- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Why not? It’s the only way in for a lot of people. It’s just a shame there’s such a lack of holdings to progress to.
County farms and Agents
- Thread starter Spuddler
- Start date
Why not? It’s the only way in for a lot of people. It’s just a shame there’s such a lack of holdings to progress to.
Don’t the same rules apply to council farm houses as any other let properly , ie, they have to have a working heating system , energy ratings etc, with certificates for everything from boiler services to electrical wiring. You can’t legally let a house to a new tenant without these things.
They seem to be selling the land and turning the farm yards in to mini housing estates around here.
Tis a wonder the council give them planning permission
Yes, seen that here too.... barn conversion anyone??
- Location
- somerset
friend was offered a 'golden handshake' to come out/buy his council farm, tenancy due to end, 2 yrs, agreed purchase of house, buildings, and 3/4 acres. Deal agreed, but council started to put various clauses, etc, which he was advised not to sign. During these discussions, they came and re-roofed his house, eventually agreement was reached, deal done. They then offered him the land for a further 5 yrs. It's no wonder councils are short of money, doing deals like that !
ollie989898
Member
Why not? It’s the only way in for a lot of people. It’s just a shame there’s such a lack of holdings to progress to.
It's not something that appeals to me. As I have said before, if someone gave me 800 acres of arable farm, a Range Rover and a Ski chalet with it, I still wouldn't get out of bed to do it. It's just not my thing and hasn't been for a long time.
- Location
- North Wales
When my dad took on a council farm in 1980. The only heating was an open fire in the parlour, a room you'd never use, and they where going to do the roof before he moved in as it was required and damp was getting in.
25 (twenty five) years later The council farm committee viewed the property as they where assessing the whole council estate. And where shocked at the state of the damp so ordered the work to be done. The land agent was told/shown the condition of the property at every visit and more but nothing was ever done. Dad had to put his own heating system in, which then they tried to claim was theirs
.
- Location
- North Wales
Not sure on new FBT's. But on the old ag holding act tenancy, there was no provision for heating.
Sounds about par for course for local Govt!!
And National Govt too, come to think of it....
That’s right we are aha and are responsible for our own heating , plumbing ( everything above ground), internal decorating, kitchens , bathroom etc. We are also responsible for 50% of a lot of repairs ( gutters, windows, paint)
Even got a letter the other week saying we were getting an electrical inspection of the house and were reponsible for 50% of any repair work required to get the house up to legal standard. We received the inspection and have to pay out 50% of the £1100 it is going to take for a new fuse board and a few other things. The rent is very reasonable though.
Some of the farm houses and cottages on our estate are very poorly heated or maintained. Private landlords who couldn’t give a toss. Probably why they just let the land on FBT to one tenant when farms become available now.
Theres 3 farmsteads with houses lying empty, plus 2 cottages that I know of . These farms all used to support more than one family. There’s no way a young farmer would ever get a start here unfortunately .
Same in the local Village, there were 4 full time farmers 25 years ago. A large scale Farming Business (based near Nesscliffe...
) now farm the lot, other than a few acres of difficult grassland...Any property is snagged back into the Estate rental portfolio, same with conversion or the like. I am surprised your local Estate are leaving the properties empty...
Benr
Member
- Location
- North Devon
We have been on a DCC farm for 10 years and speak as we find the land agent has been very fair to us.
The farm has done us very well, if all goes to plan we should be farming on our own ground within the next 2 years, albeit at a slightly smaller scale. So we will be leaving the farm at or before the end of our 14 year max time on a starter farm and someone else will get an opportunity.
A few years ago money seemed to come available from a different fund as they went around and improved a lot of the houses including ours. I think it was called ‘Decent Homes’ so they all had to be to at least the same spec as other local authority housing. We had new bathrooms, central heating, doors and windows, kitchen, any damp sorted, extra insulation etc. The building firm that did it were complete cowboys and we had several fall outs but it got done in the end!!
If you get the opportunity take it as there is nothing like building your own business, it’s not easy and you may not feel like you are earning a fortune but it’s amazing how you build your assets.
If you would like any help or advice be only to happy help
The farm has done us very well, if all goes to plan we should be farming on our own ground within the next 2 years, albeit at a slightly smaller scale. So we will be leaving the farm at or before the end of our 14 year max time on a starter farm and someone else will get an opportunity.
A few years ago money seemed to come available from a different fund as they went around and improved a lot of the houses including ours. I think it was called ‘Decent Homes’ so they all had to be to at least the same spec as other local authority housing. We had new bathrooms, central heating, doors and windows, kitchen, any damp sorted, extra insulation etc. The building firm that did it were complete cowboys and we had several fall outs but it got done in the end!!
If you get the opportunity take it as there is nothing like building your own business, it’s not easy and you may not feel like you are earning a fortune but it’s amazing how you build your assets.
If you would like any help or advice be only to happy help
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Your old agent has come over here and openly told me that there would be no new farm tenants on this estate. Farms coming vacant now would be split to existing tenants, with the houses let out privately. The previous, now retired, agent actively put blocks of land together to make viable units to let, as he did for this place.
Unfortunately that’s the set pattern that the national land agents instil in their suit wearers, rather than take a long term view of land stewardship and rural communities.
I saw it plenty of times further South, but it’s steadily spreading, like most diseases.They’ve done the same here and have said they only want to end up with 2 tenants on the whole estate . Last year they re deployed all the FBT land to one tenantYour old agent has come over here and openly told me that there would be no new farm tenants on this estate. Farms coming vacant now would be split to existing tenants, with the houses let out privately. The previous, now retired, agent actively put blocks of land together to make viable units to let, as he did for this place.
Unfortunately that’s the set pattern that the national land agents instil in their suit wearers, rather than take a long term view of land stewardship and rural communities.
So how would a new entrant fund that? 100 acres plus house, at what has been quoted on here say £120/acre = £12000 divided in 2 installments?
100 acres of reasonble land say £800000. So perhaps a deposit of 50k leaves 750k to borrow. Is it possible to borrow that on bare land as a youngish person?
Interest cheap at the moment but house and building will still need funding.
gone up the hill
Member
- Location
- Devon
Buy a small block of land with very good road access and go from there and buy blocks as and when you can.
That will depend on where someone is in the country and paid work opportunities. In the SE small blocks of land make ££.
- Location
- South Molton
Small blocks have higher value?
Then you end up with bits all over the place chasing round the district checking stock.
- Location
- somerset
round the big corn growing areas, is good hunting ground, years ago it was corn and beef/sheep, you probably cant buy, but could rent 'non arable' bits reasonably. Find a base, and work from there. Many arable farms are looking to include stock back into a rotation, it might not be 'cheap', but it's a lot cheaper than buying a base, and lets someone build stock numbers up, so if a chance occurs, 1/2 way there.
This is the biggest drawback with trying to get into farming, everything is expensive, dairy cows, for example, they are dear to buy, and dear to run, but they do start immediate payback. Sheep, best part of a year, before they start showing a return, and it's a numbers game. Pigs are either good, or awful. So how do youngsters get into farming, or, more importantly, fund their way in ? Hard work, and determination, go without saying, it's the cash bit, that's hard, is it really fair, to ask a young couple to put their house up for it, or an inheritance ? Somewhere along the way, we need to get fresh blood into our industry, and youngsters haven't got the cash, share farming, contract farming, are great, if you can get one, but, the best route, is still, born on, or wed to. There needs to be some urgent work done, to get these youngsters in.
This is the biggest drawback with trying to get into farming, everything is expensive, dairy cows, for example, they are dear to buy, and dear to run, but they do start immediate payback. Sheep, best part of a year, before they start showing a return, and it's a numbers game. Pigs are either good, or awful. So how do youngsters get into farming, or, more importantly, fund their way in ? Hard work, and determination, go without saying, it's the cash bit, that's hard, is it really fair, to ask a young couple to put their house up for it, or an inheritance ? Somewhere along the way, we need to get fresh blood into our industry, and youngsters haven't got the cash, share farming, contract farming, are great, if you can get one, but, the best route, is still, born on, or wed to. There needs to be some urgent work done, to get these youngsters in.
sensiblefarmer
Member
It has always been so since before my time.
And that's when determination kicks in!