Anyone have any experience of "Landshare" ?

[Caro]

Hi everyone,

My dad has an unused bit of garden at the bottom of his garden. The previous owners used it, I think, as a dog run. I thought that, rather than let it get hugely overgrown, it might make sense to offer it on "Landshare". It's not huge, but it's larger than my couple of raised beds!

Has anyone experience of this scheme? Is it secure? How would we know the people weren't just keeping an eye out for when the house was empty?

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks

[Flummery]

Not sure I'd grow veg on an ex- dog run. I assume they didn't leave the run to visit the loo?

[northmaid]

I've no personal experience but some friends of mine couldn't get an allotment, so entered the scheme. The person who was providing the land insisted on someone very local, basically so he knew where they lived! They had to meet the land provider and he had to give the OK and agree to the arrangements. They did have some problems as it seems the provider didn't actually hold the lease, historically he had always worked the land but it actually belonged to his neighbour. It eventually got sorted but they did have delays in actually taking access. I don't think there was any formal written agreement required but I could be wrong on that. They're on holiday at the moment so I can't ask.

[becslb]

I am a sharer on a landshare scheme and for me it has been absolutely fab! No formal agreement, all word of mouth - we have each others phone numbers (and they know my address and obviously I know theirs!). I have "shared" the land for 14 months now and hope to have many more months here

(I agree with Flummery's comment though...)

[Caro]

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies.

I'll certainly look further into it. It seems such a shame that the land is unused, although it really isn't that big.

I think the dogs were kep there for convernience, from time to time. They were actually house dogs and were taken out for walks. And it wasn't covered in dog poo (might have been a few little mounds ) but it's been about 3 years now - surely the land is useable?

Thanks again