B R E A K I N G N E W S ! ! !

After months of pressure from the farming community, the government has confirmed that planned inheritance tax changes will be softened, with the threshold rising from £1 million to £2.5 million ahead of their introduction. The change significantly reduces the tax burden on many family farms, while larger estates will still face higher liabilities.

Further relief comes from updated rules allowing married couples and civil partners to combine unused allowances, enabling up to £5 million in qualifying agricultural and business assets to be passed on. The amendments, to be made through the Finance Bill, are intended to better protect family farms while ensuring higher-value holdings contribute more. …

Happy Winter Solstice 🌑

Today marks the shortest day and longest night of the year (usually 21–22 December in the UK). From tomorrow, daylight begins its slow return – something rural communities have marked for thousands of years.

In the countryside, the solstice was traditionally a time for planning rather than planting: reviewing livestock condition, conserving fodder, and preparing land and rotations for spring. Long before calendars, this point in the year helped anchor the rural working cycle.

Beyond farming, folklore runs deep. Ancient monuments such as Stonehenge align with the solstice, reflecting its importance as a symbol of renewal. Customs linked to Yule, evergreen decorations, and midwinter fires all echo the same idea: light returning, resilience through winter, and confidence in the year ahead.

From fields and forests to folklore and land, the solstice reminds us that rural life has always been shaped by time, season, and place.

Wishing all our clients and colleagues a peaceful Winter Solstice. …

Christmas marks a natural pause in the year- a moment to reflect on what has passed and to look ahead with cautious optimism as the days begin to lengthen once more.

As 2025 comes to a close, many clients have navigated continued change and uncertainty, particularly in taxation and property matters. Supporting you through that – whether through taxation valuations, Expert Witness work, or wider residential, agricultural, and commercial advice has been both a privilege and a responsibility I value highly.

As a sole practitioner, I am especially grateful for the trust you place in me. While I remain available for advice over the Christmas period, responses may be a little slower than usual as I spend some time with family.

I wish you and your families a very happy Christmas and a healthy, successful New Year. …

Sorry it’s taken me a little while to post about this… it’s been busy, but here it is…!

📰 Budget 2025: What’s Actually Going On?

I’ve pulled together the headlines on what the Budget means for anyone with a home, rental property, farm or rural land:

🏠 A new “Mansion Tax” for properties over £2m – this is likely to affect some of the coastal properties across Devon and Cornwall in particular.
🏘️ More tax changes for landlords — worth knowing if you’re thinking of selling or restructuring
🚜 Clarification to APR/BPR updates that could affect farmers and rural estates
📉 What all this might mean for house prices and future plans

If you want the full lowdown, you can read the full article by visiting my link tree here 👇

https://linktr.ee/geeringsurveyors …

🌾✨ Today is Michaelmas, the feast day of St Michael in the Christian calendar.

Beyond its religious roots, Michaelmas has long held special significance in the rural property world — it’s one of the traditional quarter days, marking the start of farm tenancies and a key rent due date.

A reminder of how deeply our industry is tied to history and tradition, even as we move forward. 🍂

#Michaelmas #RuralProperty #Tradition #Farming
#FarmingCommunity …

Thrilled with the sign for my new Devon office, beautifully made by cutbybeam – thanks so much! …

🚀 Big news! I’m opening a Devon office! 🏡

It’s a cosy space open by appointment – come for a coffee and chat about Residential, Agricultural, or Commercial property.

The new address is The Organ House, Church Lane, Crediton, EX172AH – for those of you who don’t know it’s at the bottom of the garden of my childhood home.

I won’t be there all the time so it is appointment only, just get in touch here, by email or phone.

A massive thank you to my amazing clients – your support keeps me growing. I can’t wait to continue helping you across Devon and Cornwall!

📅 Book a chat anytime – I’d love to see you!

#PropertyAdvice #Devon #Cornwall #Residential #Agricultural #Commercial #SmallBusiness #ClientLove …

G I F T I N G A H O L I D A Y H O M E

🏠 Thinking of gifting property? 🎁

Here`s why a RICS Red Book Valuation is a game changer for the process:

When gifting property, particularly with **reservation of benefit** (where you continue to enjoy the benefits of the property after gifting), getting an accurate **RICS Red Book Valuation** is crucial. Why? 🤔

🔍 **Why It’s Important:**
1️⃣ **Fair Market Value**: A RICS valuation ensures you’re transferring property at its true market value, reducing potential disputes.
2️⃣ **Tax Clarity**: Helps in calculating any potential tax liabilities, ensuring compliance with regulations.
3️⃣ **Future Planning**: Provides clear documentation for future reference, whether for inheritance tax or capital gains tax.

🔑 **Key Benefits**:

* **Transparency**: Offers peace of mind knowing the gift is properly valued.
* **Protection**: Safeguards both the giver and the recipient from unexpected legal or financial complications.

But don’t skip this step! A professional valuation is not just a formality — it`s a necessary move to ensure a smooth, compliant transfer. 📑💼

Questions? Let me know, or view the news story via my linktree in the bio!

https://geeringsurveyors.com/gifting-a-holiday-home/

#RICSValuation #EstatePlanning #GiftProperty #TaxTips #RealEstate …

After a busy few days at Devon County Show it has been nice to ease back into work in the sunshine today, made extra special when inspecting houses with views like this! …

Really enjoyed the first day of the @devoncountyshow yesterday — always a fantastic event and a great opportunity to catch up with clients and do some business. A big thank you to @gilbertstephens_solicitors for the kind invitation to the @countrylandandbusiness breakfast. As always, it sparked some informative and constructive conversations around the future of the rural sector, environment, land use, and taxation. I’ll be there again today so if you want a catch up or to discuss anything drop me a DM… …

While the spotlight is on the new Pope and VE Day commemorations, changes to UK-US trade tariffs are also making quiet progress.

The move to allow more US beef imports has sparked conversation around food and animal welfare standards here in the UK.

It’s a good moment to reflect on where our food comes from and why supporting British farmers matters.

Choose local. Choose quality.
#BuyBritish #SupportLocalFarming #FoodStandards #BritishBeef …

T H A N K Y O U !

🎉 One year ago today, I took the leap and left the comfort of paid employment to restart Geering Surveyors… and what an incredible year it’s been! 🙌

In the past 12 months, I’ve worked on:

– 🏠 Valued £34,048,515 worth of property
– 👩‍🍳 Worked with clients ranging from TV chefs to parish councils to international charities
– 📏 Drawn up over 5000 acres of Land Registry plans
– 🛒 Advised on property purchases and offered pre-sales support
– 🌾 Calculated compensation for lost crops
– 🏢 Valued leasehold extensions
– 🌍 Submitted land for future development
– 🎓 Managed to fit in a dissertation for my Masters on the valuation of natural capital!

A massive thank you to all the friends, colleagues, accountants, solicitors, farmers, and genuinely wonderful people who have supported me, used my services, and recommended me. Here`s to another year of growth! 💼✨

#GeeringSurveyors #Grateful #OneYearAnniversary #NewBeginnings #Valuation #LandSurveying #NaturalCapital #ThankYou #BusinessJourney …

What a run of weather we are having – a beautiful day for inspections across Devon today, and a perfect Cornish sunset this evening…! …

🌍 **Unlocking Opportunities: UK Government Consultation on Carbon & Nature Markets** 🌱

Starting today (17 April), the UK Government has launched a 12-week consultation to gather feedback on how to speed up the growth of carbon and nature markets. This will help remove barriers for farmers to access these markets and create new income opportunities.

By adopting sustainable farming practices that sequester carbon or improve habitats, farmers can generate credits that businesses can purchase to meet their environmental goals, offering a potential long-term income stream.

For farmers under financial pressure, these markets could provide extra income while improving soil health and farm resilience. The consultation is designed to ensure farmers are fairly compensated for their environmental efforts and that businesses can confidently invest in high-integrity carbon and nature projects.

We want to hear from farmers on how to support them in navigating these new markets—whether it’s through skills training or practical guidance. Your input will help shape a system that works for everyone and supports the UK’s transition to a nature-positive future.

👉 Learn more and add your views by following the link in the linktree…

#CarbonMarkets #NaturePositive #SustainableFarming #FarmInnovation #ClimateAction #UKFarming …

Bring back last week’s weather! What a start to the month of April, some clients even managing to get maize in the ground in the first week of the month – a record breaker for sure…! …

E A S T E R O P E N I N G 🐣

I’ll be shutting my computer down and not looking at emails from 5pm on Thursday through to 9am next Tuesday. If you need to get hold of me urgently drop me a text, or call the office number and leave a message. I’ll pick them up. Thanks and have a great Easter! …

Jumping on the trend…! …

For Sale: Widdicombe Swallow ‘Bear’ 🐴

🌟 Dartmoor Hill Pony
📅 DOB: 01/05/2021 (3 years old, rising 4)
🎨 Colour: Bay with white markings
📏 Height: 12 hands
Full details on our website; click the link in our Linktree ⬆️
Key Highlights:
✅ Intelligent, eager to please, and easy to handle
✅ Groundwork, lunging, and long-reining trained – some ridden work started
✅ Fully vaccinated (tetanus & flu), wormed, and regularly dentally checked
✅ Friendly, easy to catch, and great to load and lead
✅ Brave, curious nature, good with farrier & dentist
✅ Hacked out alone, passes cars with no issues
✅ Barefoot with strong, native feet
✅ Lives out 24/7, but loves attention and cuddles
✅ Shares a field with mares and geldings

Bear is a lovely prospect for a child’s pony – forward-thinking, loving his work, and ready for a new adventure!

DM for more info! #DartmoorPony #PonyForSale #ChildsPony #HorseSale #EquestrianLife …

A bit of home office decor kindly gifted by our friends and clients at the Spreyton Estate – nothing a bit of elbow grease won’t clean up! #vintage …