Leasing a small area of land

cjpm

I'm thinking of approaching a guy that bought 2 sites near us during the boom to see if he'd be interested in leasing them. It is relatively good land but have basically been fallow for the last 20 years!
They are currently in meadow and have only been cut once a year since he bought them.


I know nothing about leasing land to be honest!!


I would only be interested in a long term lease, 10yrs as I would reseed the ground.

One site is about 0.4 acres, the other is 1.25 acres. What should I offer him? They are both adjacent to our fields, but are not next to each other as there as another persons house between them.

Should I get my solicitor draft up a lease agreement? Should I pay all up front or yearly? I wouldn't mind a get out clause for myself, but could not afford to have him terminate the lease early if i reseeded it.

Maybe it's not worth the bother :(

Thanks lads....

bob charles

cjpm wrote: »

I'm thinking of approaching a guy that bought 2 sites near us during the boom to see if he'd be interested in leasing them. It is relatively good land but have basically been fallow for the last 20 years!
They are currently in meadow and have only been cut once a year since he bought them.


I know nothing about leasing land to be honest!!


I would only be interested in a long term lease, 10yrs as I would reseed the ground.

One site is about 0.4 acres, the other is 1.25 acres. What should I offer him? They are both adjacent to our fields, but are not next to each other as there as another persons house between them.

Should I get my solicitor draft up a lease agreement? Should I pay all up front or yearly? I wouldn't mind a get out clause for myself, but could not afford to have him terminate the lease early if i reseeded it.

Maybe it's not worth the bother :(

Thanks lads....

seems you want everything your way:mad:, you want to be able to get out of a lease but not the land owner. Would very much doubt he would give you a long term lease for such a small plot with potential to liquidate cash quickly.

just a handshake would do, as the legal fees will be more than the rent

lakill Farm

cjpm wrote: »

I'm thinking of approaching a guy that bought 2 sites near us during the boom to see if he'd be interested in leasing them. It is relatively good land but have basically been fallow for the last 20 years!
They are currently in meadow and have only been cut once a year since he bought them.


I know nothing about leasing land to be honest!!


I would only be interested in a long term lease, 10yrs as I would reseed the ground.

One site is about 0.4 acres, the other is 1.25 acres. What should I offer him? They are both adjacent to our fields, but are not next to each other as there as another persons house between them.

Should I get my solicitor draft up a lease agreement? Should I pay all up front or yearly? I wouldn't mind a get out clause for myself, but could not afford to have him terminate the lease early if i reseeded it.

Maybe it's not worth the bother :(

Thanks lads....

Why would you reseed them if its good ground already? bale it and eat it clean ans slurry/fert it and it should be fine.

lads on here say €400 acre to reseed. imagine trying to operate machinery in a site 0.4acres.

Go offer him €250-€300 for 2 sites (1.65 acres at €130-€170 rent per year) and stay away from long leases. why would he agree to lease for so long he might want to build in 5 years

bbam

I've seen a few lads take on plots on 2-3 year leases with no payment, just on the agreement that the land will be reseeded and drained if needed... Might be worth a punt !

porter shark

lease will cost more than reseeding. its very small area, the handshake is the best option in my eyes

cjpm

bob charles wrote: »

seems you want everything your way:mad:, you want to be able to get out of a lease but not the land owner. Would very much doubt he would give you a long term lease for such a small plot with potential to liquidate cash quickly.

just a handshake would do, as the legal fees will be more than the rent

I know it seems like that, I said I wouldn't mind a get out, doubt he woud agree and i'd understand that, my point was that I could not afford him to kick me out after paying for reseeding!!

lakill Farm wrote: »

Why would you reseed them if its good ground already? bale it and eat it clean ans slurry/fert it and it should be fine.

lads on here say €400 acre to reseed. imagine trying to operate machinery in a site 0.4acres.

Go offer him €250-€300 for 2 sites (1.65 acres at €130-€170 rent per year) and stay away from long leases. why would he agree to lease for so long he might want to build in 5 years

He can't get planning as he's not from the area, bought the sites cheap back in the day, they've been idle since. I said the ground is good, the grass in it certainly is not. I'd do all the reseeding myself, wouldn't be too bothered about the small area for a ford 7000!

bbam wrote: »

I've seen a few lads take on plots on 2-3 year leases with no payment, just on the agreement that the land will be reseeded and drained if needed... Might be worth a punt !

I'd feel like i was taking advantage then!!

porter shark wrote: »

lease will cost more than reseeding. its very small area, the handshake is the best option in my eyes

I know, and my handshake is worth a lot, I don't know him at all, so couldn't be too sure about his!!

Middleeastern

Like lakill Farm said above, and as you say, if the land is good but the grass isnt then clean it off, dress hedges etc and see how the new growth comes on and how animals react to it. I did the very same with a meadow 4 years ago that hadnt been mowed or grazed in 13 years previous to that.

This way, you're therefore limiting your expenditure and your exposure should the owner (or you) wish to terminate the agreement down the line.

bob charles

cjpm wrote: »

I know it seems like that, I said I wouldn't mind a get out, doubt he woud agree and i'd understand that, my point was that I could not afford him to kick me out after paying for reseeding!!

you just gotta take a chance some time. I reseed all or rented ground even on short term lets. The land owner will usually appreciate such measures and should be trying to keep you. I don't bother dealing with pricks of landlords though as a matter of course irrespective of the land. some of the land I reseed last September I am out of already due to the death of the landowner. **** happens I lost a few quid but over the course of all the reseeded rented land Im up