Someone tried to take half my Plot

[BayViewPlot]

When I got my plot I was told by another holder that several years ago the people next to me took half of my plot to use with half of their own - as the half they did not use (of their own) was too overgrown.

The council rarely attend the plot and have only a crap plot map to look at. I don't think they really know whats going on. As I'm new I don't want to throw my weight around and I have plenty to get on with.

[greenlung]

I took on a plot last spring and inherited loads of carpet. In the autumn, the council apparently ordered everyone to remove carpet or be evicted. I've pulled most of it up now - found hosepipes buried beneath, knotted with grass roots and red ants. Joy oh happy joy ; ) It was the only thing holding the path together - which I've now discovered doesn't line up with the neighbouring plot. Oh - and the council won't remove the carpet and threaten wrath if we dump anything by the bins. Doh !

[Stroppy scotte]

Do you want to borrow a barrow? At least then you could go up in the dead of night and lay it on someone elses plot!!!
I can't believe I even thought that!!!
Am wracked with guilt!!!

[greenlung]

Haha - Ta for the offer. A bit of a long wheel from your place though. Rather than cram my life with any more guilt, I reckon I'll just leave the piles of carpet where they are, as reminders to our procrastinating council - if our site rep ever shows up, I'll unfurl one of the reddy looking ones !

[Alice]

Will the council not provide a community skip at the allotments so that all the holders can dump the rubbish they need to get rid of. Or you could all club together and hire a skip you could all put the rubbish in.

[greenlung]

Hi Alice - No, the council provided one skip early last summer, which filled in a day. They took it away two months later, promising another, but despite requests, nothing's happened. Not much chance of people clubbing together either - quite an individual lot, with their own agendas.
It's a shame we've got an ineffectual site rep - I saw him once when he gave me the keys last March, but never again since. Do hope he's ok

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hello GL - and welcome to the Vine! Haven't seen your other posts so thought I would say hello! You sound like youve got quite a lot of experience with having your own lottie etc. So looking forward to your posts. If you do have any questions please feel free to ask - everyone is so friendly here, and (apart from me whos still learning!) have a wealth of knowledge and experience to pass on. If you havent already done so, get hold of a copy of Grow Your Own - the best mag around for, strangely enough, growing your own! DDL

[Nat]

Hey Ben,

I've had the same probs as you.. it started with the guy next to me pinching a little more every time he dug, he has decided to re dig the path as it had couch grass in it .. making his lottie bigger and dumping his weeds onto my part.... im angry, every time i go down there he has done a bit more, in some places his lottle is nearly double mine... hes pinching from both sides ... Well so far it had taken 2 months since i complained to the council, and still nothing. they said they would re stake it,but last i knew they were going to bring it up in a meeting... then next month the same, so we are still waiting to hear whats going on. i dont think the ppl at the council really unerstand the problem... but its a bit like would you pay youre mortgage and let youre neighbour live in 1/2 of your house ??? driving me mad.... i cant get on with what i need to do untill my boundries are marked again...

Nat

[Nat]

Hi,

Just thought i'd do a quick update, i have heard nothing from the council, and it's getting worse, the man who looks after the allotments has a lot of them like 10+ he has 3 full length right next to me on the other side, he's just ploughed his and taken another foot from my side, so now im being 'shruken' from both sides, the guy on the other side is still digging the path and my tiny lottie is now 1/2 the width of his, What can i do ????

I have been down and have tried to stake out some bits as i dig it over, but my stakes are being mowen down as one ploughs or the other digs the path, But I will not give up without a fight.

Any advice appreciated!!!!

Nat

[Nat]

Sorry for hi-jacking you're post Ben.

Nat

[carlseawolf]

hi all,
if people are pinching parts of your allotment each time they dig then line the path with raised beds as you can not dig throught them and it will give you time for the council to re-mark your plot.
i'm quite lucky our plot is run by the allotment commity not the council and is made up of chairman , secutary , treasure , and one person from each site .
we only have 9 rules and number 9 was added last december and iv'e not got a clue what the other 8 are , my site has only 4 plots and if i have a problem i walk one plot down to talk to my site member and another plot down to see the chairman so we don't have to many problems that carn't be sorted .

[Alice]

Hello Nat, I think the problem is, when we're faced with people like that, we're far too civil, and sit back and wait for the problem to be sorted out properly.
Posession is 9 points of the law so just take what is yours. Move your boundary markers to where they should be and put your personal posessions on the ground being filched - cold frames, plant pots, rubbish, anything which makes the point. Maybe the person who is happy to filch a bit of ground will have more conscience about actually interfering with your property. And if he does, it becomes a different complaint. The Council may not be interested in a boundary dispute, but may be more interested if you complain he is actually removing items from your plot. Hope you get it all sorted out. I'm sure you don't need that kind of aggravation.

[Nat]

Thanks for replying, what can i do about him dumping stuff on my lottie ? hes digging the grass out of the path and throwing it on my bit, and his old mankey potatoes too... the guy on the other side has actually ploughed over some of my stuff (some weed control matting) and has knocked out a peg i just put in last week.

Nat

[Alice]

Sounds like the neighbours from hell. Maybe there's a TV programme in there to counterbalance Carol Klein. There must be a middle way.
It's not the correct answer but I think I would just take myself out of there. Who needs all that aggravation.

[madderbat]

Hi Nat
sorry to hear about your troubles. If your neighbour has destroyed/moved some of your stuff, then the Council and the police should know about it, even if it's not a great cost. Do you have a Community Police Officer? Who is responsible at the Council for alltoments? What about the local Press? More publicity may help, especially if the council rep isn't doing their job??
I think the way I would deal with it is to start making a lot of noise (btw - is your naughty neighbour on the Council? or involved with them? loud political complaints sometimes work - try PrivateEye, they often print stuff like this, especially when those in positions of responsibility fail to act)
Best of luck