I've recently inherited my fathers smallholding after he passed away. We have about 6 acres of land.
For the last several years my dad let a neighbouring farmer graze some sheep on the land to keep the grass down. There seems to have been no written agreement and no money changed hands. I believe the farmer was supposed to do some maintenance of the fields, but very little seems to have been other than blocking holes in fences with branches to stop sheep escaping!
The state of the fields and fences is deteriorating and I am looking to reassess the situation and reach a more satisfactory agreement. Unfortnately this is all very new to me and I don't really know what a good agreement would entail.
I'd be grateful for help with the following questions:
1. neighbour has been grazing for free and with no written agreement for 10 years plus. is he likely to have acquired any legal rights to use the land that i need to be aware of?
2. what would a normal grazing agreement require the person using the land to do. I would like to get ditches maintained, weeds and rushes controlled. hedges trimmed and fences mainatained. none of this seems to have been happening. is this reasonable to expect in return for use of the land? or do i do upkeep and they make a payment to cover costs? how does this usually work? what is the going rate for grazing per acre?
3. we also have common land grazing rights along with fields. would this increase the value of any grazing?
as i said, all this very new to me, and any and all help and advice much appreciated.
For the last several years my dad let a neighbouring farmer graze some sheep on the land to keep the grass down. There seems to have been no written agreement and no money changed hands. I believe the farmer was supposed to do some maintenance of the fields, but very little seems to have been other than blocking holes in fences with branches to stop sheep escaping!
The state of the fields and fences is deteriorating and I am looking to reassess the situation and reach a more satisfactory agreement. Unfortnately this is all very new to me and I don't really know what a good agreement would entail.
I'd be grateful for help with the following questions:
1. neighbour has been grazing for free and with no written agreement for 10 years plus. is he likely to have acquired any legal rights to use the land that i need to be aware of?
2. what would a normal grazing agreement require the person using the land to do. I would like to get ditches maintained, weeds and rushes controlled. hedges trimmed and fences mainatained. none of this seems to have been happening. is this reasonable to expect in return for use of the land? or do i do upkeep and they make a payment to cover costs? how does this usually work? what is the going rate for grazing per acre?
3. we also have common land grazing rights along with fields. would this increase the value of any grazing?
as i said, all this very new to me, and any and all help and advice much appreciated.