Rural practice surveyor: Job description

A rural practice surveyor provides practical and strategic knowledge to a range of clients involved in rural land and property. They need skills and knowledge in a number of areas including agriculture, management of the natural environment and landscape, property management and valuation.

The role of a rural practice surveyor will include professional and technical advice as well as business/resource management and consultancy for the land, property and construction industries.

Some of the work relates to estate management and professional consultancy, for example:

• as a conservation adviser enhancing the landscape;
• as an agent looking for new uses for a property;
• reusing redundant property;
• implementing a strategy to bring a nature reserve into a favourable condition.

Typical work activities

Work activities vary between rural practice surveyors who work for a professional firm dealing with several clients and those who manage particular estates for clients. Specialist areas include auctioneering, telecom masts, environmental sustainability and farm business advice. As surveyors become more involved in specialist areas of work, their role will include professional and technical advice, as well as business/resource management and consultancy, for the land, property and construction industries.

Typical activities include:

• managing rural estates, which may comprise any combination of farms, tenanted dwellings, farm buildings let as workshops, businesses and leisure enterprises - this work often includes direct management of estate staff;
• overseeing the development of farming/leisure facilities to ensure they are working efficiently and considering alternative uses for redundant farm buildings;
• valuing rural land and property, crops, machinery, livestock and trees;
• discussing with clients the most effective way to market and sell their property and other assets;
• helping clients who wish to buy rural properties, such as farms or smallholdings, by providing detailed information about the property, the land and other assets, noting problems that might arise, legal questions that might need to be asked, etc.;
• providing professional advice on how emerging regulations and practices may affect business plans;
• perusing farm accounts and using financial expertise to interpret them and advise on taxation;
• issuing contracts for various aspects of land management;
• keeping in regular contact with land owners to ensure that they are aware of developments in their business, any problems that are looming, etc.;
• representing clients, making planning applications and appeals;
• building and maintaining good relationships with the rural community and staying well informed on all issues affecting the countryside;
• keeping up to date with new national or EU regulations that are likely to affect land use;
• providing advice to government departments, councils, special interest groups and land users on policy issues;
• involvement in environmental work and agri-environment schemes and advising on grants and farming subsidies.