Woodland rental

[theboytheboy]

Hi all,

I've been approached by somebody who is interested in renting our woodland. It's about 18 acres. They want to use it as a extra service for the nursery school they run. Bringing kids out for visits I guess.

They would pay the cost to fence it all to make it safe, run a water supply from nearest trough and would like to put a mobile shelter up. This is all required for the safety of the children.

The woods are not currently used for much by us. Mostly a bit if leisure use by my family and friends and a bit of clay shooting by sone of the lads that shoot on the farm.

I have no idea what to charge, land agent drew a bit of a blank as well.

A neighbour charges a school 25 per acre per week for three acres and they have a polly tunnel and a few pigs. This is the closest I can find in terms of it bring used for educational purposes. But 25 x 52 x 18 = £23,400 which is clearly a huge amount.

Does anyone have any experience of this sort of thing? Any thoughts welcomed.

Cheers

 

[Davey]

Local school trying to encourage kids to experience the great outdoors?

Personally as long as I wasn't inconvenienced or out of pocket I'd see it as an opportunity to give something back to the local community. Heck I might even consider helping out!

Cover your costs, or if you can afford it don't.

Then again I've always been a soft touch.

 

[theboytheboy]

In the past that would have been my approach and have often let local groups use it for nithing but I'm currently looking at having to service some serious debt in order to keep the farm together due to a messy probate. I would love to be in a position to offer it for free but the reality is I could really use income from it.

This is a private nursery school if it makes a difference.

 

[bovrill]

I was thinking if they're spending the money to do the work to bring it up to their requirements and there's no practical restrictions on your using it, I'd say it's a good one to get paid with a thanks and a smile.

But then if it's one of these high end private nurseries with lots of yummy mummies in Range Rover Sports and Porshce Cayennes, maybe they can afford something.

But then if it's one of these high end private nurseries with lots of yummy mummies in Range Rover Sports and Porshce Cayennes in tight dresses with nothing to do while little India and Cosmo are playing in the woods......

 

[Davey]

In the past that would have been my approach and have often let local groups use it for nithing but I'm currently looking at having to service some serious debt in order to keep the farm together due to a messy probate. I would love to be in a position to offer it for free but the reality is I could really use income from it.

This is a private nursery school if it makes a difference.

I'm sorry to hear your hands are tied re finances.

Best thing is just to go talk to them and explain your situation; xxx school have an agreement that would work out at 25k per year however you'd like to do it for free but you just can't afford it. How about 5k (or whatever you feel is the min you can afford to do it for)?

No idea what your area is like but the nursery my lad goes to is a private one but I can assure you there are no BMWs or Porches there. Just normal folk who can't afford not to both be at work.

 

[Longneck]

I'm sorry to hear your hands are tied re finances.

Best thing is just to go talk to them and explain your situation; xxx school have an agreement that would work out at 25k per year however you'd like to do it for free but you just can't afford it. How about 5k (or whatever you feel is the min you can afford to do it for)?

No idea what your area is like but the nursery my lad goes to is a private one but I can assure you there are no BMWs or Porches there. Just normal folk who can't afford not to both be at work.

We have just opened a private nursery on the farm and it's surprising the range of people you get, not just the Range Rover mummy's. People need to send there kids in for all sorts of reasons.

I would think if you can get a couple of grand for the woodland then that would be better than nothing. You sometimes have to think of the bigger picture... Think the call it karma!!!

Would love to know the outcome as we would like to rent some more woodland when we get a bit more established.

 

[J B]

You don't give your location so we don't know if you are dealing with London (or maybe North Cheshire) currency or normal people!

Being a private nursery may mean they have plenty of dosh, but will probably mean 'shoestring' and thus they won't be able to afford much.

Like most things in business life, you charge what you think the market will stand ...

Good luck!

 

[llamedos]

Slightly worried for you that there will be much more involved than simply providing the land & taking their fee. Take some sound advice.

 

[Robigus]

Hi all,

I've been approached by somebody who is interested in renting our woodland. It's about 18 acres. They want to use it as a extra service for the nursery school they run. Bringing kids out for visits I guess.

They would pay the cost to fence it all to make it safe, run a water supply from nearest trough and would like to put a mobile shelter up. This is all required for the safety of the children.

The woods are not currently used for much by us. Mostly a bit if leisure use by my family and friends and a bit of clay shooting by sone of the lads that shoot on the farm.

I have no idea what to charge, land agent drew a bit of a blank as well.

A neighbour charges a school 25 per acre per week for three acres and they have a polly tunnel and a few pigs. This is the closest I can find in terms of it bring used for educational purposes. But 25 x 52 x 18 = £23,400 which is clearly a huge amount.

Does anyone have any experience of this sort of thing? Any thoughts welcomed.

Cheers

Don't forget about insurance. Other peoples children in your woods, with your permission, is a potential nightmare. Probably best to get your own cover and ask them to pay for it, don't just accept assurances that they are already covered.

I can't see that it is going to be a big money spinner for you, but best of luck. Good PR is always worth something in the future.

 

[Andrew K]

I would consider selling them some or all of it, much less messy and you will have the money you need now?

 

[SilliamWhale]

I was thinking if they're spending the money to do the work to bring it up to their requirements and there's no practical restrictions on your using it, I'd say it's a good one to get paid with a thanks and a smile.

But then if it's one of these high end private nurseries with lots of yummy mummies in Range Rover Sports and Porshce Cayennes, maybe they can afford something.

But then if it's one of these high end private nurseries with lots of yummy mummies in Range Rover Sports and Porshce Cayennes in tight dresses with nothing to do while little India and Cosmo are playing in the woods......

Some hairy arsed bloke in a boilersuit mumbling about the weather is unlikely to get them excited...

 

[ajcc]

Couple of hundred quid/year is my guess. A few toddlers visiting half a dozen times a year to look for woodlice and build a camp, afraid this is unlikely to "make any money" but it will make you friends.

 

[muppet]

Perhaps you could ask when their next committee meeting is and go along - you would get a pretty good idea of how well off the nursery is as they should have an up to date treasurers report. Then you can work out what to charge.

My dealings with preschools surprised me by how cash strapped they can be (well off parents often are more lazy fundraisers). They may not have realised just how much fencing etc can be too and just thought the whole thing was a "nice idea".

Either way, it's probably best to view any rent as hassle money rather than a proper income, perhaps £50-100 pcm ish. Also make damn sure you've got all insurances and risk assessments in place!

 

[Nearly]

Have you a need for preschool for your kids / nephews nieces etc?

 

[Thick Farmer]

Ask them to make you an offer.

 

[roscoe erf]

Ask them to make you an offer.

What one you can't refuse

 

[theboytheboy]

Which I declined

 

[Pasty]

How about a long term (say 10 years) lease? Keeps it in your family but removes a lot of the responsibilities and also gives them an incentive to invest in it. Might cost a few quid to draw it up but they can pay that. Plus you can still sell it (less a bit) if you need to.

 

[B R C]

How about you think outside the original question. There is a small woodland a few hundred metres away half is part of our farm, the other half is owned by the scouts, They use it for meeting in the summer, weekends and often other users eg D of E often camp there before walking trips etc. There is not much there just a small toilet block, a gate for cars and in a clearing a big circle of tree stems with a camp fire in the middle, in recent years they have built a bit of adventure course. maybe you could do something similar, getting planning for educational site and rent to scounts, schools anyone with an interest really. 5 acres would be plenty I think.

 

[theboytheboy]

How about a long term (say 10 years) lease? Keeps it in your family but removes a lot of the responsibilities and also gives them an incentive to invest in it. Might cost a few quid to draw it up but they can pay that. Plus you can still sell it (less a bit) if you need to.

Ive offered at 10 year lease at a price we both agreed on so will wait and see what happens