Allotment who have ownders but are unused/abandoned...Rules?

melanie22_2

The allotment next to mine is this way. Seems there is someone who has it but they are never there and the allotment is unused.

This is the thing. There is a huge rhubarb plant just ripe for picking and if i hadn't got to it today it would have gone to seed fairly soon (snapped the flower head sticks-hope thats right). Anyway i digress...Is ot ok to pick the rhubarb if no one seems to want it?

jabba4

Not really if it doesn't belong to you.

melanie22_2

Well its definately not mine. Just seems such a waste.

Rummer

Why not phone the head of the allotment committee it could be the plot owner is unwell or unable to come up and they could check with them if it is ok or put the two of you in touch.

jabba4

Oh definitely.

Maybe check with your site steward (if you have one) and see what they think. If no-one is using the plot they may be able to tell you if there is a reason. Or they may say it's ok to harvest a little. Just bear in mind how you'd feel if you hadn't been to your allotment for a while (for whatever reason) and someone had helped themselves to your produce.


You really don't want to put yourself in a difficult position.

melanie22_2

Rummer wrote: »

Why not phone the head of the allotment committee it could be the plot owner is unwell or unable to come up and they could check with them if it is ok or put the two of you in touch.

The thing is it is more complicated. They at first offered me that allotment but were unsure if it was being sublet. I turned it down for that reason. Ive already been embroiled in difficult situations where no one seems to know who owns what. I ended up working a plot only to find the previous owner was told about it and he then paid his unpaid bills and now retains it (all my work wasted then). So not knowing whos it is (secretarys position also) i cant contact anyone.

Rummer

Hmmm that's a tricky one isn't it. Do none of the other allotment holders know the situation?

melanie22_2

I've heard various stories from a few holders. Seems nobody knows for sure. I'll keep at asking and just look after the rhubarb for now. It's huge, wouldn't want it to pop off

Rummer wrote: »

Hmmm that's a tricky one isn't it. Do none of the other allotment holders know the situation?

RAS

melanie22 wrote: »

The thing is it is more complicated. They at first offered me that allotment but were unsure if it was being sublet. I turned it down for that reason. Ive already been embroiled in difficult situations where no one seems to know who owns what. I ended up working a plot only to find the previous owner was told about it and he then paid his unpaid bills and now retains it (all my work wasted then). So not knowing whos it is (secretarys position also) i cant contact anyone.

This situation sounds completely unacceptable.

1. If this a a proper (rather than private) allotment site, there are laws covering the arrangements.

2. Some sites are run by the council, others are self managed. In both cases, you are entitled to know who is actually managing the site.

3. There is a formal legal procedure by which someone who has rented loses their tenancy. Not one should be offered a plot if the tenancy has not been clarified. So you should never have been put in a situation where you worked a plot and then it was returned to the previous tenant.

4. Whoever is running the site, they are required to ensure that you have full information about who is the running the site!

Ring the council and ask them who is responsible for the site.

melanie22_2

RAS wrote: »

This situation sounds completely unacceptable.

1. If this a a proper (rather than private) allotment site, there are laws covering the arrangements.

2. Some sites are run by the council, others are self managed. In both cases, you are entitled to know who is actually managing the site.

3. There is a formal legal procedure by which someone who has rented loses their tenancy. Not one should be offered a plot if the tenancy has not been clarified. So you should never have been put in a situation where you worked a plot and then it was returned to the previous tenant.

4. Whoever is running the site, they are required to ensure that you have full information about who is the running the site!

Ring the council and ask them who is responsible for the site.

I know both the secretaries as they have plots on site. Its council run btw. Thing is its a very old site which has been self managed by the locals for a long long time (since the 50's). Its only recently been taken on by the council and made safe and updated, but the old tenants (of which there are many) hold a lot of the sites between them and have sublet and then sublet again which of course they arent supposed to do but now it means no one is sure who belongs to what and because they dont work them they are a mess. As very old tenants they believe the land to be theirs whether they use it or not and lord help anyone who challenges this.

The council is useless (i was on a waiting list for 2 years before i started hounding them and got somewhere) and the secretaries understandably don't want to upset the old locals who are friendly enough but see it differently to everyone else.

theoretica

Perhaps you could talk to any of the 'old locals' who seem to take a lead about this or might know the lot abandoner in a social way?