Deposits on allotments?

[Paulottie]

I was wondering if anybody has heard of a deposit being paid on a council plot....Is done on private sites?

ie like any other lease you receive it back if your tenancy ends without the plot being a field of seeding weeds, embedded junk and Jerusalem artichokes.

I am not sure if it is legal even....but just a thought.

[rustylady]

Previous thread on this subject here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...its_67272.html

[ladylottie]

I'm on a private site and we don't pay a deposit for either the plot or to have a key to the gates.
(Mind you, I think you have to pay to have a new key cut if you lose the one you are given!).

[Thelma Sanders]

It means people with little money wouldn't be able to take a plot

[jacob marley]

There fores and against the idea as Thelma says it would hurt some people but people that just want a plot for bragging rights it would cost them or deter them and give somebody else a chance.
Another idea would be if the plot was cultivated to return the deposit after 12 months or take it of next years rent jacob

[BarleySugar]

On our site we started off charging a £20 key deposit (one of those keys that are 'copyright' or whatever, so a new one can't be cut by just anyone). However after a year, and having to reclaim a number of plots, where most people donated the deposit anyway, we re-wrote the tenancy agreement to include the plot being in good condition. If not the deposit is forfeit, and put towards the cost of strimming or rubbish clearing for the new tenant. We haven't had any complaints about the change so far.

[Paulottie]

Essentially that is it Barleysugar...I like to keep any vacant plots in good nick and rent them cleanish...I do it with a couple of volunteers but the time adds up.

Whilst I hear the 'poor' folk argument Thelma and i am a great believer in the allotment principles most people are wealthy or employed here and besides you could always have a benefit clause or allow someone to earn it by doing some site maintenance. I already favour those who assist with free muck and any favours going.

Most folk good as gold on our small parish site....but I am sick of the few jokers passing through tho

[rustylady]

As long as you only have a few Paulottie, maybe you could just live with it. Seems a shame to charge new people a hefty deposit because you have a few rogues.

[Samurailord]

We have a £5 key deposit on our site, but there have also been a few discussions about a deposit to ensure that your plot is left in a tidy state when you leave.

The main problem I have with this is the definition of a 'tidy plot', and the value of any deposit.

If the deposit is small, there is no real deterrent to leaving a messy plot, and no real benefit to taking the deposit in the first place as any benefit from the money kept would not cover the costs of having to clear a really bad plot.

If the deposit is large enough to be a real deterrent, this could cause problems if the committee on site act in a similar way to some of the horror stories we have all heard about as it could simply be used as an additional source of revenue, with no one being able to recover their deposit no matter how clear their plot. (similar to a landlord's deposit - I have never heard of anyone getting their deposit back when they move out even if they have left the property spotless).

Andy

[alldigging]

(similar to a landlord's deposit - I have never heard of anyone getting their deposit back when they move out even if they have left the property spotless).

Andy

New rules were bought in to allow arbitration for landlords deposits. Suspect it's probably not done much to even up the balance of things.
But I did witness a sign-out check recently where they had photos and a very detailed inventory which listed like '3 nail holes in the wall and 2 rawl plugs"...
How on earth would you do something like that for allotments that change every day!

[Samurailord]

How on earth would you do something like that for allotments that change every day!

And how could you decide if a plot has been left in poor condition, i.e. full of nettles, comfrey and Jerusalem Artichokes, if that was all the plotholder was growing?

After all, apart from saying a plot has to be mostly cultivated could we really be deciding what someone can and cannot grow, as long as it is tended and not overgrown or allowing weed seeds to fall on other plots?

Andy

[alldigging]

And how could you decide if a plot has been left in poor condition, i.e. full of nettles, comfrey and Jerusalem Artichokes, if that was all the plotholder was growing?

After all, apart from saying a plot has to be mostly cultivated could we really be deciding what someone can and cannot grow, as long as it is tended and not overgrown or allowing weed seeds to fall on other plots?

Andy

I'd probably say grass isn't an allotment crop!
I think there was discussion about frequency of visits too but thats even more difficult. Who'd keep a register?

[Snadger]

We charge a £10 deposit for keys which isn't bad as it costs us £7.50 each to have extra keys cut!

[Hans Mum]

Like others we have just introduced a £20 deposit for new plotholders as the keys cost £7+ to get cut and it does ensure we get them back. It certainly doesnt cover the cost of 'tidying' up plots as well if they are very bad we'd strim them then let them free of charge for 1st year to the incoming tenant. The theory being we dont refund rent if someone leaves part way through the year.

[kathycam]

When I moved out of my flat, my landlord tried to take about £400 from the deposit. In the end we went through the complaints system and got it down to £10 for a plug socket that we bashed as we were moving out. They were trying it on, we'd been there almost 4 years, so bound to be a bit of wear and tear.

Our allotment charges a few quid for a key, but are thinking of changing the lock as its been in use for years, and so there are probably hundreds of copies with people who no longer have plots. I think the new keys are going to be a £30 deposit, which seems high to me, as I'd need one for me and one for my boyfriend, it soon adds up. Security is a big problem at the allotment and it will take more than a new padlock to fix it.