The NFU in conjunction with its Legal Panel Firms is pleased to offer NFU Farmer & Grower members an entirely free initial Legal Health Check in relation to their farming or growing businesses. This service aims to help identify and highlight any potential issues, legal gaps or other matters members might want to address to help secure their farming, growing or diversification businesses.
The Legal Health Check can also significantly help underpin business resilience. During the current unprecedented changing times with the future implementation of the Agricultural Transition Plan, Environmental Land Management Scheme, Lump Sum Payments to name a few, this Legal Health Check could assist in many ways - including, but not limited to, the following areas:
- Property matters (includes ownership, tenancies, land registration)
- Estate planning (includes Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Trust Deeds etc.)
- Business structures
- Share farming
- Contract farming
- Rights of Way (including Section 31(6) applications)
- Succession planning
- Employment
What does the service include?
- The service will include an initial free discussion with members either on farm or virtually as agreed with the NFU Legal Panel Firm (the process may start with the completion of an online questionnaire to help understand the nature of the business and identify the likely issues to be considered) followed by the creation of a simple report with any initial observations and/or recommendations.
- Members who then wish to take forward any recommendations identified at the report stage can then agree the scope and cost of any work to be carried out directly with the NFU Legal Panel Firm concerned.
- The terms and conditions for the Legal Health Check will be under the firm’s usual T&Cs.
How much does it cost?
The initial NFU Legal Health Check Service is free and is designed to provide members with a report that highlights any concerns or legal matters that need to be addressed. Should any work be identified and subsequently commissioned, then that piece of work will be carried out at the firm’s standard hourly rates (with a 12.5% NFU discount applied). Alternatively, it may be possible to agree a fixed fee directly with the firm before any work is done.
How is the service accessed?
- Members should call NFU CallFirst on 0370 845 8458 for a free initial discussion with an NFU specialist adviser who will then refer you to the appropriate Legal Panel Firm in your area.
- The NFU Legal Panel Firm will get in touch with you to have a free initial discussion. In some cases, you may also receive an online questionnaire from the firm to start the process. The questions are to assist in highlighting the areas within your business you might want to raise with them ahead of the discussion or meeting.
- The NFU Legal Panel Firm will arrange a visit or a virtual discussion as appropriate and agreed with you. This will result in a brief outline report being produced to agree the areas identified that require some work to be carried out to put things right within the business.