Rural expert becomes national president (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

It's a tremendous honour, says Carter Jonas partner

8:00pm Tuesday 17th July 2012 in News

Simon Pallett, a partner in the rural team at Carter Jonas who is already familiar to many Wiltshire farmers, has been elected president of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV).

CAAV members practise throughout England, Wales and Scotland, providing professional advice and valuation expertise on issues affecting the countryside.

While many CAAV members belong to other professional bodies it is their CAAV membership that confirms their specialism in advising upon agricultural and rural matters.

Mr Pallet said: “This is a tremendous honour for me and for my firm because CAAV plays such an important, but often unseen, role in UK rural life and has an influential consultation role in shaping government strategy.

“Property values can be tremendously important in a wide variety of activities that go far beyond simple sale and purchase transactions.

"Valuations for rent, probate, or insurance purposes need to be accurate and backed by professional qualification and CAAV is widely recognised as the body that proves such credentials.”

Mr Pallet graduated from Reading University in 1977 with a first in estate management, and after completed his training in Evesham moved to Newbury in 1979 to join his father John Pallett at A W Neate & Sons, becoming a partner in 1981.

The firm grew and merged with Dreweatts to become Dreweatt Neate in 1987 where he subsequently headed its rural division. In 2009 the firm merged with Carter Jonas.

Mr Pallet is a former chairman of the Berks and Oxon Rural Valuers Association, and long-standing CAAV Council representative and past chairman of its property committee.

He is also a past chairman of the RICS Rural Valuation Committee, is a member of Arbrix, an independent body providing professional career development for arbitrators, and is on the RICS President's arbitrators' appointment list.

Mr Pallet specialises in farm and estate management, rural property sales and purchases, valuations, landlord and tenant work and regularly acts as an arbitrator or expert witness. Conducting sales by auction of property and farming machinery is a particular interest.