Landlord and Tenant Flashcards
What are the types of agricultural tenancy you might expect to come accross in Scotland?
1991 Act (traditional) tenancy, SLDT, MLDT, LDT, repairing tenancy, seasonal grazing or mowing lease
What are the four (or five) fundamental elements of a lease?
Landlord and tenant, term, subjects and consideration (or ish)
How long should the term be for a grazing or mowing lease?
A maximum of 364 days
Can a landowner retain BPS entitlements over land that is let to a grazing tenant?
Yes
What happens to a grazing lease if the tenant does not remove after 364 days?
It converts to an SLDT
How long must the break be between consecutive grazing leases to the same tenant on the same land?
One day
Can other activities such as breeding or storage take place on a grazing let?
No. The landlord must monitor the tenant’s activities and object to anything like this in a reasonable timeframe, otherwise there is risk that the tenancy will convert to an SLDT.
Would you let land for grazing horses under an agricultural lease?
No. Agricultural leases are for the purpose of producing food (or wool, skins or fur). An equine lease would not attract the protection of the Agricultural Holdings Acts.
What causes a grazing lease to become an SLDT?
- If the tenant stays in occupation
- If the landowner does not object
- If the tenant pays rent for the subsequent period
- If the landowner accepts the rent
When should a notice to quit be served on an agricultural tenancy?
Not less than one year and no more than two years before the date of termination.
Under what grounds might a Landlord be able to terminate a 1991 Act tenancy?
- If you owe more than 6 months of rent
- If the tenant is not farming the holding in line with the rules of good husbandry
- If the landlord wants to use the land for something other than farming, and planning has been granted
- If the tenant has become insolvent
- If the tenant has breached a clause of the tenancy which cannot be reasonably remedied.
Under what circumstances can an agricultural tenant withhold rent?
If the landlord is not complying with their repairing responsibilities.
Can a tenant use their land for non-agricultural purposes? Which Act governs this?
Yes, the Agricultural Holdings Act 2003 introduced this. The tenant must serve a ‘notice of diversification’ not less than 70 days in advance.
Can agricultural tenancies be partially sublet?
Yes, if the landlord agrees. This should be written into the lease.
Who can an agricultural tenancy be left to in a will?
- A spouse or civil partner
- A blood relative
- A daughter-in-law or son-in-law
If a traditional tenancy is converted to an LDT or MDLT, what is the minimum term?
25 years
What must a tenant to in order to have right to buy under a 1991 Act tenancy?
Register their interest before the land is put up for sale.
Under which agricultural tenancies does the tenant have right to buy?
Traditional (1991 Act) tenancy only.
What Act introduced the Short Limited Duration Tenancy (SLDT)?
Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003
What types of compensation might be payable to the tenant at termination of a 1991 Act tenancy?
- Tenant’s improvements
- Disturbance
- Reorganisation of affairs
- Vacant possession
Under which tenancies is assignation permitted?
1991 Act tenancy, LDT and MLDT
Under which tenancies is subletting allowed?
1991 Act, LDT and MLDT - only if permitted by the landlord.
What duration can a SLDT be for?
Not more than 5 years
What happens if a tenant remains in occupation for more than 5 years under an SLDT?
It converts to an MLDT
Is diversification permitted under an SLDT?
No
Under which tenancy can the landlord contract out of repairing/replacing fixed equipment?
Modern Limited Duration Tenancy
What are the landlord and tenant responsibilities in relation to fixed equipment under agricultural tenancies?
Both must agree a schedule of fixed equipment specifying what will be provided by the landlord and the condition of this.
Landlord: to renew/replace the fixed equipment as may be necessary due to natural decay and fair wear and tear
Tenant: to maintain the fixed equipment in as good a state of repair per the condition in the schedule.
What compensation is payable by the landlord to the tenant at termination, under the limited duration tenancies?
Compensation for tenant’s improvements
How long was the tenant’s amnesty period intended to be and when did it eventually end?
Three years. It started in June 2017 was due to end in June 2020. Due to COVID-19 it was extended to December 2020.
What are the three main categories of tenant’s improvements?
Part I - Improvements For Which Consent Required
Part II - Improvements of Which Notice Required
Part III - Improvements for which no notice or consent required
What is a Part I tenant’s improvement? List some examples:
Improvements For Which Consent Required:
- Laying down permanent pasture
- Irrigation works
- Planting orchards or fruit bushes
- Making embankments or sluices against floods
- Making of gardens
What is a Part II tenant’s improvement? List some examples:
Improvements of Which Notice Required:
- Erection or alteration of buildings
- Land Drainage
- Construction of silos
- Works to dwellings
- Provision of means of storing silage
- Reclaiming of waste land
- Making or removal of permanent fences, including hedges and stone dykes
What is a Part III tenant’s improvement? List some examples:
Improvements for which no notice or consent required:
- Chalking of land
- Clay burning
- Claying of land
- Liming of land
- Marling of land
- Eradication of bracken, whins or broom
- Removal of tree roots, boulders, stones etc.
- Application of soil improvers, conditioners, digestates, manure etc.
Which types of tenant’s improvements were eligible under the Amnesty for Tenant’s Improvements?
Part II and Part III improvements. Also Part I’s if the necessary consent process had been followed.
What might landlord’s be able to claim against the tenant for at waygo?
- Dilapidations
2. Under-application of lime or fertaliser
What must the tenant serve in advance of termination of the tenancy in order to claim for compensation for improvements? How far in advance?
They must serve a notice on the landlord of any claim for compensation, at least 2 months before the termination of the tenancy