Rural & Professional Services
Traditional land and property services and a determination to maximise asset value are at the heart of our business, underpinning all of our work.
We strive to understand the bigger picture so that we can tailor our approach to help you achieve your objectives – your success is our success.
Land & Property Sales
We are experienced in advising on the sale, acquisition and letting of rural properties and land, and have a sound knowledge of the market throughout North Wales, the North West of England and the West Midlands
We are able to deal with everything from a few acres to whole farms and rural estates and specialise in complex transactions involving development land or renewable energy assets.
We can also provide advice on legal title issues to property, boundary disputes and on the removal or enforceability of restrictive covenants.
Valuations
We are able to utilise our detailed knowledge of the regional market to prepare expert valuations for individual clients, solicitors or accountants.
As RICS registered valuers we provide a range of professional property valuation services for a range of purposes including:
Landlord & Tenant
Whether you require advice on an existing agreement, or are considering how best to structure any new arrangements, we are on hand to help. Our practical experience of agricultural, commercial and residential tenancy legislation is comprehensive and we are able to advise on a wide range of situations.
When entering into a new relationship, it is not only important to consider the practical implications, such as who does what, but also to look at any financial and taxation implications that may arise.
We can help with:
Succession Planning
Making sure property and business assets are passed onto the next generation in a timely and commercially efficient manner is an important part of planning for retirement.
We look at the bigger picture to understand what is important to everyone involved and ensure that solutions are tailored to suit.
Where incorrect assumptions are made about the intentions of younger generations poor structures can be extremely costly to undo.
Diversification, Grants and Rural Payments
As the evolution of farm businesses continues there are an ever-increasing range of options to support and facilitate alternative sources of income from your assets.
As well as advising on Basic Payment Scheme applications, Countryside Stewardship Schemes and the Sustainable Farming Incentive we can provide planning support to unlock the potential of any energy or leisure opportunities you may be considering.
We have gained first-hand experience in the planning and implementation of environmental management plans to deliver ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’ to offset the impacts of major developments and are taking a lead in commercialising this concept for the benefit of farmers and landowners across the UK. This is a complex and rapidly evolving area of expertise and specialist advice should be taken before signing up to any long term agreement.
We can help with:
Compulsory Purchase & Compensation
There are an ever-increasing number of organisations already utilising, or seeking to acquire, statutory powers to acquire rights over third party land and property.
A mixture of private, public and corporate bodies are improving and developing new infrastructure across the entire UK as the population rises. Road and rail schemes, power lines, gas pipelines, water pipes and energy projects are all competing to use and increasingly congested and finite land resource across our island.
The Compensation Code is the collective term for a complicated range of legislation and case law that has built up over several centuries to govern the processes around compulsory purchase and compensation. We are experts in the application of the Compensation Code and utilise this knowledge to best protect the existing position of any affected landowners or to agree payment of compensation quickly and comprehensively should any impacts arise.
We are strongly advise of early engagement between parties to ensure all risks and impacts are understood so that mitigation can be fully explored before the start of work on site.
We have provided support across the UK on a wide range of major projects including:
As RICS registered valuers we can provide detailed commercial assessment of any losses that may arise from land or rights taken for a project, disturbance items or any Injurious Affection that may arise. We are also able to provide mediation and expert determination services where parties are unable to agree the value of compensation due.
Utilities, Wayleaves & Easements
There are an increasing number of authorities and statutory undertakers who have the power to enter your land to construct, inspect or repair new apparatus.
These bodies regularly include water, gas and electricity companies and Telecoms operators but can extend to the likes of Network Rail and the Canal & Rivers Trust. Often, access will be required at short notice and can cause considerable disturbance to the day-to-day operations of an existing business.
We are experienced in dealing with the wide variety of third parties, and the facilitating legislation, that can seek entry to your land. We ensure that the required procedures are followed at every stage to ensure that all responsibilities are complied with – from the service of relevant notices to pre-entry records of condition, the negotiation of accommodation works and any claims for compensation.
Dispute Resolution
Dealing with disputes outside of the courts or more formal procedures continues to be encouraged across the board. Not only are the many forms of alternative dispute resolution cheaper and faster than protracted legal wranglings, but they are considerably less stressful for the parties involved.
We can support with many situations where parties fail to agree relevant property matters including; matrimonial and family splits, partnerships dissolving, rent reviews, end of tenancy matters, compensation claims and specific contractual obligations.
We can support parties in preparation for mediation, to aid legal advisors and accountants to support a case or we can provide the impartial service of a leading a mediation.
Please contact us for some initial guidance on the range of alternative solutions available for dispute resolution if you feel that matters are starting to become contentious.