Rent Increases

[fletcher49]

We have recently taken over an allotment after an 8 year wait. When we took on the plot (in February 2008) the rent was about £26.00 per year for a 250 sq metre plot (which also includes water supply). It has been reported that the council (Cannock Chase District Council) are going to increase the rent they charge for their allotments to between £90 - £100 per year due to the removal of a subsidy.

Obviously we intend to do all that we can to keep rent increases to a minimum and I wondered if anyone else out there had been through a similar process with their council. Also it would be interesting to get some idea of the rents being paid for similarsize plots in other areas. Any information anyone is prepared to supply would be very much appreciated.

[fletcher49]

[kt.]

This topic arises several times a year, and was here in spring.  For prices check here,  5 pages worth of how much we are all charged.     ;)

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,37173.0.html

[Squashman]

I have plots similar size, the rent for these is 20.00 per Annum recently increased from 10.00. The local Town Council tried to implement the increase without consultation with our allotment association of which I am the chairperson. In principle we did not object to the increase, our objection was lack of consultation. I approached the Council, informed them we would not pay the increase unless they could show us any other leisure activity that they also intended to double the charge of, also what the present rent had been spent on, and what they intended to do with the increase. I reached agreement with them due to: the agreement date changing from April to September, the 6 month period between these dates being rent free, a new fence being supplied for the site, and 3 skips for the rubbish.
The local District Council has a site, they charge 100.00 per Annum with no water.
The average without water seems to be 25.00.  

[manicscousers]

hiya, fletcher, welcome to the site  ;D

[BAK]

I collated figures from this site and  other sources early in the year. When I stopped the average for 5 poles (half the size of your plot) was £22 (typically included water). So your £26 for 10 poles was obviously very good value.

However, the proposed £90-100 for 10 poles turns you into one of the more expensive sites. While I am generalising a bit, this is London pricing.

As a starter I would ask to see a breakdown of the costs of running the site.

[Barnowl]

However, the proposed £90-100 for 10 poles turns you into one of the more expensive sites. While I am generalising a bit, this is London pricing.

Well above London SW13 (water included) pricing!

[ceres]

Also well above our SW London (hand pumped water included) rent!

[hopalong]

However, the proposed £90-100 for 10 poles turns you into one of the more expensive sites. While I am generalising a bit, this is London pricing.

London N2 prices are £49 and £29 (over 60s) for 10 poles. We put them up a couple of years ago in anticipation of a council rent increase that hasn't happened. Still fantastic value.

[saddad]

Welcome to the site Fletcher49, we have just got the rents up to £20  for 10 poles...  :-X

[BAK]

did not mean to imply that all London sites are expensive but there are places where you can pay  £50 plus for 5 poles.

Re Paul Long's comment, I should have mentioned that many sites have varying reductions for senior citizens.

[Old bird]

I expect we will all get increases this year with just about everything increasing in price! 

Water is no longer a cheap commodity and I think that that ought to be charged separately as either a percentage of the water bill or some other way - which will mean that people that don't use hosepipes and therefore use less water will pay less than people that do!

I still think that at even £100 a year it is pretty good value.  I think that if you have to pay some "sensible" price you will get less abuse from the people that don't look after their sites and think "Oh it only costs £20 per year - so what!"  They will probably leave and so all round - even though we are having to pay a bit more the site will be better looked after in the long run!

Old Bird

;)

[Si D]

I expect we will all get increases this year with just about everything increasing in price! 

Apart from property as the media is all too keen to let us know every day.  Thus you would think that the land rental part of the fee should come down.

[fletcher49]

Thanks to all of you who have supplied info or expressed opinions.
I will use some of this when I contact our local counciller. I just hope we can get everything sorted out and the council do not price people off the allotments (some cynical people are saying that they want us off so they can sell the land). I am looking forward to joining in discussions about enjoyable subjects such as growing things rather than wanting to beat the council around the head. 

[Old bird]

Hi all

There is precious little chance currently of any councils being able to sell allotment land off to builders and developers at the moment.

There is so much pro allotment feeling going nationally at the moment to government level and I think that any council that tries this route will be slammed by media, public opinion and up to government level.  Thanks in part to Hugh Fernely Whitingstall and Jamie Oliver and even BBC Gardeners World

I doubt that that we will be priced off allotments.  I think that the current rents we are paying are unrealisticly cheap.  I know it is not nice having to pay increased rates but to be fair to councils why should they run allotments at a loss?

£90 to £100 is high but as you say you do live in London and most people in London are earning possibly double what we earn in the suburbs!  Unfortunatley I don't understand the poles measurement but it sounds pretty large!

Most of us pay £20 - £40 per year.  Most of us would spend £20 on a night out!   So I think they are cheap!

So Fletcher get back to your enjoyable tasks of growing stuff and worry less about the ulterior motives of councils!!

Old Bird
;D

[ceres]

I know it is not nice having to pay increased rates but to be fair to councils why should they run allotments at a loss?

Because that's what councils do - it's called provision of public services.  No service provided by a council is charged at full economic cost.  They're all subsidised to a greater or lesser extent with our money.

£90 to £100 is high but as you say you do live in London and most people in London are earning possibly double what we earn in the suburbs!

You think shop assistants in London get twice than that in Minehead, or street-sweepers, or nurses, policemen........ ?  You are way off the mark. 

[Old bird]

Ceres

If you recheck what I said you will notice that i said that they were "earning possibly double what we earn in the suburbs"

I may we "well off the mark" because I know that London police officers do not get double that which but they earn - on the basic level - £7,000 more than officers in provincial towns.

I do not know what shop assistants earn here equally I do not know what shop assistants earn in London - I was generalising - OK?  It costs a lot less to live here than it does to live in London OK?! - Yes another generalisation

As a legal Secretary I earn £17,500 here which is top whack for this area!
In London I would earn £30,000 plus!

I don't intend to get agressive with anyone over this as you seem to be doing but your statement that "no services provided by a council is charged at full economic cost" is also very wide of the mark!

[betula]

I understand what you mean Old Bird,Maybe we should call you Old chicken these days LOL.We only pay £15 that includes water,a very good deal.

Problem is if you paid more I doubt the allotment would be better served by the council.The money would go elsewhere probally. :)

[timnsal]

£90 to £100 is high but as you say you do live in London and most people in London are earning possibly double what we earn in the suburbs!  Unfortunatley I don't understand the poles measurement but it sounds pretty large!

Um, Cannock Chase is in Staffordshire.

Sally

[Old bird]

Hi Sally,

Cannock Chase is in Staffordshire - well geography lesson complete! 

I had not actually taken any notice of where Fletcher actually lived!!

Still none the wiser - where's Staffordshire - sounds a long way away!!

Old Bird

;D

[Kea]

It scares me that i know the geography of the UK better than people born here!

The bit of the country North of Birmingham, West of Derbyshire, east of Cheshire.....famous for it's potteries.

Doing family history research helps me as my ancestors come from all over Great Britain, some came from Staffordshire but it's now part of Birmingham...the street behind Ikea in fact! Sorry I'm rambling now.....oops!