Allotment fees have quadrupled!!

[Plot10]

Here in Aberdeen our Council is either £30 million, £50 million or £70 million in debt depending on what you read so my 3/4 plot - no onsite water, not secure, no toilets etc. has gone from £17 in November 2007 to £52 in November 2009. A full plot is £70, this year that'll probably be up to £100. Still worth it but from the other posts on this thread, it's well above average.

[Hans Mum]

our rent is going up £3 this year to £48 for a full plot, this includes water, insurance, membership fees and loan of equipment (rotavator.strimmers, etc) at less than a quid a week i think it a bargain!!!
I have to agree with others that you seem to still be getting a good deal at the increased rates....

[Growem]

Hans Mum, I have a half plot for 20, yours would be 24. I have no insurance, membership or equipment usage. So for 4 pounds more, you get a lot more for your money than I do!

As I said in my first post, I do think £20 is cheap for a year, it was more the matter of how much it went up suddenly. The only reasons given was that rates hadn't been increased for several years and that it was in keeping with other allotment sites around the area (which have better facilities, but hey ho). Thank you all for your comments, it's always good to get other perspectives.

[ladylottie]

Hans Mum, I have a half plot for 20, yours would be 24. I have no insurance, membership or equipment usage. So for 4 pounds more, you get a lot more for your money than I do!

As I said in my first post, I do think £20 is cheap for a year, it was more the matter of how much it went up suddenly. The only reasons given was that rates hadn't been increased for several years and that it was in keeping with other allotment sites around the area (which have better facilities, but hey ho). Thank you all for your comments, it's always good to get other perspectives.

I still think I'm the luckiest person, because I've paid £7 per year for the last 2 years for my (large) half plot and that includes water, loan of strimmer, rotavator and membership fees. I'm on a private site. There was some rumblings this year as to whether to increase subs, but the committee decided against it.
I'm horrified to read how much some of you have to pay

[Hans Mum]

Hans Mum, I have a half plot for 20, yours would be 24. I have no insurance, membership or equipment usage. So for 4 pounds more, you get a lot more for your money than I do!

No, a half plot is nearer £30 (can't remember the exact figure) its to do with the insurance & membership charged at the same rate for all plotholders but the base rate of £15 half plot & £30 full plot remains the same IYSWIM

[jackie j]

Ours is £18 for a half plot, reductions for oap's, we voted to put the rent up by £5 a couple of years ago to cover increasing water costs, maybe thats why yours has gone up.

[gojiberry]

Think I could be one of the cheapest, ours are going up to £8.50 for full plot this year. No water. But we do have our own very large shed and porta loo. We administer ourselves and have to find £40 each year to have the loo cleaned out. The council have cut the hedges in the past but the onus has now passed to us as the council can't afford to have them done. Am currently looking at ways to raise money for improvements to site.

Ian

[Snadger]

Think I could be one of the cheapest, ours are going up to £8.50 for full plot this year. No water. But we do have our own very large shed and porta loo. We administer ourselves and have to find £40 each year to have the loo cleaned out. The council have cut the hedges in the past but the onus has now passed to us as the council can't afford to have them done. Am currently looking at ways to raise money for improvements to site.

Ian

Make members 'spend a penny' on the portaloo!

[Shadylane]

Ours went up a quid this year to £8.50. We have a large storage lock up but that's it. No water either though that's more of a plumbing issue due to our location as our sister site which is closer to the houses does have water, which is annoying really. Must be great not to have to worry about watering your plot in the summer. I would happily pay more to get a tap but I can't see it happening any time soon.

[Paulottie]

It is a sacred and civilized principle that a community provide land from which members of that community can feed themselves irrespective of their financial position. We already pay for their provision through council tax. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE DEFEND THIS PRINCIPLE. Allotments must not be allowed to have a market value linked to demand. (nor the commercial value of the land)

The rent is supposed to be peppercorn.(I think the law says that it is that what a tenant can reasonably be expected to pay) A few years ago ours went up 900% to a £1 a rod! but then that is only for the rent on the actual plot.

That said, I personally see the sense in having a £50 deposit to cover folk leaving a mess....Would this really exclude the poor from getting a plot?

Perhaps you might argue that the council should pay for the maintenance (mowing, hedgecutting etc.) as it is common land.(of course in these economic circs it is fashionable for councils to provide services rather than cutting admin costs).... in our (small village site) case we volunteer to keep costs as low as possible.

The tenants here must then pay a share of the water rates...only about £5 a year each.(provided we all are careful with it).

After that it largely depends on what maintenance or facilities must be paid for. It is not down to the council to provide anything....No security (at a stretch you could claim that fencing in the site is a necessity ....but should the taxpayer pay?) certainly no toilets, machinery etc. This is where you need an association... where finances can be much more closely and democratically controlled....however, should you then have to be a member to have a plot? ...or just to use the loo or Rotavator?

[Currysniffa]

We pay £7.50 a year for our 1/2plot 20mts x 10mts + next year (January) we're going to pay £3.00 on top of our rent for insurance (£1 a year each) and to get the insurance we've have to join the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (£2 a year we get a free mag) and there's talk of having to pay something towards the water costs which was over £600 last year. I'm happy to pay this extra charge as I really enjoy my plot and get a freezer full of veg to boot!

[baby_blue]

i dont know how many rods mine is, but i do know its 300 sq yrds, i pay i think £21 for the yr, and thats just for the plot, there is no facilities and no running water, i dont know what the cost was last yr or what it might be nxt yr, but i think its a good price, when i consider how much money i will save in the long run. and i certainly do enjoy it.

perhaps i should be thankful that we dont have any facilities to pay extra for, sure running water would be nice, but i think that would take the fun out of having lots of butts, guttering and recycling all that grey water. lol

i think if you feel the cost is a massive hike, then contact them and ask why.

[pink-angel29]

goodness me i pay 82 pound per a plot (i have 2) and 2X£10 for water rates

[Allotment Nerd]

I pay £30 for a half plot..I reckon it will go up at some point buts it's stil a bargin. £30 wouldn't pay for the potatos I get let alone the rest of the veg I get.

[Soomai]

Our Allotment Association along with the Parish Council have recently been looking at new t&c's as we are 6 different sites spread over the Parish that the Parish inherited from the main council. We involved the NSALG whom were a great resource for the actual facts and law regarding charges and what the landlord is responsible for. If anyone has concerns I recommend speaking to the NSALG they can really help.