Hundreds of years experience

Summer Keeping 2012

Entries Invited

Please contact us with parcels of grassland to be included in our Summer Keeping 2012 Private Treaty or Auction Catalogues.

Private Treaty:

We are able to negotiate terms for the letting of summer keep for livestock or horses and arrange comprehensive grazing licences to document the position. If required, we can arrange to collect the licence fee on behalf of the landowner.

Auction:

Our 117th annual letting of Summer Keeping will be held on Thursday 29th March 2012, 2.30pm at The Black Swan, Horncastle.

Summer Keeping 2011 Report

At the 116th annual letting of Grass Keep held on 31st March at the Black Swan, Horncastle, Robert Bell & Company let 90% of the lots on offer with prices ranging from £32/ac to £168/ac (average £73.16/ac). This compares with £46/ac for 670 acres already let by private treaty.

The auction started with the candle and pin auction for the 6 acres of grass near the village hall in Old Bolingbroke. This realised £105/ac this year (compared to £78/ac last).

---

A Brief Outline Of Our Service

Management

We specialise in rural estate management with over 200 years experience in Lincolnshire. Our office collects farm and cottage rents, pays estate bills, staff wages, NI and PAYE, manages accounts and submits same to HMIT.

Our roles in the estates extend to the regular meetings with clients, tenants and contractors and establishing firm control of the estate. Any works carried out on the estate are supervised and inspected so as to protect our clients’ interest.

The size of our firm means our service is flexible and we are able to tailor our services around any clients’ requirements. We have a strong sense of loyalty to our clients and and enjoy working for many long-standing landowners.

Valuation – Tenant Right

As Chartered Surveyors and members of the Lincolnshire Association of Agricultural Valuers, we carry out valuations for sale, probate, rental and insurance as well as handover and annual stocktaking tenantright valuations.

Annual Valuations

We presently carry out a number of end year stocktaking valuations. We have a wide variety of farm clients and valuation dates. We view this work as a chance to keep contact with our clients and accordingly the fees are kept to a minimum.

Tax and Accountancy

We advise our clients on matters of income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax. We are familiar with self assessment, and prepare balance sheets and trading accounts for submission and agreement with HMIT.

Farmland Sales

We have long experience in the marketing, negotiations and selling of agricultural property. We have an intimate knowledge of the local farmers and hence the local market. We are often able to agree a sale without the expense of advertising or open publicity. For information on farms and currently available for sale or let, see below or contact our Horncastle office.

Single Farm Payments

We are involved heavily in applying for entitlements each May. We are also involved in entitlement transfers and associated developments to the scheme.

Forestry

We are highly involved in the management of commercial and amenity woodland from nursery to felling and sale. We advise on the appropriate species, planting methods, crop protection, costings, available woodland grants and eventual sale of timber. We are members of the Royal Forestry Society.

Landlord and Tenant

We deal with both landlords and tenants in all aspects of agricultural, commercial and residential property law. Our service includes, finding tenants, drawing up agreements, rental negotiations, serving notices and if necessary, representation at arbitration.

Compulsory Purchase and Compensation

We act for farmers and landowners in preparing and negotiating claims for loss of land, nuisance, severance, disturbance and injurious affection where land or wayleaves are compulsory purchased. Generally the acquiring authority pay our fees.

Auctioneering

We hold regular auction sales and these include farm machinery and implements, live and deadstock and of course sales of land. Our land agents are experienced in on site valuation and sales of farm machinery and have a wide database of potential buyers and sellers. We are also the appointed Auctioneers to the Lincoln Longwool Sheep Breeders’ Association. For further information about forthcoming sales contact our Auction Department.

Summer Keeping

Every Spring we compile a catalogue of lots of summer keeping in the local area. Please contact our Horncastle office if you wish to enter lots or if you wish to be added to our database of graziers.

Environmental Stewardship

The new Environmental Stewardship Schemes available to farmers are now up and running. The start dates for the Entry Level Scheme are now monthly. We are able to assist with the completion of forms.