Anyone had problems with joint ownership of a plot?

[SproutLover82]

Can anybody help? I have owned my plot in Manchester for 5years and recently my boyfriend and moved in with me and is keen to spend time on the plot.

Our plot steward is telling us that he cannot be on the plot without my presence, which I totally understand for security reasons but is putting up every arguement to prevent finding a resolution.

- Plots can only be registed in 1 name.
- We can't split plot and register as owning half each as this is considered jumping the waiting list, and we would still not be allowed on each others plots.
- I asked how a married couple are treated....that is considered a family plot so not the same!

He says he is trying to stick to the little green book of allotment rules, which to my knowledge is incredibly old but can see no updated copies on Manchester Council website. I am trying to get a copy but with no luck as yet.

Has anyone experienced these barriers and/or can offer some suggestions? Whilst I understand that rules are needed for a reason, I am not a troublesome plot holder and cannot believe that a) dual occupancy plots are unheard of ; b) an unmarried couple can be treated differently to a married couple (surely this is discriminatory?!)

Thanks

[arpoet]

Sounds like a bit of a *...............* to me. Many couples have plots in one name, where one or the other will come and work/harvest. You should be able to add your patner as a co-worker.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'd give the allotment officer at the council a ring, then you'll know the official take on it, rather than Mr *........*

[frantic furball]

At our Manchester site we do not currently allow joint plotholders following problems where one gives up and then the other doesn't know whether to keep it on or not and such like. However we would offer associate membership which gives the additional person society membership and allows them to work on the plot etc. it's about £5 a year. The green book can be found on the Manchester City Councils website (under leisure I think) and the more up to date plotholders guide.

[veggiechicken]

Hello Sproutlover and welcome to the Forum.
Why do you need to put your boyfriend's name on it? It seems he can be there to help you when you're there, so is it so that he can go there without you?

[Greenleaves]

I think that maybe someone is being over zealous, but as already suggest if it is council owned then seek clarity there

[Alison]

Blimey - all seems very extreme. If I'm away then my mum has been known to go up to the plot to harvest etc and it never even occurred to me that she shouldn't be there. The lottie is in my name only but OH has been there on his own many times in the past. Might be worth a word with some of the other plot holders to see if this is enforced.

[sparrow100]

At our Manchester site we do not currently allow joint plotholders following problems where one gives up and then the other doesn't know whether to keep it on or not and such like. However we would offer associate membership which gives the additional person society membership and allows them to work on the plot etc. it's about £5 a year. The green book can be found on the Manchester City Councils website (under leisure I think) and the more up to date plotholders guide.

We do the same for plots that are shared on our site. A plot can only be in one person's name. I've just taken on a second plot and am sharing it with a friend using those rules - it's in my name and she's an associate member. My OH and Mum have keys for my plot so they can visit and water when I'm not there, but that's not as associate members as they are there so rarely and not really working the plot as such.

However our site is friendly and reasonable - good luck with your steward, he seems like he's interpreting the concepts as narrowly as possible. I hope the Council can help.

[Guest]

If it is council I don't see why him being there would be an issue. If private I know you can get insurance and liability issues but never actually known anyone to be really strict about it. It certainly seems wrong that a married couple are ok but unmarried are not especially when you are both at the same address Please keep us updated

[alldigging]

How often is he going without you?

Is it that they think you've given it up and he's doing all the work?

[Bigmallly]

Hello SproutLover & welcome to the jungle. There is some info here which may be of help in contacting someone:

http://www.macc.org.uk/sites/macc.or...Allotments.pdf

[SproutLover82]

How often is he going without you?

Is it that they think you've given it up and he's doing all the work?

We will be down together most weekends but there are days I won;t be able to make it and he wants to go alone. Also, as were are both in our 30s with FT jobs it will be a great help to split the watering / weeding / harvesting jobs, which can be a struggle to maintain on your own. The plot will without doubt be better off for 2 people tending to it surely!

Thank you all for your advice...as a newbie and my first post I am amazed by the speed to have heard from anyone!

I have written to Manchester Council asking for the current rule book and any specific guidance they can give, although in my experience they aren't forecoming in wanting to help. I will keep you posted, am expecting a bumpy ride!

[alldigging]

Last time I looked on Manchester's site there was a couple of downloads about allotments.
They have however made it maddenly annoying to use their once good website.

Each site has a link to a handbook now I think but I assume they're all the same.
All allotments | Manchester City Council

Allotment Plotholders Handbook | Manchester City Council

[Kirk]

Difficult as from whoever looks after the site they could find that boyfriend is up there telling others how to do things and then starts attending meetings all without actually having a plot. Could he decide to use equipment that is not his or yours - again he is not an allotment holder.

You see it from your point of view, try another persons. Say boyfriend gets there early (first) another allotment holder asks who is that and gets told boyfriend of one of the allotments holders not actually a member here or anything to do with it.

I suspect this, or similar, may have occurred previously and so there is sort of hesitation in openingly allowing it to occur again.

Consider work, you do not expect anyone to come into where you work and look round and do things.

I would suggest that you simply take him with you when you go and leave it at that. It is not exactly inconvenient and it may make your life easier. If you go your seperate ways and he wants half your plot what then?

I would half suspect that the supervisor or whatever is being more like 100% safe (and possibly from prior experience), and their idea of "safe" is from the allotments and allotment holders point of view which is actually what they have to do.

[veggiechicken]

Some links that may help you.

http://www.bradleyfold.org.uk/Green_Book.pdf

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...wGDa36NKnIeSnw