Taxman has his eye on farm investments

Investors who buy farmhouses and land in order to avoid inheritance tax (IHT) could face a visit from the taxman, accountants and other specialists have warned.

Farmland and attached properties can qualify for total exemption from death taxes, which is pushing up the price of rural acreage across many parts of the UK. Demand is high, with plots hard to come by, often changing hands behind the scenes before coming on to the market.