Land ownership and Control
- A landlord can apply in respect of land that is in hand or let out on a seasonal basis only. If any land included in the application is leased out on a seasonal basis, it will be the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all scheme requirements are met.
- If you are a tenant or contractual licensee, you must discuss the proposed application with your landlord to make sure it does not break the conditions of your tenancy or licence.
- If you are a tenant or contractual licensee, you must submit a Landlord Notification Form with your Proposal.
- If you have a tenancy or a licence with less than five years to run, you will have to make a joint application with your landlord or the land owner if you wish to undertake agri-environment, forestry or access Options. The landowner must fill in and sign the declaration in the Rural Priorities online application form to confirm that they will make sure your commitments under any five year Options would continue to be met if you stopped having control over the land during the five years of your commitment. The landlord or new tenant must enter into a 'successor's agreement' within three months of the tenancy or licence ending by submitting a completed successor's form. Otherwise you will have to repay the scheme payments already paid, with interest. Depending on the circumstances, you may have to pay a penalty.
- You cannot apply for land-based Options on seasonal held land, including arable, if your lease is for a period of less than a full year.
Withdrawal from the Scheme
If you withdraw from a Rural Priority Option which has a 5 year commitment, you should write to your RPID area office explaining why. Unless you can meet the " force majeure" criteria you will normally need to repay any payments you have already received, plus interest. You may also have to pay a penalty.
Selling or Leasing All or Part of Your Holding
If the new occupier of the land does not take on the Rural Priority obligations you have committed to, you will normally need to repay all or part of the payments you have already received, plus interest.
Change of Occupiers Under a Joint Application
If you are a tenant or licensee and stop having control over the land during the five years of an Option, the landlord or new tenant must enter into a 'successor's agreement' within three months of the tenancy or licence ending otherwise you will normally have to repay the scheme payments already paid, with interest. Depending on the circumstances, you may have to pay a penalty.
You must let your RPID area office know about any changes affecting the legal occupiers of the land the scheme applies to.