Allotment Share...opinions please :)

[northepaul]

Hi there
To cut a long story short, I am currently on the allotment waiting list in Southampton, I have been on for just under 3 years and am well over 100 in the queue..moved about 2 spaces as far as I can tell last time I checked.

Anyway I asked around for an allotment share in the meantime, thinking this would be an ideal starter. A woman got in touch with me slightly out of Southampton, she said she cant cope with her allotment as she has 2 very small children and wanted to spilt it up into 1/3s. I met her today, and the allotment is very overgrown but also very small ( A friend of mine has one about twice as big) - the bed she wants me to use will have her potatoes/cabbages in until next Feb/march. Its approx 8-10ft x 20ft ish.

Obviously I cant grow spuds next year (which was a good reason for me wanting one, as I dont have room here) Its also a bit out of the way.

However she only wants £10 a year, I can share the tool shed, water and electicity. It would mean that I could grow stuff and not have to wait forever to do it...

I am in two minds. What do you lot think?

Thanks in advance

[zazen999]

Does she have a share of your crops? Can she kick you off at any time?

[Pies]

Anything is better than nothing,I'd try to get the other 1/3rd as well.

How long do you think it will take to get a lottie?

[northepaul]

Anything is better than nothing,I'd try to get the other 1/3rd as well.

How long do you think it will take to get a lottie?

Well....when I asked that question, everyone in the office burst out laughing...year and years as far as I can guess

Regards the other 1/3 its already let and the person who has it has dug it over etc..

[northepaul]

Does she have a share of your crops? Can she kick you off at any time?

No we all have our own crops, as it would be a casual agreement I guess she could well chuck us off at anytime. She seemed ok though, I dont think she was trying to rip me off or she would have asked for more money etc etc..??
But I am a novice with allotments so no idea.

[Hans Mum]

you need to make sure she can 'sub-let' the plot. It's not allowed on our site to sub-let dont know if that because of insurance or what..

[zazen999]

Just be careful she doesn't get you to dig it all over and plant it up and then chuck you off. There is often a clause in the contract saying that they can't sub-let and if the council found out then she might get chucked off herself.

My lottie neighbour has dug over the lottie next to mine [it was 6ft weeds this time last year] as the people who got the plot the same day as me couldn't really cope; and he has been told that even thugh he is 3rd on the list, unless the other 2 people don't want a plot next march he will be chucked off, as the people whose names it is in are moving away. So, just be careful you don't put too much work into it.

[Snadger]

you need to make sure she can 'sub-let' the plot. It's not allowed on our site to sub-let dont know if that because of insurance or what..

No sub-letting on ours too!
If you take it to its extreme i.e sub-letting the whole plot, it could be likened to giving your allotment up to a friend to bypass the waiting list, which is just wrong!

[SarzWix]

No sub-letting allowed on ours either. It's ok to get people in to help you with the plot, but any whiff of shared rent and/or splitting the plot, is a big no-no. A chap was nearly given notice for doing that last year on our site.

[northepaul]

Thanks, I didnt know about the sub let policy - will definately check it out as I dont want to bypass anyone who is waiting in that area. Although I would just say that if its not me, she would probably share it with someone else anyway.

Thanks for the tips about too much work etc too, I couldnt get onto the bed she wants me to have, until she has pulled the last of her brassicas, onions and spuds., she thinks about March next year.

You never know I may actually have my own allotment by then....(Did I just hear the wings of a pig?? )

[zazen999]

To be fair - if she is having problems working it she should approach the allotment officer and tell them so that they can work an agreement out with another potential tenant first.

[Two_Sheds]

I was struggling with my plot last year (moved away, then had a car crash).
I let a bloke share it for 9 months while I decided what to do. I was straight with him: he had no rights, and I took no rent money; he could just grow crops for the summer.

In August I told him I was giving it up, and I had no say in who it got allocated to. That was for him to work out with the site Rep.

[Pumpkin Becki]

northepaul, have you thought about lobbying the council for more new allotments? You could approach other people on the waiting list to get the minimum of 6 interested parties involved. If you talk to Sonata, she's just managed to secure a promise for a new site and funding etc from the council.

best of luck!!

[northepaul]

northepaul, have you thought about lobbying the council for more new allotments? You could approach other people on the waiting list to get the minimum of 6 interested parties involved. If you talk to Sonata, she's just managed to secure a promise for a new site and funding etc from the council.

best of luck!!

Thanks for that Becki,
I will definately speak to the council about it. The problem is that Southampton City Council have actually been cutting down on allotment space and are selling it for redevelopment. (There is a clause in one of the government initiatives about providing more housing in the south, which means they can effectively ignore any protests.) So there are more people waiting and less spaces.
I will ask Sonata about her campaign.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Thanks for that Becki,
I will definately speak to the council about it. The problem is that Southampton City Council have actually been cutting down on allotment space and are selling it for redevelopment. (There is a clause in one of the government initiatives about providing more housing in the south, which means they can effectively ignore any protests.) So there are more people waiting and less spaces.
I will ask Sonata about her campaign.

You're welcome, Ashford (Kent) is also one of the Governments earmarked areas, but somehow Sonata seems to be making real progress and surprisingly quickly.

PS My brother lives in West End Park (its a small world)