Plans in place to improve arbitration in Scotland
© Rex A practitioners’ guide is being developed to provide guidance for arbiters negotiating agricultural rent agreements in Scotland.
Speaking at the Scottish Agricultural Arbiters and Valuers Association (SAAVA) AGM in Stirling this week (Tuesday 12 March), president Martin Hall said the guide would be written by Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) secretary Jeremy Moody, following the model of one used in England and Wales.
In addition, SAAVA would be producing a set of arbitration rules to make the arbitration process quick and cheap to operate, with the option to seek expert determination when parties failed to fix a rent dispute.
“It will be a useful step forward in disputes that take place in the rents world at the moment,” said Mr Hall.
CAAV secretary Jeremy Moody said it was hoped the practitioners’ guide would be ready to assist with November rent reviews this year.
The guide would cover issues such as how to set a rent review in motion, the date in which the valuation takes place, the definition of rent and what can and cannot be taken into consideration, as well as concise guidelines to ensure everyone was working within the correct legal framework.
“We will never remove disputes, but the guide is needed to ensure that the disputes held are legitimate,” said Mr Moody.