Northamptonshire, the home county of Harris & Clarke has long been known as the ‘ County of Spires and Squires.’
Consequently, virtually every village has (or had) its large house and majority land holding. On the face of it there is nothing unusual, it is a legal entity which needs to ensure that its income exceeds its expenditure. However, often there are quirks and anomalies that require a degree of experience and expertise to deal with efficiently and diplomatically. Whether to preserve capital, or to preserve a degree of 3rd party control, many Estates are not simply vested in one fortunate individual.
John Harris and Paul Osborn have a long record of dealing with such estates, whether created by Deed, Will or Settled Land Act. Often the accountant has to work with other professionals such as solicitors and land agents and both partners are well known to most local fellow professionals. Often a team approach is required and that is an approach which we as a practice welcome.
We currently act for estates from 4 acres to 5,000 acres and find this type of work both challenging and testing. Often there is no easy answer and so an objective outlook remains critical at all times.