Symonds & Sampson, Wimborne

Andrew is the son of a tenant dairy farmer from East Dorset, and attended Reading University graduating with a BSc in Rural Estate Management in 1977. He qualified as a Chartered Surveyor winning the Talbot Ponsonby prize for Farm Buildings, and became a Fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers in 1981.

Andrew's experience and expertise is wide ranging and encompasses:

- Valuations of agricultural, residential and commercial property for taxation, bank lending, expert witness, sale and purchase

- RICS Registered Valuer- Rural Estate Management

- Rural Property Planning Advice, Farmhouses and Buildings, Planning Appraisals and Viability Reports, Option Negotiations and Development Work- Landlord & Tenant work, including agriculture and rurally based businesses

- Expert Witness in property valuation and other property and access related issues- Contracting and Tenancy Agreements - Property Sales and Purchase advice

- Compulsory Purchase and Acquisition

- Dispute Resolution

Away from his office, his main activities include shooting, cricket, rugby and tennis and taking an active part in rural life clubs and societies.Andrew lives in East Dorset with his wife Deborah, with his youngest daughter Immy now working as PR Officer and Co-ordinator for Symonds & Sampson.

Known as A-J to avoid confusion with Andrew Robinson, joined the firm in August 2005 and is now a qualified Chartered Surveyor, a Registered RICS Valuer and a Fellow of the Association of Agricultural Valuers.

Educated at Millfield and Seaford College in West Sussex he attended the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester, finishing there in May 2004. A year followed working in rural estate agency, but A-J quickly changed career path to follow a lifestyle choice of working with Andrew Robinson!

A-J is an AMC (Agricultural Mortgage Corporation) Contact meaning he can assist in the preparation and submission of a loan application form to AMC for borrowings to fund growth and expansion of farming businesses. He also deals with a wide range of work including (but not exclusively) planning, mapping of land for legal uses, handling of land sales, tenancy matters, mineral extraction applications and is the main contact for Renewable Energy Matters.

 A-J's history involves a full and varied career; whilst at University he ran a tree-surgery business as well as being a polo professional, where he was capped 14 times in the England under-23 teams. After retiring from his polo career A-J looked to other ways of staying active which involve continuing to ride, cycling, walking his dogs and, more lately, hockey with the infamous Blandford Flies.

Married to Anna and A-J has a daughter, born in November of 2009, called Felicity and a son, Sebastian, born In April 2013. A-J joined the Partnership in April 2015.

Neal is the manager of the Wimborne residential department he started his career in the late 1990's for another local firm. He has spent his career working throughout the Wimborne area, the Isle of Purbecks, Southbourne, Poole, Ferndown, and Dorchester and his knowledge of the local market is second to none.

After Jane left Harper Adams Agricultural College in 1980, she worked for three companies before establishing her own successful contract milking and agricultural recruitment company in 1985 following a move from the Midlands to Dorset. 

Many years later following the decline in the dairy industry, Jane was offered the opportunity to completely change careers and she joined the residential department in the Wimborne office in 2004. Having moved house sixteen times during her lifetime (so far...), Jane retains a fascination for houses in general and has a particular penchant for characterful period homes.

Away from work, Jane lives on a farm and her interests include foreign travel and wildlife photography, theatre, autobiographies, and tracing the family tree.

Nigel Sheppard was born in Salisbury and grew up in the Chalke valley where he developed his love of the countryside and rural life.

Nigel joined Woolley & Wallis in Salisbury where he learned the art of auctioneering at both Salisbury and Ringwood markets. A move to Dorset gave Nigel the opportunity to broaden his skills in residential and commercial agency and when the industry went through a revolution in the 1980's Nigel sat on the regional board of General Accident Property Services for two years before starting up his own practice in Blandford. The opportunity to merge his business with Symonds & Sampson was eagerly taken and with over 25 years working knowledge of the Blandford area Nigel is an integral part of property related matters in this area.

Nigel lives with his wife Kate in South Dorset and has three children. Any spare time is spent with his family and dogs and helping develop the skills of young people both in the workplace and in various sporting activities.

After leaving school in 1966 David joined a regional firm as trainee building surveyor. He became fully qualified and an associate of RICS in 1976 and moved to London where he worked for Strutt & Parker and a smaller architectural firm. Just under 10 years later David moved on and started his own Building Surveying business back in Hampshire.

Some 21 years ago he moved to Dorset when he joined Symonds & Sampson as the Head of the Building Survey department and has taken the department from strength to strength.

With many years of experience between them David and his team can provide advice and assistance on various property matters including:

• RICS Surveys - RICS Condition Report; RICS Homebuyer Report; RICS Building Survey

• Architectural design, alteration, extensions, conversions and refurbishments including adaptations for the disabled• Design of new buildings• Computer Aided Design drawing work

• Building conservation works including refurbishment of Listed Buildings

• Planning and Building Regulations advice and applications• Contract and project administration from inception to completion

• Schedules of condition and dilapidations• Building defect analysis, disputes and litigation advice

• Insurance valuations and claims

• Party wall negotiations under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996

David is always keen to learn, and undertook a part-time MSc in Building Conservation at Bournemouth University in his fifties.

His interest has always been in architecture and he has a real passion for older buildings. David's father was a surveyor and his grandfather and brother were architects so it seems there is something in the blood!

James joined Symonds and Sampson's building surveying department in November 2013 after graduating from UWE in Bristol. Prior to this James worked in and around the construction industry for about 10 years gaining valuable knowledge in practical trades. Areas of professional interest include natural stone work and building conservation along with design and general surveying activities.

Born and brought up in Sherborne James participated in all sports from a young age. Now his time is mostly spent with his family, and when permitting, making music of various formats. A devout Southampton FC supporter he can often be found at St. Marys or, on one of the many Wessex regions golf courses...losing some balls!

Christine joined in 2005 as secretary to the survey department and after a short stint in the estate agency department became senior partner Andrew Robinson's secretary. In addition, she is A-J Monro's secretary and more recently has added Nick Rymer to her list of "boys".

Always keen on the outdoors, Christine enjoyed field archery for many years and won a number of medals with her American flat bow. Unfortunately this activity has taken a back seat for the time being but, having tried (and failed miserably) windsurfing, a new sport has appeared on the horizon in the form of kayaking and looks like the new "thing" for 2016. Walking, cooking and reading are also favourite pastimes.