Topic: Anyone else suffer from Variable Annual fees?

[Aden Roller]

Every year, for the past five or more, I've had problems with the bill for my allotment.

Two years running the bill was sent to my father's address and then he wanted to pay. Seemed unfair as I've been working what was his plot for about eight years. After a lot of discussion he let me pay.

In the most recent three years I have been billed for:

• plots that weren't mine
• only one plot instead of 1.5 at the price of two plots
• and this year firstly just one plot then, after writing to point this out, 1.5 plots for the price of one

What would you do - give up and pay for just one or pay for 1.5 (guessing the cost)?

I don't want to write yet another letter pointing out the mistakes. :(

[grawrc]

I would have thought that you have given them (local council?) plenty of opportunities to get it right.
Maybe one more go - explaining what you've said here and asking them for a written reply confirming that they have all the relevant info correctly recorded? At least then you have evidence that you have made every effort to get correct billing!

Dunno! I think after that I'd give up!

[pumkinlover]

Who is the plot holder AR? take care if it is not you.
From what I understand the council does not HAVE to let you take over your father's plot, only if he leave it to you in his will.
We would let someone who has worked his fathers plot for 8 years continue to do so but if they feel so inclined they might not.

[Aden Roller]

The plot is officially mine. After a couple of years it was put in my name - we both thought it was the best idea. It took two more years for my address to be used.

This year I've written only once to our allotment association. Writing again for yet another bill might seem as if I'm being a pest.  :-\

Perhaps the best thing to do (if I can't get through on the phone) is to send the right amount (a guestimate) and put in a covering letter.  :-\

[pumkinlover]

Good luck then AR, I was worried someone might get narky with you! ;)

[grawrc]

Is there anyone you can talk to face to face? Sometimes that works better! Good luck either way.

[Aden Roller]

Is there anyone you can talk to face to face? Sometimes that works better! Good luck either way.

A friend of my dad's was site warden up until recently and I'm sure he would help if I bump into him but it's the secretary who sends out the annual bills. I guess she might need a bit of a hand.  ::)

Perhaps it's her new found compoooter skills or software causing the problem.  :-\

[digmore]

Hi Aden,

As Pumpkin said be wary, if you name is not on the tenancy contract, you don't have a leg to stand on. If its not in black and white its not a deal.

Without getting into to greater detail, a similar thing happened on our site. It came to light that father [tenant] was not working the plot but a relative.The original tenant was evicted and his stand in also asked to leave site.

Go gently.

Digmore.

[Aden Roller]

Hi Aden,

As Pumpkin said be wary, if you name is not on the tenancy contract, you don't have a leg to stand on. If its not in black and white its not a deal.

Without getting into to greater detail, a similar thing happened on our site. It came to light that father [tenant] was not working the plot but a relative.The original tenant was evicted and his stand in also asked to leave site.

Go gently.

Digmore.

Thanks Digmore. It's safely in my name even if the secretary does get the plot numbers, the costs and, in the past, the address muddled.  ::)