The NFU Scotland Legal Helpline, operated by Gillespie Macandrew, offers NFU Scotland members up to 20 minutes of free legal advice. Calls are initially handled by a member of our Land and Rural Business team before being directed to the most appropriate specialist within the firm to provide specific guidance to the caller.
What can be achieved in 20 minutes?
Many enquiries can be resolved quickly and decisively within the allotted time. For example, following stormy weather we frequently receive calls about liability for damage to fences or dykes caused by falling trees or the like. Callers are often unsure whether they must cover repair costs or if responsibility lies elsewhere. Most of the time, a call to the helpline can provide an authoritative answer—giving reassurance or equipping the caller to respond confidently to demands for payment
A Starting Point for More Complex Issues
The helpline is equally valuable as an initial step when dealing with more complicated or sensitive matters. We regularly hear from relatives following a bereavement. While 20 minutes of phone advice is rarely enough to resolve such an intricate situation, it is sufficient to outline the process ahead, identify the first practical steps, and direct the caller to the right professional support. Clear, simple guidance at an early stage can offer peace of mind during stressful and emotional circumstances.
Preventing Avoidable Mistakes
The helpline can also help avoid innocuous mistakes —particularly in areas such as agricultural tenancies, where small oversights can have significant consequences. Using the helpline allows landlords and tenants to take a proactive approach, ensuring that what has been agreed in principle is properly reflected in law. The NFU Scotland helpline is there for those nagging thoughts at the back of your mind that you have been ignoring or for those questions you have been putting off dealing with.
Using the Helpline
If you are an NFU Scotland member, we would encourage you to use the NFU Scotland helpline as first port of call whenever you face a legal question you do not know the answer to. Please call 0131 271 8585 and have your membership number to hand.
