Topic: Allotments that have been given up

[Borlotti]

We have a couple of allotments that I know that the tenants have given up and are waiting for new people.  On these allotments are very tempting produce, ie. rhubard, chives, daffodil bulbs, do I go stealing tomorrow, or should I be ashamed.  Wish I had spoken to my friend before he gave up as he did give me permission to pick when he was on holiday.  I will take a few cuttings, but should I feel guilty.

[Sparkly]

I think you are on dodgy grounds here. I certainly wouldn't like to see any of our tenants doing this. When the new person takes over you could ask them if you could take some cuttings though? You could ask your committee/site owner as would be okay with their permission.

[Dopey]

Like you say you should have asked first, shame its tempting i know, but look at it this way, if you when you got your plot someone did that, would you have been happy about it? its nice to go to a new plot and some things are there already, best thing to do is when the new owners get on the plot ask them if they want what the previous owners left behind, its a good way to introduce yourself as well, and maybe you can help by giving them a little in exchange? but dont beat yourself up about it, we all think that way... but know better, see you asked here first, and didn't just pull them up did you?  ;D

[Sparkly]

We have sites with allsorts of stuff left - crops, tools, sheds, cloches, netting etc. It all goes to the next tenant, although anything that was on the site can't be removed and moves on with the tenancy. We don't audit, but that is the rule and things don't tend to dissappear. Some tenants have taken on plots with some real gems!

[shirlton]

In the past I have watched people go onto plots that have been given up. As soon as they know that the person has given up they attack the plot like a load of vultures.
If there is something that you really would like a cutting of then ask the new folks for it. Thats if theres anything left.  ;D

[Borlotti]

My only excuse is that the Council haven't given anyone the plot yet, and it may well take ages.  I will have a word with the allotment Sec. tomorrow.  A few cutting would be good, now I feel so guilty, and have done nothing yet.

[Trevor_D]

Sorry to be a kill-joy, but it's illegal under the Allotments Act. Basically, it counts as theft. We actually have a clause in our Terms & Conditions forbidding it.

It's heart-breaking, I know, to see stuff going to waste, but it's one of the perks for the new tenants. (Like having to clear up and remove any rubbish is the down-side!)

[gazza1960]

We were informed through chinese whispers that neighbours had fenced in the path adjacent to our plot
so we lost about 3 feet  x 40 yds and others had removed a pond liner and various tools that the previous tenant had left,so of course I do look at the "offenders" or said offenders with a differing view now as we, 2 years on get on well with all but have suspicions when things dissappear from our allotment.

We have seen other plots become vacant and seen where its bits and bobs go but we would rather the new
owner get the benefits.

So No,I dont agree with taking things unless it is asked first off.

Gazza

[claybasket]

We have a man on our site ,he's been on the committee,and been the person to allocate the plots that come up,I hate to say it but he's the biggest thieving toerag on the site ,if a plot comes up he's straight there taking all the stuff, sheds, tools,fruit trees,crops of veg ,never asks anyone permition he thinks it's his right ,he also helps himself to other pepoles Lotty veg when he thinks know one is looking, he came scrounging to our plot for cabbage for his sunday lunch :o OH told him to grow some that's why he has the Lotty, sorry needed to get that off my chest  >:(

[pumkinlover]

I ask the outgoing tenant what they want to do with sheds, tools etc. Anything that they want to sell to the new tenant is sold, and the money given back to departing tenant. If they choose to donate to the Association- it goes into the funds. I try to be realistic over the amounts. Everyone benefits this way.

[Duke Ellington]

YOU SHOULD FEEL GUILTY!!

[Mr Smith]

We have several allotments that have been given up and are being allocated to new people, and from what I can gather everything that is left on the allotment goes across to the new people, we did have a case a couple of years ago when an allotment was given up and someone helped  themselves to several fruit bushes, the person that took their bushes said  'So and so said' they could have them which was dogs bits and this started a row, 

[Borlotti]

Point taken. 

[bridgehouse]

No I don't think you should take anything off the plots .last year my plot became neglected because of illness. I was not able to look after it very well. I used to go up and pick my crops that I had planted earlier  would have been nice if I could have picked my strawberries before someone had help themselves to the lot..
   June.

[louise stella]

We have a man on our site ,he's been on the committee,and been the person to allocate the plots that come up,I hate to say it but he's the biggest thieving toerag on the site ,if a plot comes up he's straight there taking all the stuff, sheds, tools,fruit trees,crops of veg ,never asks anyone permition he thinks it's his right ,he also helps himself to other pepoles Lotty veg when he thinks know one is looking, he came scrounging to our plot for cabbage for his sunday lunch :o OH told him to grow some that's why he has the Lotty, sorry needed to get that off my chest  >:(

Lazy bar steward!

[Alex133]

It's quite common on my site for stuff from plots where people are leaving to be offered to existing site holders but never once the plot has been reallocated. I think it's just something that has happened over time, never heard of anyone getting upset about it and it isn't done to excess or behind people's backs. Luckily it's not a greedy/cheaty site and everyone's more likely to offer stuff than take it.

[sarahbell]

When I took on my first allotment it was obvious that things had been removed from the greenhouse and plants dug up - I'd seen them on my first visit and they weren't there when I came back with the money to sign up.
The shed was mostly full of rubbish still though. Which was good.


It's something to think about as a site policy perhaps.
I am a firm believer in things staying put - unless the plot holder who is leaving takes things with them!

[betula]

On my new plot there are some fence posts a bit of net and a bit of chicken wire.

Pevious tenant wants £25 for them.

Said they are only worth about a tenner to me.............not even that really but I hoard everything I see.

I have not had a reply yet........if he leaves it too long I will be charging storage  :)

[Borlotti]

I didn't take nothing, as my grandchildren would say, not that they steal, but bad grammar.  Just feel sad that some of my best mates at the allotment are moving away, giving up their plots, I shall miss them.  We do not have sheds, greenhouses, tools etc. left, all I wanted was a couple of chives, out of the hundreds there, but as you all so rightly stated, if one does it everyone will, so I didn't.  Spoke to my next allotment neighbour today, that is giving up his plot because of work, young children etc. etc. and said thank you to me for all my help when he started, so that was nice. We will see how long it takes for the Council to 'get their finger out' and re-allocate the plots as if it is a year, I may well be tempted.  Our site is Council run and different to some of the sites on here, they can stay empty for a long time, and I know there is a waiting list which is annoying for the site sec. as the sooner they are let the better.  When my mate, Margaret's was split into three, all her lovely plants (flowers) were chucked away, the middle one has been empty for a year, so I am not such a horrible person.   The Council used to rotavate the allotments before the new tenant took them, so everything in the ground was chopped up, but they don't do that anymore.  Mine was rotavated before I took in on, 8 years ago, and luckily they left the redcurrants bushes, but everything else was gone and left with a 'clean slate', apart from the mares tail and grass that still comes up.

[winecap]

When I got my plot there was plenty of rhubarb and some raspberries. These are still going strong 15 years later. I also inherited about 6 wheelbarrow loads of broken glass which somebody had kindly dumped while the plot was vacant. On our site, a vacant plot will be stripped bare as soon as word gets out. one chap showed me a palm tree in his garden which he had lifted from my allotment. He was somewhat apologetic about it, but  to be honest he saved me the job of digging it up. He did put a gate up for me when I first had the plot, which now I think about it, was a very good fit and may well have just been finding its way home again.
On the other side, there is a really good full size apple tree on one plot which has now been vacant for three years (and yes we do have a waiting list). Each year they fall to the ground and I'm not above doing a little "tidying". Hope that doesn't mean I'll be kicked off the site.