Buying and Selling a Rural Property

Our expert rural property team is here to help you with a purchase or sale. Our experience in dealing with the most unusual situations, combined with our proactive and personal service, makes us a valuable partner.

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Green tractor in a farm backyard

Key contacts

Matt Hayes

Matthew Hayes

Partner

As a partner and solicitor in our real estate team, much of my work revolves around commercial property law and I act for a variety of clients, ranging from private individuals, developers and lenders to property holding companies, farming businesses and pension trusts.

Stephanie Dennis

Partner

There’s so much variety in agricultural work, and that’s what keeps my job so rewarding and satisfying. As an agriculture and rural affairs lawyer, I work with all types of clients ranging from farm businesses, to landed estates, to individuals.

A member of our agriculture and estates team on a farm talking to a client and smiling

Unusual or complex as usual

We act for individuals, farming businesses, farming partnerships, executors and trustees in the sale and purchase of rural houses, farms and farming businesses.

We are qualified to advise on registered and unregistered property and our services include:

  • Documenting unusual property arrangements including septic tanks, unadopted access roads, shared service media, private water supplies and boreholes
  • Purchasing ‘extras’ with a property such as a paddock or grazing land
  • Purchasing incorporeal property such as fishing rights, common rights manorial rights
  • Registering land at HM Land Registry
  • Advising on land-based environmental schemes that may affect a purchase or sale.
Two agricultural solicitors

A proactive and personal service

Our experience in this sector means we understand the need for a personal service that recognises the unique complexities often involved in the work.

At the same time, we specialise in responding rapidly, working closely with other professionals as needed to help you achieve your goal, no matter how tight the timescale.

Hear what our clients say about us

Many thanks for your efforts, It has been a pleasure dealing with you and we will consider HCR for any future engagements.

Client testimonial Agriculture and Estates

You’ve [Victoria Marshall] kept me sane throughout by always making yourself available to me. You’ve been the voice of reason amongst the madness.

Client testimonial Agriculture and Estates

Stephanie is always very quick to respond to any queries and always keeps clients informed during complex matters. She is extremely diligent and always seeks to provide a solution to issues.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Rory is a farmer himself and really knows about farming which helps a lot in dealing with agriculture clients. He is also thorough in the advice he gives and is particularly practical and pragmatic.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Greg Hill is conscientious and efficient, supportive, and understanding of circumstances.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Gareth Williams has been exceptional on options and large property transactions. I doubt there is a lawyer with more understanding in this field.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Emily Pumfrey is hard working, knowledgeable and doesn’t dodge a fight on behalf of her client.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Denise is wonderful to deal with and the breadth of her experience in landownership issues is very impressive. She is also excellent on land development and newer areas.

Client testimonial Chambers 2026

Rory Hutchings is a very good networker and is able to understand our needs and signpost us to the right piece of advice.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

We deal with Stephanie Dennis in the Agriculture team and the support we receive is always first class. She has extensive knowledge of a wide range of areas and her advice is always tailored to the circumstance which is extremely important for us. She is an excellent communicator and always gives prompt and relevant advice.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

Gareth Williams is unrivalled in the field of option agreements, promotion agreements, and solar agreements. Stephanie Dennis is equally skilled in all aspects of rural work. Both are prepared to go the extra mile. They give clear sound advice and are not afraid of pointing out the exposure to risk in any deal.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

Denise Wilkinson‘s understanding of our needs has been amazing. Her retention of the detail of our portfolio of land holdings has saved us hours of delving through paperwork. She has been incredibly adept at developing solutions to problems, while ensuring we understand associated risks at all stages. When problems have arisen in other areas of our work, she has been quick to find us appropriate support. We are particularly grateful to Denise for her rapid grasp of complicated proposals, and the thoroughness of her advice.

Client testimonial Legal 500 2026

Recognition of our work

Legal 500 2026 – Top Tier Firm

Legal 500 2026 – Top Tier Firm

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