In short: when you view a farm unit, check:
- that the building suits your actual activity: size, doors, floor, power, water, light and security;
- the access route for your vehicles and visitors;
- the full monthly cost, and that the planning use allows your business;
- what the lease or licence says about term, repairs and access.
Visit in daylight, ideally on a weekday when the farm is busy, and take this checklist and a tape measure.
Before you go
- Write down what you'll do in the space, what you'll store, and the vehicles and equipment you use.
- Note the measurements you need: floor area, door height and width, eaves height.
- Send the owner your questions in advance through your FarmUnits conversation, so they can have answers or documents ready.
- Take a tape measure, a torch and your phone, for photos and to test the mobile signal.
The building
- Roof: look for daylight, stains, rust or missing sheets. Ask when it was last repaired.
- Walls and cladding: check for holes, damp, cracks and gaps that let in weather or vermin.
- Floor: is it concrete, level and strong enough for your machinery or racking?
- Doors and locks: do they open fully, close properly and lock securely?
- Drainage and ventilation: is there any sign of flooding or condensation?
- Asbestos: ask whether the building contains any, and whether there is an asbestos register.
- Measurements: check the floor area, doors and eaves against your needs.
Services
- Electricity: single or three-phase? Separately metered? Is there a recent electrical inspection report (EICR)?
- Lighting inside and outside.
- Water, a sink and a toilet, and whether they are shared.
- Heating, if you need it, and what it costs to run.
- Broadband and mobile signal: test both while you are there.
- Fire safety: extinguishers, escape routes and who is responsible for the fire risk assessment.
Access and the farm
- Can your largest vehicle get through the gates, along the track and up to the door, and turn round?
- Where will you, your staff and your customers park?
- What are the access hours? Is there 24-hour access?
- Does the route pass livestock, slurry stores or busy machinery areas?
- When is the farm busiest? Think about harvest, silage, lambing and muck-spreading.
- Who else uses the site, and are there other tenants?
- Is the site secure out of hours, with gates, lighting and CCTV?
Costs
- Rent, how often it is paid, and whether VAT is added.
- Business rates: check the rateable value with the find business rates service, and whether you may qualify for small business rate relief.
- Electricity, water and broadband: included, recharged or arranged by you.
- Service charge for shared areas.
- Building insurance contribution, deposit and legal costs.
Planning and permissions
- Does the building have planning permission, or a permitted development right, for your use?
- Are there conditions on hours, noise, vehicles or outdoor storage?
- Does the building have an energy performance certificate (EPC), or is it exempt?
- Will your business need other licences or registrations, such as food business registration or environmental permits?
The agreement
- Is it a lease or a licence, and for how long?
- Is there a break clause, and how much notice is needed?
- Will the lease be contracted out of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (England and Wales)?
- Who is responsible for which repairs? Will there be a schedule of condition?
- Can you make alterations, install machinery or put up signs?
- When and how can the rent be reviewed?
Our guide to renting a farm unit as a small business explains these terms in more detail. Take professional advice before signing anything other than a simple short licence.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a farmer before renting a unit?
Ask what uses are permitted, what the total monthly cost is, what services are provided, who is responsible for repairs, what access hours apply, and what farm activity might affect you. Also ask for the lease or licence terms before committing.
Should I view a farm unit more than once?
If you can. A second visit at a different time of day or week shows you how busy the farm is, how the access works and how the building feels in different conditions.
What documents should I ask to see?
The draft lease or licence, any planning permission, the energy performance certificate (or exemption), a recent electrical inspection report, the asbestos register if applicable, and the fire risk assessment for shared areas.
Can I rely on the listing photos?
Use them to shortlist, but always view in person before agreeing to rent. Check the measurements and condition yourself.
Next steps
Search farm units to rent, or save an availability alert to hear when a suitable space is listed.
Photo credits
Photographs are reproduced under Creative Commons licences and have been resized and cropped.
- Leighton Model Industrial Farm 30 by Tyssil, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gated farm track, Elvington by JThomas, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
