Kitchen Garden Forum

It must be a difficult dilemma when having let plots the new tenants don't bother and they get all weedy again.

May I suggest that sometimes it could be the easier option to let to an existing plot holder who has a proven track record than to gamble on the unknown.

Maybe when taking on a new tenant there should be a trial period before a full tenancy agreement is signed...just a suggestion

The old gentleman next to me (he's eighty-four) has intimated that he intends to turn over his half plot to his son this next year...the son hasn't been anywhere near the plot as yet...my thoughts are if he was seriously interested he would have helped his father out by now instead the plot is slowly going downhill

Just going off the subject a little, it must be so sad when you can't manage your allotment anymore, i went through this with an old boy on our allotments.
He used to have two plots then down to one, but couldn't manage that in the end, i used to help him with what i could, but he gave it up in the end, and slowly went down hill after that.
It was all very sad, but he was 95 when he gave it up, but i don't suppose that makes it any easier.

I don't think you would have got his second plot off him in his prime.

Hi Compo

We have several people (I'm one of them) with multiple plots and we have no intention of asking for any back to reduce the waiting list. As our Chairman says, we were prepared to take on and clear the land when allotments were not a "fashion accessory" which is now how some people see them. If it wasn't for us doing this there would be no allotments as tenancies were right down and the Council could have claimed the land back.

Over the past 12 months we have had several large plots available and have broken them up into two or three smaller plots which have gone to newbies. Of these 50% have let their plots get overgrown, the others have done a good job. We have now evicted the ones who have done nothing and allowed the ones who are doing well to take the vacant ones on. We now have three "new" plotholders who are enthusiastic with nice looking plots.

We are also allowing people who can't cope with all their plot to give up half which again, if it's big enough, we split in two.

It's working for us and keeping the waiting list down.

Oh, and we've also put in a note with the rent reminders to say that by paying the rent the plotholder undertakes to cultivate and plant up all of their plot as we have several who only use half and refuse to hand any land back. We'll have to see what happens on that one.

We are a self managed site and have a limit of 4 plots that a person can have as over that, it all of a sudden becomes a smallholding. Also to be honest it wiould be impossible to keep on top of that amount of plots.

As Chantal says, it would be unfair to take plots off people who put in hard work when lettings were lean to appease untried and unknown wannabe allotmenteers, providing the plots are well used. It would cause no end of resentment and bad feeling.

This year is the first time we have had a waiting list on our site for many a year and will whittle that down as plots become vacant or are freed up due to a lack of cultivation. We will not attack the tried and tested plot holders who have more than one plot and have proved to be the spine of our society over many years and in some cases, several decades.

Whilst not ideal. we are looking at splitting a few plots in half and letting them as "taster" plots. If the tenants prove themselves capable, they can then go onto taking on full plots as they come available.

With regard to my comments about poor people on allotments, is my site the only one to be full of more well to do people or are some out there full of the unemployed or otherwise fiscally challenged people Compo mentions.

Poor allotmenteers - - I`ve been mentally zipping round our site trying to put the plot holders into their respective socio-economic groups
Teachers - artists - nurses - a sprinkling of doctors - engineers - people retired from those jobs - one postman - train drivers - dancing school proprietor - several widows of independent means -
Doesn`t really reflect the make-up of the catchment area.
Hmmm - -

We have mooted on our site that new plot-holders get the first three months free, if they perform they then pay the remaining nine month's and sign the tenancy agreement, if the plot has not been brought up to scratch, they get the order of the boot, the benefit being as they get the first three months free, they haven't signed a tenancy agreement. Shallotman

I'm at Elson Compo. Next to the Elson Junior school and playingfields.
www.saundersallotment.co.uk

Beryl.