Equestrian yard lease: stables and other facilities

About this document

This is a lease of an equestrian establishment of any size.

The facilities could be limited to a single stable block or the most well equipped livery yard complete with indoor school, outdoor arena, other outbuildings and paddocks.

The term of the lease should be less than 7 years. The tenant could be either a private individual, or someone running a livery business.

This agreement has been drawn to include provision for the upkeep of agricultural land and specifically equestrian activities.

The law in this lease

This document creates a lease under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Account has also been taken of:

• the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995

• the Regulatory Reform Regulations 2003

When to use this agreement

This lease is likely to be suitable:

• whether the property is just a stable block with an adjacent field, or whether it has the most comprehensive set of equestrian facilities

• where the term of the tenancy is between 6 months and 7 years

• if the tenant will be responsible for maintaining the condition of the land and facilities

• if the tenant is not a farmer or anyone who will grow crops or breed animals with a view to sale

This document does not allow for residential buildings on the land to be let - the tenant (or any employee) should not be allowed to live on site. If you require provisions for letting one of the buildings for residential purposes, use one of our separate residential tenancy agreements for that part of the property, or contact us to have suitable provisions included in the facilities lease.

The lease is not suitable if the tenant will breed horses or ponies for commercial reasons (i.e. run a stud). A farm business tenancy agreement should be used in this situation.

Agreement features and contents

This lease is comprehensive and provides alternatives for important choices. It contains 27 provisions and 1 schedule, including:

• the lease
• rent: amount and frequency, other payments, interest, review
• condition and repair
• tenant’s positive obligations
• restrictions on Tenant
• agricultural provisions
• competitions, vehicles and grassland damage
• signs and advertisements
• goods and vehicles
• default notice by Landlord
• assignment of the lease
• subletting not allowed
• tenant indemnifies landlord
• insurance
• security deposit
• access for Landlord
• guarantor
• provision for premature termination
• forfeiture
• security of tenure excluded
• schedule 1: rights reserved

Also included are extensive drafting notes that will help you edit the document for the exact deal you require.