Topic: Private allotment rent(non council)

[adam c]

Hi I was just wondering what the average price for a private allotment per year?what do you all pay?
As I have been on the look out for somewhere to keep some chickens for the past 8-9 months and haven't had much luck!and my council don't allow chickens or livestock on they're allotments anyway!

So I'm now thinking about buying a plot of land(so that I can keep the chickens somewhere)and was thinking about splitting it up into smaller allotments but just wanted an idea on what to roughly charge.

Many thanks
Adam

[Carls3168]

Id recon what people are willing to pay would depend alot on access, size, location if theres water, toilets etc etc

[kt.]

Hi I was just wondering what the average price for a private allotment per year?what do you all pay?

So I'm now thinking about buying a plot of land(so that I can keep the chickens somewhere)and was thinking about splitting it up into smaller allotments but just wanted an idea on what to roughly charge.

(Sounds like more of a  business venture.)  If you do a search on here, there are some topics on rents people pay.  Most allotment rents vary from about £7-60 pa.  There was an incident  last year where some greedy people were hoping to make a fast buck by subletting farmers fields etc for up to £200 per plot  but I don't think there were any takers.  Allotments vary on size and amenities available such as security fencing and gate,  water supply, occasionally a toilet,  a couple of skips per year to remove non compostable rubbish, on-site allotment shop, OAP discounts.  These are just some of the things available to plot holders.  There is also the issue of maintenance of main paths and hedges amongst other things including liability insurance.
 
Buying a plot of land seems an extremely expensive outlay just to keep a few hens.  Do your homework and liaise with allotment supervisors and committee members about other costings.  Speak to your local council and plot holders in your area and ask what they pay.  We only pay £24 per plot (Two sizes:  60x40ft or 100x35ft)  Our site is 80% privatley owned with our annual rental income for about 140 plotholders is around £2800.  We just about cover costs by the skin of our ass.

[Trevor_D]

Even if you can get the price right, I can't see many takers if you can't provide security - ie. fences all round & secure locked gates - and water around the site. That's expensive to put in from scratch. (I know, because I got estimates for our site 2 or 3 years ago to renew what was already there.)

We're independent and charge £13 a year for a half size plot (about 30'x40'), plus £4 for insurance & NSALG affiliation. For that we provide: secure fencing & gates; water on or near each plot; a car park; a composting toilet (Lottery funded); free use of mowers & strimmers; a cut-price seed scheme; regular deliveries of bark & pallets; occasional skips; a regular newsletter; public, employers & buildings insurance. No discounts. Chickens, bees, sheds & greenhouses allowed (but only with permission).

(The down-side is we expect everyone to give a hand at some point with working parties or other communal activities.)

[chriscross1966]

If an allotment site is statutory uder the Allotments etc Act then you are allowed to keep chickens (and rabbits) ... and most council sites these days are statutory or they'd have sold them off years ago.... It's a right given by Act of Parliament and the council isn't able to remove that right....

[cornykev]

I'm with KT and Trev, the cost of suppling the needs for an allotment would put you at a Loss, even if you charged £200,  I doubt you would get many takers and would be an expensive way of housing your chooks, best of luck but other threads on here will show you what were talking about.   ;D ;D ;D

[Unwashed]

We did a survey here last year and from a sample of around 40 sites the average all-in rate nationally for a 10 pole plot is estimated to be in the region £3.80/pole to £5.40/pole.  Facilities vary, but there's no great correlation between facilities and cost.

You can't be stopped from keeping chickens (or for that matter rabbits) on an allotment whether it's a statutory or temporary council site or even a private site.

S.12 - (1) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any lease or tenancy or in any covenant, contract or undertaking relating to the use to be made of any land, it shall be lawful for the occupier of any land to keep, otherwise than by way of trade or business, hens or rabbits in any place on the land and to erect or place and maintain such buildings or structures on the land as reasonably necessary for that purpose:  Provided that nothing in this subsection shall authorise any hens or rabbits to be kept in such a place or in such a manner as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance or affect the operation of any enactment.

[cornykev]

We have a no live stock written in to our council tenancy.    :-\ :-\ :-\

[Unwashed]

We have a no live stock written in to our council tenancy.    :-\ :-\ :-\

You're saying there's a "no livestock" rule?  Then ignore it.  Like the statute says: Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary ... it shall be lawful for the occupier of any land to keep ... hens or rabbits ...

Better still, write to the council and tell them about your S.12 right and if they don't change the rule make a complaint to Trading Standards that the rule is unfair by the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 because the rule is drafted more broadly than allowed by statute, and Trading Standards will tell the council to change the rule.

[sunloving]

Hi 
Its a tough one and after paying £200 a year in northern rieland for a half plot and still being asked to take out my own public liability insurance just in case vandals tripped and broke something whislt stealing my spades it stings a bit.

yes try to get them to accept that you can keep poultry and that they are in the wrong but if that fails my sabelpoot breeding freind found many offers of land by putting an ad in her local parish magazine. she even found a gaint garden belonging to two retired folks who feed and check the hens each morning.

It might be that you can swap some basic gardening such as lawn mowing and pruning for chickens rent
good luck on your hunt
x sunloving

[telboy]

£200/year for 1/2 plot?

You jest - surely?
 :o

[sunloving]

No the sad sad truth! In places where there are no allotments farmers can charge what they like, he used to seed the rest of the site with a ryegrass mix so you were always digging out ryegrass from your plot to! glad to be back in GB.

did you find anywhere for your hens?
x sunloving

[Digeroo]

I am on a private allotment.  We pay £80 for a whole or £45 for a half.  Water and use of shed included but no toilets.   We are not allowed livestock or sheds or other structures.  Rental period runs from February to December.  

Unfortunately allotments apparently do not count toward points for EU subsidies.

We do not need feeding 365 days a year and have no problems like lambing and the income is guaranteed and we feed the pigs with spare veg matter.  

There are no reductions for age etc etc.

The allotments are breeding and more are due in the new year.  

[Unwashed]

The allotments are breeding and more are due in the new year. 

;D