The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: WinslowPorker on April 16, 2010, 12:17:29 pm
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Hi all,
As you all know by now the rat race is coming to an end, i have had enough!
Just been looking at some properties and a couple of them have 'Agricultural Occupancy' Condition?? Does anyone know:
Can these be lifted?
Who do you contact?
And if moving in and becoming a smallholder actually ticks all of the boxes?
Just found a couple of beauties which financially add up and also have the space and buildings i would need, and just do not want to get caught short or fall on the wrath of the local pen pushers ;)
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I think there are different types of AOC's, so you need to get them checked for each property....the details are usually in the deeds, or if you contact the Local Authority they will have the details of each particular place. Also, if you need a mortgage, you might find that difficult to secure on a place with an AOC.
Depending on the conditions of the AOC you may find that being a smallholder qualifies....but it's worth being very careful.
There are Companies, on the internet and Smallholding magazines offering services of getting AOC's lifted.......But I would have thought that the people selling would have tried this before putting their place on the market, because they could sell it for a whole lot more without an AOC.
Worth taking a look at but, beware.
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W.P. Watch for covenants and how they are worded My No 2 son fell foul of misinterpretation ??? :farmer:
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Properties round here have come up with Agricultural Occupany clauses on them. I know some of these houses were built as farm workers dwellings, often for farmers sons and family. Quite a few try to get it lifted, but its refused - or at least round here. I suppose the council look at it, that they allowed the building, often in a green belt, for the purpose of the farm. And now the owner is changing the goal posts, and can sell the house for a good sum with the clause lifted.
To be honest, I would say the owner has tried to get the clause lifted already. He will know the place would make more money.
As I understand it, you last paid employment must have been in agricultural or forestry, which means farm worker, or owning your own farm. So, a retired farmer could count probably.
I would say, even if you got a property with this occupancy clause on it and worked the farm, its when you come to ever sell it. I would imagine it could be hard to find a buyer.
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Think i may steer away from one of those types of property then!
Its a shame coz there is a corker for sale, just outside Looe
http://media.primelocation.com/JFFGR/JFLS/JFLS4600434/BROCH_01.PDF (Cut and paste as it would not move over as hyperlink)
Nevermind there are plenty of others, and i have already done my battles with spotty little students - sorry i meant planners
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That looks nice .....not sure about the tree in the lounge though? :D Just a nice amount of land to keep a few animals on......easier to maintain.
Perhaps you could enquire of the possibility of the clause being lifted? There again, the price would rise if that were the case, and there would be a stampede after the house!!
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Exactly thats the problem and it looks like it could do with a few quid spent on it.
I will find somewhere, even if it takes me a year
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I would say it was worth finding out about that one - doesn't seem a great deal wrong with it to me.
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going t put a call in to Cornwall CC and there is a couple of 'consultants' that help to lift these restrictions so will try and get any information from them.
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That's what I'd do too - good luck, it looks super! But keep looking - something better might be just a day away!