Renting out my private stables

[Pinn289]

Hello, Iv recently bought a house which has 4 stables and grazing, I only need one stable and I'd like to rent the rest out. Do I need any insurance or register anywhere to do this or can I just do cash deals with people I know and sign a DIY livery agreements?

 

[K4STR]

Hello, Iv recently bought a house which has 4 stables and grazing, I only need one stable and I'd like to rent the rest out. Do I need any insurance or register anywhere to do this or can I just do cash deals with people I know and sign a DIY livery agreements?

Hi,

Firstly, lucky you on buying a house with stables!!

In my honest answer i am not to sure. You may have to declare it as a business, but dont quote me.

If you dont have to register or class as a home business then i would ensure that i ask the liviers to agree to certain disclaimers i.e

1. Valuables are left onsite at your own will and you (the livery owner) will not take liability
2. I (the owner) do not take responsibility for any accidents, injuries on site and riding under safety equipment is permitted at all times

I think those are the most important points to get across as you do not want to take any liability for others actions on your land

Hope this helps!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'd always advise that you go for a proper agreement; plus you will need to think about stuff like insurance (public liability) for your yard. You'd be best to shop around for this. We were with NFU for years - until this year they banged the premium up to excruciating pain levels, so we shopped around and got it a lot cheaper for as-good cover elsewhere. But do make sure you have adequate Public Liability cover, and if you are "employing" anyone, you'll also need Employers Liability as well.

If you are a BHS Gold member it might be worth ringing their helpline for a chat???

Re the livery itself, you'll need to determine exactly what is, and is not, included, etc etc. For instance, I have an identical situation here, i.e. I rent out spare stables and paddock to a DIY livery, but I have a strict agreement that I will NOT "do" anyone's horse, unless of course there is an emergency situation; such as when my current livery moved in, within days we had feet of snow on the place and she couldn't get out to feed hers, so I was only too happy to chuck some hay into hers and generally keep an eye. You need to be clear from the outset about what is included in the livery, and what is NOT, how many times you expect them to come and "do" their horses, and at what time!!!

You will also have to consider stuff like field maintenance, grazing/rotation etc etc. YOU will turn into the dreaded-demon called a YO and so you may, just may, have to grow quite a thick skin!! You will have to make decisions and be responsible for the running of a yard.

You need to think about whether you will have just ONE other person/DIY livery, sharing this space, or whether you want more than one person.

Bear in mind that whatever you decide, this is YOUR HOME and anybody coming onto your place can either bring peace with them, or very definitely the lack of it!!! i.e. you may wish to consider stuff like kids running around, whether you'll allow dogs etc etc.

Best thing I can advise you is to get on-line and and browse the BHS website: they've got a specimen livery agreement on there which you can hack around and suit to your own use. I would advise against having "friends" on the yard, simply because if, and I say if, things go wrong (as they can with horses), you've not only lost a livery but a friend also, and unfortunately having friends on your own place can very badly turn if things get nasty and bite you on the bum. It hasn't happened to me personally but I've known other situations where it has. Not advisable. Keep everything professional and as detached as you can is the best thing, initially anyway.

Personally I would be chary of "cash deals". Whatever you do, don't be caught with your pants down by the IR coz it just ain't worth it. Best to be up-front and declare any monies from "liveries", rather than go under the counter and be caught out. If you can, get your livery to do a DD every month so you know you've got the money coming in and they don't "forget".

Having said that, I'm being devil's advocate because my livery pays me cash every month; but I make sure I declare it!!

We've been doing DIY livery since we moved here more than 20 years ago. We've met some lovely people, super horses, and it has been FUN! You won't make a fortune at it, but you will (hopefully) thoroughly enjoy the whole experience, and have a bit of spare cash as keep for your own horse too. In all that time we've only ever had one really bad egg, a girl who arrived and shut her poor little pony in the stable for the weekend, and then went away, god knows where, without telling us where she'd gone, and the pony was left without food or water and was going crazy (and guess who had to sort it!!!).

My advice, especially as this is your home, would be to be very very fussy in your choice of livery. Ask around, and ask again, as to who the local PITA's as regards livery. We've always had just the ONE person here, as we find this works well on a small yard. One person is manageable and works well, I've a strong feeling that more than this, in my situation anyway, just wouldn't work, and with more than one you'd likely get the bitching that you see on this and other forums too.........

If you are lucky to get a good livery, you'll have made a good friend. I'm supremely lucky in that my current livery is a gift from heaven! We've laughed together, cried together, and I am honoured to say that she is a very good friend. Yep, its worked well. So important when you live on the place!

The most important thing is COMMUNICATION. This is going to be the lynchpin of your relationship with your livery(s). Hopefully they'll become your friends as well as your liveries.........

Good luck anyway!

 

[Red-1]

Hi, we *could* have a livery here, but I won't as my arena would then be due business tax for the council. That would cost more than any livery would pay.

 

[lizziebell]

Hi, we *could* have a livery here, but I won't as my arena would then be due business tax for the council. That would cost more than any livery would pay.

^^^This^^^. The council may deem you as "running a business" and may enforce business rates on your property. The planning for your stables may be solely for your use only, and therefore you will be in breach of planning laws by renting them out. You will also need to declare the additional income for tax purposes.

Someone has already mentioned the various insurance policies you'll need.

With the above in mind, you need to weigh up whether a couple of liveries will cover these costs.

Most people I know with a stable or 2 spare on their private properties allow "friends" to livery with them in exchange for work, thereby no money exchanging hands and no "business income" taking place.

 

[CazD]

I really wouldn't bother! We have a small yard (2 acres, 2 stables, field shelter, tack room) that we rented for while to a local lady. It was much more hassle than it was worth and by the time we'd paid for muck removal, insurance, repairs etc we hardly broke even.

 

[horcrrux]

I really wouldn't bother! We have a small yard (2 acres, 2 stables, field shelter, tack room) that we rented for while to a local lady. It was much more hassle than it was worth and by the time we'd paid for muck removal, insurance, repairs etc we hardly broke even.

Hi would you be able to take a look at my latest thread as it sounds like you could help me out https://forums-secure.horseandhound...do-you-need-insurance&p=13278823#post13278823

 

[PeterNatt]

More aggravation than it is worth!.......................................

 

[Makemineacob]

Absolute nightmare, more trouble than it is worth, you will be out of pocket after all your expenses and you do risk ending up having to pay business rates!!

 

[WandaMare]

I think if you can find the right person this can work really well, as long as business rates are not applicable. Its finding the right person which is difficult. It doesn't pay very well and you lose the flexibility to do want you want with your own horses (eg you might want to bring them in earlier if you are going out in the evening or something like that but you don't want to upset your livery horses) and also, more importantly to me, your privacy, which are often the biggest benefits of having your own place, its a really difficult one. I have done both and while I did enjoy having liveries to some extent, it has been a lot less stressful just having mine at home and enjoying the peace.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I'd be so wary of having randomer in. Could you get a couple of companies from WHW? Then your horse wouldn't be alone and nor would a single companion. I'd be departement to get another, bigger version of mine if I had my own stables!

 

[CazD]

Hi would you be able to take a look at my latest thread as it sounds like you could help me out https://forums-secure.horseandhound...do-you-need-insurance&p=13278823#post13278823

Done

 

[case895]

We rented out a spare stable for a time and never again. The main thing was the loss of privacy, but I know now that I would have the council on to me if I did it again (neighbour has them on speed dial) - planning, environmental health (muck heap), rates and highways. This is before HMRC and self assessment starts...

 

[sunnyone]

Congratulations on getting the stables etc.
From my 40 years of horse keeping, I would say it is essential to have somebody else around who knows horses and can help you if need be. A livery can do just that. Whether you charge or not is up to you. Currently my livery pays me about £1.50 a day for a paddock, which we maintain, metered water, lunging ring and 1km of off road riding. If I want to go away for a week then she gets a free month as she has to supervise mine all the time I'm away. She pays me for hay etc on top.

If you are worried about a lack of privacy then that might be an issue but equally having somebody else keeping an eye on the horse and the place can be very beneficial too.
I agree too about the possibility of making really good friends. Almost all my long standing friends are those I've made through riding.
Finally your horse will benefit from having more horses around, rather than a solitary life.