Country Life
FARM HOUSES.
A difficult problem, illustrating some curious points in English rural life, is troubling some rating authorities- Farms, as we all know, have been derated and dwelling-houses have not. It has been the highly illogical custom to sell farms with little attention to the farm house. For example, two fen farms very familiar to me were sold some years ago at exactly the same price per acre, though one had a group of excellent buildings and the other none. Now that the land of the farm is derated the authorities must assess the house. If its value is judged by its past relation to the land it would seem to be more or less valueless ; and indeed some excellent houses have been rated in the first instance at a lower assessment than very humble cottages. Owners of cottages naturally protest. If on the other hand the farm house is rated as an ordinary dwelling-house would be valued, the farmer may have to pay at least as much (it may be even more) on his house as he previously paid on house and farm together. The problem has made many farmers realize for the first time how valuable a privilege the farm house was and is.
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