Agriculture & Rural Business

For decades we have been advising farmers and a wide range of other rural business owners

Rix & Kay is based in the heart of the beautiful South East – and for decades we have been advising farmers and a wide range of other rural business owners. We provide access to knowledge and experience, as well as a detailed understanding of rural economic, legal and agricultural issues.

Many rural businesses stay within a family for generations and rural communities have different priorities and interests to city dwellers. We can act on behalf of an individual farmer or a community group, maybe in the interests of preserving a way of life.

Legal services for rural businesses

Our legal services for rural businesses include:

• Strategic business planning, including succession
• Shareholder, partnership and LLP agreements
• Joint ventures including cooperatives
• Business start ups, mergers acquisitions and restructuring
• Business diversification
• Building and land conversion, including planning law
• Supply agreements and terms of business
• Employment law
• Health and safety
• Environmental law
• Countryside rights of way (including coastal access issues)
• Rural property law, including common land and rights
• Development land agreements
• Utility wayleaves and telecommunications
• Agricultural tenancies and licences
• Family trusts, wills, estate administration and wealth preservation
• Dispute resolution
• Family break ups
• Taxation

Diversification

We can advise on all legal aspects of estate management diversification through conversions, leisure and exploitation and on opportunities for land development centred on commercial and residential schemes.

We will help you to look at the most effective means by which your business can be enhanced and eventually passed on to your chosen successors. That could be by sale, gifting, establishing trusts, or by the use of your will, optimising the inheritance tax and capital gains tax planning opportunities that successive governments have provided in the business and agricultural sectors.

The team at Rix & Kay, which comprises ‘excellent communicators without ego’, is led by Sevenoaks-based managing partner Richard Cripps, who has a strong track record of commercial property work.

The team also includes experienced practitioners in the firm’s other offices in Uckfield and Ashford. Typical work handled includes property sales, estate management and development work; the firm also handles private client matters for high-net-worth individuals.

Rix & Kay recognised as leading firm

“I had the need for a specialist firm to deal with my land sale issues. Rix & Kay were recommended to me by another agent that I’ve had previous business with, the solicitor and clerk that dealt with my affairs were very personable and patient with me as I have little to no knowledge of law.”

Rix & Kay recognised as leading firm