Cost of rent per acre

Handy Andy · Aug 31, 2023

One of my neighbours who is getting on in years has decided to cut back a bit and has offered to rent me a 9 acre field just down the road from here as it's 3 miles around twisty lanes from his farm and he doesn't want to be travelling about anymore. It's decent arable ground, not really stony brash like most of it round here, good access, decent shape etc. He doesn't know what to charge me and has asked me to come up with a price per acre. There's no BPS etc to factor in, just bare ground. I could be well off the mark here but I was thinking around £90 - £100 per acre would be the going rate. Am I about right?

Woody j · Aug 31, 2023

£100 seems fair for both parties imo

teslacoils · Aug 31, 2023

"not knowing what to charge" is old man code for letting you make the first move. It's a trap. Whatever you say they will go "oooh I need to think about it". So make it clear you've had a good think and won't be coming back with a better offer.

£100 means you can round it up to a handy £1000 for the field which is a nice round number.

Pottersfarm · Aug 31, 2023

Handy Andy said:
One of my neighbours who is getting on in years has decided to cut back a bit and has offered to rent me a 9 acre field just down the road from here as it's 3 miles around twisty lanes from his farm and he doesn't want to be travelling about anymore. It's decent arable ground, not really stony brash like most of it round here, good access, decent shape etc. He doesn't know what to charge me and has asked me to come up with a price per acre. There's no BPS etc to factor in, just bare ground. I could be well off the mark here but I was thinking around £90 - £100 per acre would be the going rate. Am I about right?

I was offered £225/ac for cereal cropping and I keep what remains of the bps and any stewardship I decide to go into. Only caveat was they didn’t want to be stuck with having to have spring crops due to me having overwintered stubble so basically any stewardship would be field edges and corners etc. Hedge cutting would be down to me if there was stewardship margins but they’d do it where there wasn’t any. I could still rent ac to my potato man at £400/ac as normal as long as it was rotated 6 yrs. I’m crunching numbers on doing it on my 500ac at the minute.

PI Stsker · Aug 31, 2023

£100 sounds like a very nice round number and fair on both parties. Although I’ve heard of over double that figure locally (SW) from large dairy boys wanting more ground fast to join in the trend of milking around the 1000 head mark.

Personally, as it’s ‘only’ 9 acres I wouldn’t be over fussed if I got it or not; he’s made the first move and approached you to have it, go for a figure that suits you and not try to beat everyone else.

After all, it’s only around 30 odd ton of corn.

Bald Rick · Aug 31, 2023

Mad tingz…. I’d tear off an arm and beat you over the head with the end for a rent of £100/ac

lloyd · Aug 31, 2023

Spud rent could be £7-800 an acre soon on suitable soil.

Phil P · Aug 31, 2023

Neighbour has just retired and I’ve taken his land on. Depending on grade the rent is between £70-85/ac £85 been grade 1. He keeps the remainder of bps but I can enter it into any scheme sfi etc. 5 year fbt

Rnold · Aug 31, 2023

Handy Andy said:
One of my neighbours who is getting on in years has decided to cut back a bit and has offered to rent me a 9 acre field just down the road from here as it's 3 miles around twisty lanes from his farm and he doesn't want to be travelling about anymore. It's decent arable ground, not really stony brash like most of it round here, good access, decent shape etc. He doesn't know what to charge me and has asked me to come up with a price per acre. There's no BPS etc to factor in, just bare ground. I could be well off the mark here but I was thinking around £90 - £100 per acre would be the going rate. Am I about right?

I think you are about right at that level of rent. Its not an insulting amount to offer and a sensible start point for a conversation. Sometimes its not just about the money. He offered it to you most likely because he likes the way you do things. Being a farmer himself he should understand what you can pay and also understand that if you are paying too much then you won't clean the ditches. maintain the fencing etc. Don't spend to long thinking about it.

B R C · Aug 31, 2023

Stewardship rates will surely keep rents in the £150-200 range?

Bald Rick · Aug 31, 2023

Phil P said:
Neighbour has just retired and I’ve taken his land on. Depending on grade the rent is between £70-85/ac £85 been grade 1. He keeps the remainder of bps but I can enter it into any scheme sfi etc. 5 year fbt

Wah, wah … unfair

Spudie · Aug 31, 2023

That sort of rent long gone over here, dairy men been paying £300 this year for grass. No chance for my small scale getting bigger. Probably make more renting it out for that but I’ll keep playing and working out

Phil P · Aug 31, 2023

Bald Rick said:
View attachment 1133990

Wah, wah … unfair

When every I’ve asked him in the past if he would rent me a bit of land he’s always said when I he does it will be all the lot and he’s been true to his word. He said if he keeps the rent modest it will put me in a better position to buy it should something happens to him

.

Flat 10 · Aug 31, 2023

This thread has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous

Phil P · Aug 31, 2023

Flat 10 said:
This thread has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous

It’s not all like that, we do pay quite a bit more on some land but our dearest rent is probably £150/ac and we claim the bps.

som farmer · Aug 31, 2023

PI Stsker said:
£100 sounds like a very nice round number and fair on both parties. Although I’ve heard of over double that figure locally (SW) from large dairy boys wanting more ground fast to join in the trend of milking around the 1000 head mark.

Personally, as it’s ‘only’ 9 acres I wouldn’t be over fussed if I got it or not; he’s made the first move and approached you to have it, go for a figure that suits you and not try to beat everyone else.

After all, it’s only around 30 odd ton of corn.

being in the SW, and a big dairy area, £200 is normal, know for £300. All hard chased, and fought over.

But, not every l/lord wants top money, if its 'old money', they would prefer a sensible rent, for sensible farmers, keep tidy etc. That is our 'chance', we rent 90 acres, in 2 lots, very local, for £100 ac, no payments. And really p1ssed of some local farmers, 1 offered £200, for 1 lot, not happy.

£100 ac, is a sound figure, when all you want is no hassle, kept tidy etc, fair to both sides. If land agents get involved, just as well to walk away, they are thinking of commission, and short term lets. All that happens is high rent, no one looks after it, and its raped.

all grass, but can re-seed.

Paid a chap £200 cash, for about 28acres of grass, not that local, and we got asked if we could 'help him out', he wanted nothing. Had 1 cut, 2nd cut very soon, then we have to 'sort it out', its a bit rough.

Agreed, plant the lot to w/wheat this autumn, have the crop, and put it back to a grass ley, FOC, we will pay him something, hopefully, should be a longer term job !

Being polite and helpful, and listening, goes a very long way. Add a few local free paddocks, 130 odd acres, added to our base.

Spencer · Aug 31, 2023

Grade 1 for £85/ac

Flat 10 · Aug 31, 2023

Spencer said:
Grade 1 for £85/ac

Baffling.

Spencer · Sep 1, 2023

Flat 10 said:
Baffling.

It’s not what you know it’s who

Rich_ard · Sep 1, 2023

Spencer said:
It’s not what you know it’s who

Get it signed up. Plenty times someone is renting ground then a neighbour muscle in on it.

Cost of rent per acre

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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