Get in touch

Our professional team, based in our Cowbridge office, provide a wide range of services to our agricultural clients from rural property sales, land management and valuations to the selling of livestock.

For more information or advice please call Watts and Morgan LLP Rural Department on 01446 774152 (select Option 1), email [email protected] or for general enquires you can contact us here.

Landlord and Tenant Matters/Land Management Services

With a large proportion of agricultural land being rented, many issues arise as part of the tenancy.  From creation to termination and all matters along the way Watts & Morgan can assist landlords and tenants with the following:

Landlord and Tenant

  • Tenant Right Valuations
  • Succession of Tenancies
  • Surrender and Termination of Tenancies
  • Tenancy Applications
  • Rent Reviews


Land Management

  • Farm Business Tenancies
  • Agricultural Holdings Act Tenancies
  • Grasskeep and Grazing Licences
  • Contract Farming Agreements
  • Share Farming Agreements
  • Management Agreements


Estate Management

  • Overseeing Repairs and Maintenance
  • Long Term Estate Planning
  • Diversification
  • Schedules of Condition

Single Payment & Agri Environmental Schemes

Subsidies and grants form a vital income to many agricultural businesses. Watts & Morgan provides advice and assistance on Single Payment Scheme Entitlements and Agri Environmental Schemes:

Single Payment Scheme

  • Completion of Annual Claim Forms
  • Sale, Lease and Transfer of Entitlements
  • Cross Compliance Regulations
     

Agri-Environmental

  • Glastir
  • SSSI Management Agreements

Valuation & Expert Witness

Our Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Registered Valuers are fully qualified and experienced in carrying out valuations on a wide range of properties, including agricultural, residential and commercial property for purposes such as:

  • Taxation
  • Matrimonial Settlements
  • Loan Security
  • Partnership Dissolution
  • Business Restructuring
  • Pension Planning
  • Insurance Claims
  • Stocktaking
  • Litigation and Expert Witness
  • Property Acquisition
  • Rating Appeals

Our extensive experience as professional valuers in the sale of land and property, livestock, machinery, fodder, personal effects throughout the region, enables us to appear as expert witnesses and to represent clients at arbitrations and land Tribunal cases.

A herd of sheep
Barn conversion with blue skies

Compensation for Pipelines/Utilities

Water, Gas, Electricity and Telecommunications companies are constantly renewing and upgrading their infrastructure. These companies include:

  • National Grid
  • Wales and West Utilities
  • Dwr Cymru/ Welsh Water
  • BT

Where utility works take place landowners and occupiers are often entitled to compensation for any losses and rights acquired and to have their professional valuers fees paid.

Our experienced and fully qualified valuers will advise you to ensure that your rights are protected which will include:-

  • Negotiation of compensation for losses to include crop loss, reinstatement of land and property, disturbance to include claimants time and other reasonable losses.
  • Accommodation works to mitigate losses which may include new gates, fencing, roadways etc.
  • Compound payments where applicable.
  • Negotiation of compensation for easements/wayleaves.

Where you have been approached by any of the above companies please contact us for a free appraisal.

Compulsory Purchase

Compulsory Purchase is a process available to The Welsh Assembly Government, Local Councils and other statutory bodies to purchase land and property for specific purposes. Such purposes include new roads, schools, cycletracks and other public works.

Landowners and occupiers are entitled to compensation for losses and may have a right of objection.

It is necessary to ensure that you are fully aware of your rights of objection and to receive compensation. When compulsory purchase takes place you are usually entitled to appoint a professional valuer and for your valuers fees to be paid by the acquiring authority.

Our experienced and fully qualified valuers will advise you to ensure that your rights are protected to include:-

  • Advice regarding any rights of objection.
  • Negotiation of compensation for losses to include the value of land taken, injurious affection (diminution in value of your retained property), disturbance to include claimant’s time and other reasonable costs.
  • Negotiation of accommodation works to mitigate loss.
     

Where you have been approached by any of the following statutory bodies to purchase property or acquire rights over land please contact us for a free initial appraisal.

  • The Welsh Assembly Government
  • Local Councils
  • Highway Agency
  • Environment Agency
  • Local Drainage Boards
  • Network Rail
  • Ministry of Defence
  • National Grid
  • Wales and West Utilities
  • Dwr Cymru Welsh Water
  • BT

Rural Planning & Diversification

Watts and Morgan can provide advice relating to all aspects of rural planning including: 

  • Planning Applications and Appeals for rural enterprise dwellings and farm buildings
  • Rural Enterprise/Agricultural appraisals
  • Certificates of Lawful Use
  • Alteration of existing Planning Conditions
  • Promotion of Sites for Housing, Employment and Retail
  • Removal of Agricultural/Rural Enterprise Planning Conditions
  • General Permitted Development Applications relating to Agriculture
Rolling green fields
River shot in the countryside

Wind/Solar Farms

South Wales has been subject to considerable wind and solar farm development in recent years and Watts and Morgan LLP has been involved both in advising landowners and wind/solar farm companies.

If you have been approached by a wind farm company it is important that you seek professional valuation advice to maximise your return and protect your interests.

Valuers fees are often paid by wind and solar Companies and we can advise you on the following points:-

  • Professional advice in relation to the terms offered to include Exclusivity agreements and Options to Lease.
  • Ensure you are correctly advised in respect of the rights that the wind and solar farm company is seeking.
  • Ensure that you know what you are signing, negotiate terms and conditions to protect your short, medium and long term interests.
  • Ensure that the financial terms offered are reasonable and in accordance with market rates.
  • Make your site available to other wind and solar farm companies which may be prepared to offer improved terms.
  • Advice in relation to access and grid connection requirements.

If you are approached by a wind, solar farm company or utility company for rights on or over your land you should seek professional advice to ensure that you are fully compensated. If approached please contact us for a free initial appraisal.

Telecommunications

Telecommunication masts have become a fixture of the countryside since the early 1980’s are now very much taken for granted.

Our experienced valuers have over 20 years experience in dealing with telecommunication masts to include negotiations for new sites, dealing with amendments to existing sites and rent reviews.

When you are contacted by a telecommunication company seeking new rights, to renegotiate existing rights or where you have a telecommunication mast on your land and need advice on your rights to review the rent please contact us.

We can advise on the following:-

  • New site negotiations
  • Rent Reviews
  • Lease renewals on expiry of existing leases.
  • Site sharing
  • Network consolidation

Digital Mapping

Watts & Morgan are able to provide OS maps using modern digital software which can be prepared and printed to the required scale and used for:

  • Land Sales
  • Tenancy Plans
  • Land Registration
  • Planning Applications