woodland grants

[rich m]

Just starting to fill out my first woodland creation grant and apply for thinning grants etc for a customer. Just wondering what the norm is for payment, i.e. do I...

a) charge my customer the hours I have spent on filling out the applications for them and then they take the grant when it comes through

b) charge a percentage of the grant (this seems a bit risky)

c) take all the grant and use it towards my cost of thinning

 

Any help would be great

[Charlieh]

Do you have a woodland management plan in place? as normally this would be the aspect that would cover the agents costs for completing the management plan and the rest of the EWGS paperwork (It will soon be a requirement for WIG funding that you have to have a approved FC management plan in place before WIG funding will be issued)

 

If you put where you are it may allow a more detailed response and the grants in England, Scotland and Wales arent all the same, eg which grant are you applying for the thinning through?

 

If you dont want to give a detailed response I understand, I would suggest work out a day rate for the paperwork and then charge the client once the grants have been approved as if its creation grant and going into agricultural land, depending on the size of the woodland being created as a % of the holding will you need an EIA (environmental impact assessment) etc, also you will have to have a site visit with FC for the creation element so its worth day rating cost and invoice your clients on signing of the FC contracts.

 

Also if your planning to claim the grant for the thinning ensure your agent authorisation forms are completed correctly for you to be able to sign paperwork and claim grants.

 

hope this is of some use

[rich m]

Hi Charlie

 

Thanks for your detailed reply. I have been creating a woodland plan based around the FC template but have skipped the bit about money until I knew more. We are based in Devon. Not used to this office work so not sure what my time is worth really for filling out the forms....do you have any ideas?

 

Also as im filling out the paperwork do I have to sign up on the customer register or does the owner of the land do this and i simply register as an authorised agent?