Syllabus
Syllabus for the Examinations held after 1st July 2005
Candidates are expected to have a working knowledge of all matters relevant to rural property, rights, assets and chattels including but not restricted to the following:
- Farming, the CAP, other relevant policy regimes and business structures
- Agricultural Practice and Theory
- Business planning and structures for rural landowners and farmers
- The Common Agricultural Policy, grants, subsidies and production control systems including IACS, quotas and livestock premium rights
- Diversification within agriculture
- Preparation and use of farm budgets, cash flows, management accounts and analysis of audited farm accounts
- Regulations bearing on rural land and businesses, such as health and safety, etc.
- Identification, Law, Valuation and Marketing of Rural Property and Chattels
- Freehold and rental valuations, marketing, selling and letting rural property
- Growing and harvested crops
- Agricultural live and deadstock, produce, commodities and consumable stores
- Landlord and Tenant, including:
- the drafting of farm business tenancy and other agreements
- the law and valuations relevant to the commencement, the operation and the termination of tenancies under:
- the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986
- the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995
- the Landlord and Tenant Acts 1927 and 1954, and general business tenancy legislation
- the Housing Act 1988
- the common law including rental, tenant's fixtures and improvements, dilapidations, other rights, claims and obligations of landlords and tenants.
- Compulsory Purchase and Compensation as applied to agricultural and other rural property, businesses, assets and chattels
- Wayleaves, easements, communications masts, etc.
- Taxation - framework of and Valuations for Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax and other national and local taxation
- Business interests - partnerships, companies, etc.
- Non-agricultural Uses
- Rural planning and development control
- Diversification into non-agricultural uses
- Re-use of rural buildings
- Residential development in the countryside
- Agreements for development including options
- Environmental matters
- Environmental schemes (such as Environmental Stewardship and Tir Cynnal, ESAs, Countryside Stewardship Scheme, Tir Gofal), grants, subsidies and management agreements
- Pollution controls (including NVZs, etc.) and management
- Conservation
- Farm woodlands
- Environmental Impact Assessments
- Disputes Resolution
- Arbitrations under the Arbitration Act 1996 and the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986
- Other forms of disputes resolution
- Preparation of evidence and role of expert witness
- Professional Practice
- Written and oral structured reporting and communication
- Office systems and efficiency
- Professional standards, regulation and Professional Indemnity Insurance
- General Knowledge of the Countryside