How much would you pay ?

[Lauren1993]

How much would you pay in rent ?

I have 2 small ponies on my currently rented land of 1 acre. A barn where we have built our own stables, access & water. I pay £60 a month for this.

1 pony is currently up for sale & I will be buying a new horse, (a good doer cob type 15hh ish) so I will then her said new horse & a Shetland pony.

I’m looking at renting the neighbouring field that is an additional 1.4 acres
It is massively overgrown, no fencing, no water & only accessed through my current field - So needs alot of work to make usable.
It is owned half & half by 2 people.
Both asking for £40 a month in rent so a total of an additional £80 a month.
1 owner just asked for a token so isn’t bothered by the money, the other seemed as they wanted to make as much as possible.

What would you do ? Would you pay this, only have half ? Counter offer them ?

 

[Lauren1993]

North Warwickshire area

 

[SantaVera]

Are they going to fence it and clear the brambles? If it's fenced then no more than £50a month in total.

 

[starbucker]

Cheap livery round me is £20/25 pw per horse, £200 a month, so not awful deal if it suits you.. only other reference I have is someone renting a 8 acre field for £300 a month, but they had to redo the fencing themselves and all maintenance

 

[Fieldlife]

Depends on supply and demand in your area. In my area this would be a bargain and I would take it. I would want ensure a long rent period and contracts before I fenced it or cleared the overgrowth. Can you fence it with electric only? Or is it not secure enough?

 

[Lauren1993]

Are they going to fence it and clear the brambles? If it's fenced then no more than £50a month in total.

No I would have to gain access, fence & clear to use it.

 

[Lauren1993]

Depends on supply and demand in your area. In my area this would be a bargain and I would take it. I would want ensure a long rent period and contracts before I fenced it or cleared the overgrowth. Can you fence it with electric only? Or is it not secure enough?

The only access to this field is through my current land so even if it was rebated to someone else they would have no access unless they go through the owners houses.
I would just corner post it & electric the rest with poly posts tbh.

 

[Lauren1993]

Owner 1 that just wants a token for the rent isn’t bothered at all he was like yer use it it’s wasted so why not - not bothered about a contract etc.
I don’t have a contract for my current yard either , I just know the family well.
The other owner wants a contract in place & on a time frame (they are selling their house but keeping hold of the land which can only be accessed through the house or my rented land )

 

[starbucker]

You could probably go back and say it will cos you X to make it suitable for use, dont underestimate time/cost for putting right said tenant of £300/month field spent atleast a couple of thousand and had a handy partner who did the fences for them as well as some farmer friends for dropping off moving soil. They have min. 2 year contract to start if thats any help

 

[ihatework]

Owner 1 that just wants a token for the rent isn’t bothered at all he was like yer use it it’s wasted so why not - not bothered about a contract etc.
I don’t have a contract for my current yard either , I just know the family well.
The other owner wants a contract in place & on a time frame (they are selling their house but keeping hold of the land which can only be accessed through the house or my rented land )

I don’t blame them for wanting a contract.
£80/month isn’t a huge amount to be honest, if it will be good land once you have blitzed the overgrowth then I wouldn’t negotiate too hard. Maybe discount on first 6 months to offset your initial outlay might be reasonable?

 

[Fieldlife]

Do you know how you will clear the overgrowth to make it useable? Do you have access to a bush cutter / someone with a topper? Do you have a plan and an idea of how many hours work / how long it will take?

 

[Lauren1993]

Do you know how you will clear the overgrowth to make it useable? Do you have access to a bush cutter / someone with a topper? Do you have a plan and an idea of how many hours work / how long it will take?

I work for the local farmer & his sons tractor company so definitely have the contacts to sort the land out.
Maybe worth getting a quote for the work & off setting it for the rent ?

 

[Lauren1993]

I don’t blame them for wanting a contract.
£80/month isn’t a huge amount to be honest, if it will be good land once you have blitzed the overgrowth then I wouldn’t negotiate too hard. Maybe discount on first 6 months to offset your initial outlay might be reasonable?

I don’t mind a contact, gives me some security !
But I think If I’m improving the land and making it usable like you say offset the cost.

 

[PurpleSpots]

Given that the new horse is said to be a good doer and the second is a Shetland, do you need the extra acreage and hassle to clear the land? How much would it help you to have use of it, or is it just that it's been offered to you?

(I'm sure you've thought of this, but just a different perspective.)

 

[Fieldlife]

I work for the local farmer & his sons tractor company so definitely have the contacts to sort the land out.
Maybe worth getting a quote for the work & off setting it for the rent ?

that seems entirely reasonable. Lets say it costs 160 to clear it, asking for the first four months rent to be reduced to 40 a month would seem reasonable. Or asking if they will cover the 160 clearance up front. I dont think you can ask for money off for putting up electric fencing, as it isnt improving the land and it is portable.

 

[Lauren1993]

Another option …. My current farmer uses the next field for hay.
I could ask him if I could fence off some of that field & pay him rent - which I don’t think he will reject & would be considerably cheaper, no clearing, no access issues etc.

But we think it is rye

 

[twiggy2]

Can you just take the half that wants no rent and electric fence it?

 

[Bellaboo18]

I'd snap someone's hand off if I could rent another acre for £80. Your current set up sounds like a bargain as well. I can understand wanting a contract to make sure you don't get given notice after you've cleared the field though.
Look at it from the owners point of view £40 a month for someone on your land, I wouldn't want the (potential) hassle if I owned it.

 

[blitznbobs]

Agricultural land 15000 ish per acre (taking middle road)

Therefore 1.5 acres =22,500

80x12 = 960 per year
960/22500*100 =
giving a return on investment of approx 4.3 %
that’s a pretty crappy return tbh

 

[SantaVera]

No I would have to gain access, fence & clear to use it.

If you are going to have to fence it please get a longer term rental. The value of the field is only to you as no one else can access it if I understand your post correctly. Tbh if you fence it and clear weeds they should let you have it for nothing for keeping it in good condition for them. I certainly wouldn't be paying much, grazing in a fenced field is no more than £5per week per horse where I am. Sheep rental is £40per acre per year.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Agricultural land 15000 ish per acre (taking middle road)

Therefore 1.5 acres =22,500

80x12 = 960 per year
960/22500*100 =
giving a return on investment of approx 4.3 %
that’s a pretty crappy return tbh

Absolutely correct, but the opportunity 'cost' is 0% because you can't get agri equipment through a house, and the only other access is through OPs land, plus no agri would both doing anything with an acre.
So it's either use it for personal use, or get £40 from it..