Farmers face sharp mast rent cuts as government extends 5G reforms
Farmers face sharp cuts to income from mobile phone masts after the government confirmed it will extend controversial 5G rent reforms to thousands of existing agreements, despite warnings the move could damage connectivity.
From April 2026, the policy will be expanded to cover around 15,000 mast contracts that were signed years ago under negotiated terms.
Mobile operators will be able to reopen and reset those agreements, significantly reducing payments to landowners who host infrastructure on their land.
In some cases, rents could be reduced by as much as 90%, affecting farmers, schools, hospitals and businesses that previously reached agreements in good faith.
The changes build on reforms first introduced in 2017, which applied new valuation rules to newly installed masts.
Since then, disputes between landowners and telecoms companies have increased sharply, with more than 1,000 cases taken to tribunal, compared with just 33 over the previous 30 years.
Landowner groups say the policy is already undermining confidence, with surveys indicating that around one in three landowners are now considering refusing to host mobile masts at all.
Rural representatives warn this could limit the supply of sites needed to improve mobile coverage.
The latest expansion is being introduced through secondary legislation, meaning it will take effect without a vote in parliament.
MPs and peers will therefore have no opportunity to debate or block the change, despite its implications for property rights and infrastructure delivery.
Rural and farming organisations argue that deep rent reductions remove any incentive to host masts, particularly where disputes can be time-consuming and expensive to resolve.
NFU vice president Rachel Hallos said the change would “undoubtedly damage connectivity at a time when it is most needed for growing farming businesses and the wider economy”.
Roger Foxwell, a former farmer from Somerset who has hosted mobile masts for more than 25 years, said the reforms had already had a major impact on his business.
“It’s disappointing that the government continues to work against the interests of farmers and site providers that have played a part in keeping rural areas connected,” he said.
“I’ve been hosting mobile masts for more than 25 years, and at one point had four on my land. Since the 2017 Code came in, the rent on my remaining sites has been slashed by around 90%.”
“That income wasn’t a luxury – it helped cover rising bills, supported the cost of maintaining the land, and to cover my business expenses,” he added.
Foxwell said landowners were also frustrated by the lack of an independent complaints process.
“I am proud to do my bit and support the rollout of 5G by hosting these masts, but what’s most frustrating is that landowners like me have no formal way to raise complaints or challenge how operators are behaving,” he said.
“It feels deeply unfair and we are now left without a voice when the system works against us.”
Industry figures say the situation has been exacerbated by the government’s failure to bring Section 70 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act into force.
That provision would give Ofcom a formal role in handling complaints where operators fail to comply with the Code of Practice.
Without it, landowners say they are often left with no option but to pursue costly legal action when disputes arise.
The policy change comes as the UK continues to lag behind European peers on mobile performance. Data published by Ookla ranks the UK 57th globally for mobile connectivity, with performance slipping year on year as other countries move ahead.
Critics argue that poor performance reflects policy choices that discourage site provision, rather than limitations of the technology itself.
With the changes due to take effect in April 2026, landowner groups warn that unless the approach is reviewed, more sites could be withdrawn, fewer new masts brought forward and mobile coverage in rural areas further weakened.
