ADVICE ON REGISTERING YOUR LAND AVAILABLE ON FUW STAND

Farmers and other landowners will be encouraged to review their land ownership and make sure that they have it all registered if they visit the Farmers' Union of Wales' stand during next week's Royal Welsh Winter Fair.

Land Registry will be the guest of the FUW at the Fair next Monday and Tuesday (December 1 and 2) when visitors will be able to find out how to voluntarily register their property and benefit from the 25 per cent discount currently on offer.

Land Registry were also present on the FUW's stands at the World Sheepdog Trials and Pembrokeshire Show earlier this year.

The initiative is part of a drive by Land Registry - the government department responsible for registering land ownership in England and Wales - to seek people who own land and property.

Wales has amongst the lowest levels of land registration but voluntary land registration allows landowners to be in control of their assets and to manage them more effectively now and in the long-term.

Wyn and Pat Thomas have registered over 180 acres of land that they own and farm in the Llandeilo area, close to the venue of the 2008 World Sheepdog Trials at Dinefwr Park & Castle.

They were delighted to take advantage of the Land Registry scheme which means their land is now better protected against encroachment. Mr Thomas said they wanted to keep their family's affairs in order and felt that registering their land was a useful step towards doing this.

He also explained that the process was stress free. "It was quite easy, really. We saw in the press that Land Registry were offering a discount for the voluntary registration of land, and decided to find out more.

"We have owned the land since the mid 1960s, and therefore it was not covered by compulsory registration. It is good to know that no-one can now try to claim our land as theirs. We found the whole experience totally straightforward."

John and Myfanwy Evans, both aged 57, farm 700 acres of land around Dolgellau that has been in the family since 1777. They were delighted to take advantage of the Land Registry scheme which means their land is now safeguarded for future generations.

Mr and Mrs Evans said they wanted to keep their family's affairs in order and felt that registering their land was a useful step towards doing this.

"You hear all manner of stories about unscrupulous people registering land which does not actually belong to them, which could lead to lengthy and expensive legal battles. My husband's family has worked this land since the eighteenth century, and we want to make sure that we can hand it all on to our children," said Mrs Evans.

"Land Registry were really helpful, and made sure that we understood what was happening at every stage of the process. They sent us a number of letters to inform us how it was all going. We found the whole experience totally straightforward."

For more information call 0800 432 0432, email registerland@landregistry.gsi.gov.uk or visit the FUW's stand at the Winter Fair.