AONB…

The Government has announced a poultry lockdown from the 7th November 2022 affecting all poultry and captive birds which will need to be housed until further notice. This is in response to the biggest ever outbreak of Avian Flu. Birds are required to be shut indoors and their keepers are to implement strict biosecurity measures…

Blog

My first experience in an office/law firm

Agricultural Property Relief – is planting trees the best option for your estate?

Sustainable Farming Incentives – What’s available to help your farm go green?

Upcoming EPC changes to rental properties

Tied to the Mast

The importance of appointing an Executor to safeguard your family’s inheritance

Building Safety Act 2022 – Protecting Leaseholders from building safety costs

Does a mobile home have to be mobile?

Grants Available for Farming in Protected Landscapes

Bird Flu Outbreaks