Allotment rents - how much do you pay?

[Nora42]

I have just had an email from the C.E.O of our trust within is the statement below:-

"You will probably be aware that the Trust makes an annual loss of several thousand pounds on the allotments (rent income less costs of works carried out on the allotments) even without including any staff time/overhead costs."

Our site are all run by volunteer secretaries and as far as I know the trust doesn't do much, I am the Chair on the verge of quitting but then who would take my place - someone who will not question rent increases
is it right that the expect to make a profit from the plot holders?
I need to find out on what basis  they are valuing the land  - if it is on current land rents in London Nw11 then we are done for.

I do know the Trust waste a lot of money - they paid £900 to have a plot cleared - brambles cut down to ground level but not removed. hedge cutting on massively tall hedges must be expensive and then there are the beloved Oak trees every time we get a summer storm and boughs blow off the removal , making safe is charged to the Allotment account it wipes out the monies collected in one storm.

We don't have a waiting list as these Allotments are only available for members of the suburb and we have a few empty plots

Most of the allotments were we live are land locked and therefore could not really be used for anything else most(Except one) are the size of two  or three tennis courts and most of the plots are no bigger at full size than 125 m2. I  currently pay £42.50 but the trust want to put the rent up by 10% every year.
there are no sheds, no shop, no security, water on most sites is billed separately.

Don't get me wrong its idyllic but I just wanted to ask what rents do you all pay for a plot?

I 'm attaching a pic   of the site my plots is on this has always been an allotment and was in the Suburb plans from the start - Allotments were there to "keep the men out of the pubs but out from under the feet of their wives whist giving them the benefit of male company and fresh air."

thanks
Nora

[Nora42]

[Deb P]

Unwashed did an annual A4A rent review a couple of years back, so looking at that might be useful.

Our rents doubled last year [voted for by plotholders, we are a private site] as they were very low, and we were relying a lot on income generated by plant sales and open days. We now pay £54 per full plot, most are full plots tennis court size. That includes water and we have a proper toilet block. Our nearby council run allotment neighbours pay a bit more than this I believe.

[ed dibbles]

Our small site, around twenty  plots, is located in a small west dorset village eight miles from home. There has never been a waiting list, although a number of tenants pay their rent they are never seen on site for the whole year meaning some plots are terribly overgrown. (The council has an "allotment agreement" but seems singularly unwilling to implement it.)

Sheds, butts, compost bins etc. are allowed with water available from a water harvester, a large buried water tank with galvanized sheeting to channel runoff to the tank. This tends to run dry in early august just when watering is most needed.

Being a low crime area security is no issue. There is no allotment shop but there is a self appointed "representative" who liaises with the parish council secretary.

Plots are around twenty feet wide and perhaps six times that long, perhaps two hundred square yards/metres each. The site is raised about eight feet above a road and slopes gently up so although the soil is clay, heavy clay, toward the top of the plots, it never floods in winter.

I have two full plots and pay ten pounds annually for each one, it is five pounds for a half plot. There is a twenty five pounds deposit. The rent hasn't changed in the seventeen years we have been there. It represents remarkably good value particularly as it is quiet with lovely countryside around.

[Borlotti]

Just paid £100.50 for mine.  Plot concession rate £79.00 plus £21.50 water charge.  That is Enfield Council.

[picman]

Hi Nora , Most councils will publish allotment rents on their web site,

This is Redditch council , Worcestershire  Probably more complicated than it should be
Prices per year from April 2016
with water           without water
Small plots (up to 177 sq.m)      
Standard   £37.00   £28.80
Concession £24.00   £13.40
Medium Plots (from 178sqm to 253 sq.m)      
Standard    £58.00   £44.30
Concession £36.00   £22.70
Large plots (254 sq.m and up)      
Standard   £80.00   £64.90
Concession £50.00   £31.00

[SMP1704]

£67.50 in Hounslow

[TEL]

Full plot in wing bucks is £30.00 no water no shop no security But a nice view

[picman]

Borlotti  "Just paid £100.50 for mine.  Plot concession rate £79.00 plus £21.50 water charge.  That is Enfield Council."  Wow , that's crazy, councils are supposed to charge similar rates as other "leisure" provisions , unless you have 2 acres !

[BAK]

Sunningdale in Berkshire. The vast majority of plots are between 4 and 5 poles (100-125 sq metres) in size, typically known as half plots in allotment parlance.

The rent for 2016 is £17 (includes water).

[GRACELAND]

no water no nothing apart from the ground Gloucester   £27 year

[Tee Gee]

Annual rent is £24-50 which is about double what it was two- three years ago.

This is for a full 60ft x 30ft plot including, water, security gate, communal shed and tunnel.

We have organised regular deliveries of free horse manure and shredded wood chippings.

There is a 50% concession for Senior citizens.

My bill for this year £18-25 for my two plots ( one is onsidered to be a half plot but is nearer 80% of a plot)

[cudsey]

I pay £69.00 a year that includes a water tap just outside my gate and that is Barnsley council in South Yorkshire

[johhnyco15]

our site we are all shareholders after five years you get a share we own our own sites 2 in all one 5.2 acres and the other 7.1 acres the rent is £2  a rod so a normal 10 rod plot is £20  a ten rod plotis £10 this includes water regular manure and bark deliveries we have just had a chat about next years rent and its staying the same its been the same now for 6 years as i say where can you get a hobby for 365 days a year for that sort of outlay anyway my two plots cost me £40 a year

[johhnyco15]

our site we are all shareholders after five years you get a share we own our own sites 2 in all one 5.2 acres and the other 7.1 acres the rent is £2  a rod so a normal 10 rod plot is £20  a ten rod plotis £10 this includes water regular manure and bark deliveries we have just had a chat about next years rent and its staying the same its been the same now for 6 years as i say where can you get a hobby for 365 days a year for that sort of outlay anyway my two plots cost me £40 a year

sorry that should be a five rod plot is ten pounds and a 10 rod plot is £20 sorry for the typing error

[caroline7758]

I paid £24 for a half plot this year- annoyingly they didn't charge me any less when I asked to reduce to a half plot- they say it's the charge per pplot and plots vary in size!

[markfield rover]

Full plots around £50 . West Midlands .

[sparrow]

Half plots on our site are approx 100sqm. Cost £33/year each including water.We're self-managed on a long lease & do most of the maintenance work ourselves so have very few dealings with the Council. Council-managed sites cost £48/year per half plot in the same borough.

[limakilo]

I've just been to pick my allotment.

The cost of a half plot is £75 and a full plot is £100. There is also a £20 key deposit, and £40 admin fee for the paperwork. I'm not sure if this is reasonable as it is my first time, but for me, I believe it is still cheap considering what I get. Looking around, it seems much more expensive than most, but perhaps it is something to do with it being a council site.

There are no water fees as their is no water on site.

[Digeroo]

I am on a private site.  Gloucestershire.  We pay £90 per year which is for a whole plot, though I have two halfs.  They are slightly bigger than standard.  One is about 167 sq m and the other about 150.  Price included water and manure and the paths between plots are mown.  There is a £25 deposit.  Not many get that back, so you need to add a proportion to the rent.  This year is year 10 for me so that is £2.50 extra per year.  No reductions for oap.

Site has nature reserves on three sides so is an idyllic spot, and mostly quiet until someone gets going with a strimmer or rotavator.  But we do have quite a few pests.   Rabbits. deer, squirrels, voles rats, pigeons etc etc etc,

Council sites are normally cheaper.  But I think councils are having a rethink and are charging more.

[skasha]

For me on a council owned and run allotment site that has been worked for the last 30 years as such,
I have an obscure size at 6 pole that works out to be 150sqm so only 25sqm over a 5 pole and I currently pay just under £100 per year, It is classed as a grade A site as we have segregated male/female loos, and a "mess room" but we have no shop or society on site which I find to be a shame, as both would be amazing facility's to have on site, In my opinion and we have water troughs too but we are not allowed to use hoses, only watering cans 

here is a link to my local authority web page and it includes all rents and rates for allotments
https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/allotment-tenant-enquiries/

Regards
Skasha