Farmers Weekly Business Clinic: why won’t utility company compensate me for contractor damage?

A dispute has arisen between a farmer and a utility company over damage caused by a contractor working on the farm seven years ago.

While carrying out repair work, the contractor damaged crops and fencing on the farm. Meanwhile, a collision between the contractors’ crane and the farmer’s implement shed rendered the shed’s sliding door unusable – a situation which resulted in the farmer’s new quad bike being stolen.

With the farmer looking to settle the dispute, and the utility company claiming to have no record of the work on the farm, matters have reached a stalemate.

Writing for Farmers Weekly’s Business Clinic, partner Russell Reeves discusses historic negligence claims and contractors’ duty of care, and explains how the farmer’s failure to mitigate his losses after such a long period could jeopardise his chances of succeeding with the claim.

Click here to read the full article in Farmers Weekly.

To discuss this matter further, please contact Russell Reeves or another member of Thrings’ specialist Agriculture team.