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Section 2: Restriction on letting agricultural land for less than from year to year.

Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 · 1986 c. 5View on legislation.gov.uk

Part I: Introductory

An agreement to which this section applies shall take effect, with the necessary modifications, as if it were an agreement for the letting of land for a tenancy from year to year unless the agreement was approved by the Minister before it was entered into.

Subject to subsection (3) below, this section applies to an agreement under which—

any land is let to a person for use as agricultural land for an interest less than a tenancy from year to year, or
a person is granted a licence to occupy land for use as agricultural land,

if the circumstances are such that if his interest were a tenancy from year to year he would in respect of that land be the tenant of an agricultural holding.

This section does not apply to an agreement for the letting of land, or the granting of a licence to occupy land—

made (whether or not it expressly so provides) in contemplation of the use of the land only for grazing or mowing (or both) during some specified period of the year, or
by a person whose interest in the land is less than a tenancy from year to year and has not taken effect as such a tenancy by virtue of this section.

Any dispute arising as to the operation of this section in relation to any agreement shall be determined by arbitration under this Act.

Notwithstanding subsection (4) above, the parties to the agreement may instead refer for third party determination under this Act the dispute that has arisen as to the operation of this section.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.