Warning letter

[SimonA]

Hello, I received a warning letter (one months notice) from the allotment society secretary today, saying I hadn't cultivated my plot.

Basically, my neighbour left their plot to go to weed, which spread over mine during the winter. I have managed to get rid of the weeds over about 1/3rd of the plot and do have plants growing on that section.

They changed the locks about 3 weeks ago, gave no prior notice, and left a message on my answerphone on a Saturday saying they would hand out new keys at 8am on Sunday. I was working away and didn't get the message until a couple of days later. I currently have no access to the allotment site.

I'm a bit annoyed with them for changing the lock and not handing out new keys before it was changed. Then expecting everyone to arrive at 8am on a Sunday morning to obtain new keys.

I can't get hold of the secretary by phone (have left a message).

I also wonder how much help and advice allotment committee's usually give to newcomers? I have had none and really didn't have a clue how to deal with the weeds. It has been really hard work clearing them.

The whole episode has made me wonder if I really want to continue with an allotment. The society don't seem very friendly, and didn't even provide me with the shed I ordered from them (although my neighbours all got one), all I got was some concrete slabs for the base.

I have 100 sweetcorn plants in my greenhouse, if not for them I'd probably just hand the plot back.

[SimonA]

This is what they sent me -

The committee have instructed me to contact you regarding the condition of your plot of land.

According to rule 12 of the ****** ****** allotment society, you are required to properley cultivate your land. We refer you to the Oxford dictionary for the defenition of cultivation which states 'use soil for crops or gardening'.

You are given one month from the above date to comply with this request. Failure to do so will mean further action taken against you. You are expected to cultivate throughout the growing season of 12 months.




No exactly friendly is it? They also posted this by second class, so one week of my month has already gone. As I don't have a key, I'm not sure how I can comply with this.

[Guttata]

You have been given one months notice to comply with the rule. You say you have brought a third of the site into cultivation as such as long as you are working on the rest it is considered that you are complying.

If you want to deal with the weeds quickly glyphosate them. This will kill the plants but not poison the soil so you can plant into it as soon as the weeds have died back.

The person giving out the keys should be available at a time that is convenient to both of you. If the site is council owned and you are having no joy with the secretary then go over his head and go to the allotments manager, this will be listed in your councils website or info book that they send out every so often.

Explain the situation about the keys and ask him to see if he can get the secretary to contact you as you are having no joy yourself.

[Snadger]

I lost my key once and just climbed over the fence. If its a large site people should be coming and going all the time just now,so you should be able to get in and see the Sec? Where there's a will.....there's a way!

[SimonA]

I have now got hold of the secretary for a new key, I'm told a notice was put up on how to obtain a new key - inside the gates, so unless you could get in there is no way you could read it. Oh well.

I'm slightly miffed though by how abrupt the letter was, maybe allotment societies could send a more friendly first letter? Something along the lines of they have noticed the plot has a lot of weeds, and is there a problem cultivating it. Maybe it's just me, but I find the above letter rude.

[Glutton4...]

I agree Simon, it does sound rather abrupt. However, with the major shortage of Allotment plots in the UK, currently, I suspect your local Committee is probably under great pressure to evict anyone who looks like they may be letting things slide. The fact that you have been away and didn't get your messages is very annoying (I know, I have had it happen to me), but they were not to know you were away.

I'm not trying to be controversial, but you have to look at it from their point of view, too - they're only doing their job.

Having said that, I hope you don't lose, or give up your plot, and that you have a great harvest!

[Guttata]

To be honest it looks more like a form letter. As such the committee may not have much lee way with the way it is written. It has to be in a clear and neutral fashion incase further action needs to be taken. It's not a rude letter to me, just as I said neutral.

In and of itself it is not an eviction notice as they do say further action would be taken. At that point you have the ability to defend yourself to the legal department that would contact you. These do have to take into account being away, ill health and so on as reasons for being unable to cultivate on a temporary basis.

[Jeanied]

Take this as a sign that your committee is trying to get itself organised. It is clearly using a proforma letter that it intends using with a number of people who are not on top of their plots. Yes it is abrupt and impersonal, but that is often the way with proforma letters.

I find what goes around, comes around, SimonA. Given the choice I'd far rather have a plot on an organised site than a disorganised one!

Get some squash plants to go with your sweetcorn and you'll have the lot 2/3covered in no time flat! If you cover the rest with cardboard and manure, then problem solved.

[jacob marley]

I do not see any thing wrong with the letter the committee might have the council allotment officer on there backs and are doing as told by him .
They cocked up with the lock change but it is sorted now ,
But i do not see it as notice to quit just get your act together hope fully as jeanied says get some ground cover like Squashes and good luck do not worry they are doing as told .
I am one of the big bad committee on our site and thats how it works....jacob

[Hans Mum]

we had to change the lock on our site very quickly as the one we had ceased up so no-one could get in our out, the locksmith came & got it off and we had to put a temporary one on whilst it was fixed, maybe something similar happened?

[di]

I'd try not to take it personally....as others have said it seems it's just a standard letter...
if you do plan on keeping your plot and getting it up and running,you're going to find it easier to enjoy if there's no hard feelings with the committee
All the best with whatever you decide to do.

[mogs]

As Andi&Di says don't take it personally at all. I work for a Council (for my sins!) and the letters they send out as 'run of the mill' are appalling sometimes. We had two people on a street leaving out rubbish, and every person got a letter threatening them with massive fines and court action if they left out further side waste - needless to say loads left it out the week after, having taken the understandable huff!!

So it's not just you, all their letters will be that cr*p!

[Snadger]

When I was Secretary of our society I was asked by the committee to send out a warning letter to someone.

I posted a copy on here somewhere for comments and altered it slightly on recommendation from fellow grapes.

Not one of my favourite jobs I may add..............thats partly why I aint Hon Sec or on our committee anymore!

[Two_Sheds]

I do not see any thing wrong with the letter ...They cocked up with the lock change but it is sorted now ... i do not see it as notice to quit just get your act together

That's how it was intended. Are you on friendly, speaking terms with the committee members and other plot holders? I guess if you were up the plot tending it frequently, you would have heard personally about the lock change and someone might have had a quiet word in your shell-like about the weeds.
We all have weed seeds blowing in from other plots, but are expected to keep on top of them. There is plenty of advice on here about controlling weeds.

I'd try not to take it personally....as others have said it seems it's just a standard letter...

Ditto that

[kiwirach]

I can sympathise(sp?) with you getting the letter.....i got one last week as well. there is definately something going round, and i put it down to waiting lists and pressure.

I am in temporary accommodation so the letter took a week to get to me, so i then had 3wks to tidy.
I was assuming this had come from our new site secretary and was peev'd cos i had just recently chatted with him about the location of my approved greenhouse and he didnt comment on the plot or find out why it wasnt up to scratch.

I just decided to knuckle down and get it sorted as i'm not giving it up.
then on tuesday while i was there the site sec came round and he again asked me about my greenhouse and i told him i was reluctant to put it up until after the reinspection. He asked what i meant and i told him, and he said i shouldnt have had the letter, and to contact the council, partly to show you are actively involved in your plot. So i emailed them yesterday morning, ended up speaking to the guy who inspected the plot, asked some questions about why my site sec was unaware this had happened to me, then explained why i was struggling this month.....had to find somewhere to move to...slightly more important that cutting grass i felt. upshot was, i have another month to put up greenhouse and a hold on my reinspection.

Like you, i felt the letter was a bit strong....assuming it had come from the site sec, i would have liked to have been given a friendly chat...find out why i was in the state i was before the 'big gun' letter comes out.
People have said 'dont take it personally'.....i'm sorry, but you do take it personally.

Having said that, i understand why they send them out, and in my case it was warrented, but there were reasons why, rather than just non interest in the plot.

Hope things work out for you.