Wait for an allotment?

[Mumbles]

I have recently applied for a plot at my local allotments and have been told there are 26 people on the waiting list and the person at the top of the list has been waiting over two years. Was speaking to another plot owner (at the same allotments) who applied for a plot a few months back and got one straight away. Has anyone else come across this?


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[alldigging]

Yes.

Lots of people on the waiting list for my old allotments didn't want an allotment at the current time but stayed on the list, or no one edited the list.

If you had to register each year for the list then would you see that as a faff? It'd mean the list was upto date though.

[Mumbles]

Such a pain. I also know there are lots of empty plots


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[Hans Mum]

If you know there are definitely empty plots then you need to be ringing the person "managing" the waiting list and asking why. If they are being managed by an admin person in the council offices they may not be aware that the plots are not being worked.

[Bill HH]

I applied online for an allotment in Torquay, waited two years and then rang them up to see how close I was to geting one. "They said they had no record of my application! I gave up and just use my garden now.

[chris]

I was right down the list too, but quickly moved up - people are kicked off/give up/can't be contacted - so you could well be only 10th or so on the list in real terms. Get your name down on as many sites that are close to you as possible... if your chosen site isn't available right away, you may get another in the mean time!

[Samurailord]

It might be worth paying your preferred site a visit and making friends with some of the committee there (assuming that one exists).

They will be able to tell you if there are vacant plots, and might even be able to put in a good word for you with the person who manages the waiting list.

Worth a try?

Andy

[Mumbles]

My partners uncle has a plot down there so he's going to put in a good word for me and count how many empty plots there are exactly so I can go back to council and ask why so many are left empty.


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[Martin H]

I got my allotment last March after going down the local site and asking the man there what was available. I'm still waiting for a response to the email I sent the council 2 weeks before that, asking to be put on the waiting list.

[salome2001]

it can be an inexact science...
the person still waiting might have rejected an overgrown plot that the new tenant was willing to take on... not taking what is offered can move you back to the bottom of the list...
Agree about the frustration of the empty plot... the plot next to mine is nominally tenanted, although no one has turned a spade on it in about 18 months. Completely uncultivated.... but held by the Committee Vice Chair who gets it free for being a Committee officer... and won't give it up

[Bumberling Brian]

Well when I contacted my local borough council I was told that it was a minimum of 8yrs before a plot would be allocated anywhere in the borough at my preferred site the wait is in the region of 12 yrs so I don't hold out much hope of ever getting one

[Veggielot]

I would put your name down and then ask the person who got their plot quickly and ask them how they got it so quickly.

[jackie j]

We have five sites here and a waiting list for each site, site managers are given the list every month, there is also an any site list, if your name is on one of those you might wait longer. A couple of years ago I went through all the lists ( over 100 waiting ) and rang people up asking if they still wanted to be on the lists, most phone numbers were unavailable, those that went to voice mail or answer phone had a message left to ring back on xxxx number, only a few did, some either already had a plot and hadn't been taken off the list or no longer wanted one. in a couple of days that waiting list was reduced by over half. keep on at the person who deals with the waiting list, visit the site and pester.

[Sarico]

an advice? keep ask where you are on the list.. the allotment is managed by and allotment association and not council and the guy there in charge had enough of people leaving the plot more then half empty so they change the rule with a monthly check an picture token and if they see a plot that has not been taking care they give you 2 week notice and then they take it off you...plus some people in charge they dont follow the list properly...is you put a name and they don't even see your face once they will skip to other people that are familiar to them... in 2 years i used to go during the growing season at least 3-4 time... when i went i october as soon he saw me he shout at me " enrico you are 3rd on the list... you may be lucky to get one because the first two i never seen them before and may be not interested..."