Topic: I just need a little rant

[Squash64]

All allotment sites in Birmingham will be responsible for paying their own water
bills from now on.  We will receive an allowance from the Council, but if we exceed
this amount the water will be cut off by the water company.

I have been encouraging people on our site to save rainwater and not fill water
butts from the taps but of course, some people cannot see the sense in this.

Today, one of them told me that instead of raising money for charity at our Summer
Fayre we should use the money to pay the water bill if it exceeds the allowance.

I told him that if they wanted to do that, fine, but they would do it without my
involvement. Or they could arrange their own event.

The discussion was getting a bit heated when someone came to buy something from
the Stores so I had to go and open up. I told the men I would continue after I got back
but they didn't wait.

There is no way on earth that I will raise money to subsidise people who do nothing
to help on the site but think they can come very early or late and water with a hosepipe.

The majority of people on our site are fine, but this minority really know how to upset
me.   

Sorry, rant over.

[markfield rover]

We have a ban on hose pipes, otherwise our water bill would be huge!

[manicscousers]

Hosepipes are locked up in the committee shed, only used for plant sale plants, we have brought over 70 old wheelie bins on and helped plot holders to connect them up to sheds and greenhouses.
I would be the same, Squash, luckily you say most are ok, don't let the b*ggers get you down 

[Tee Gee]

What is it with people today?

I am the longest serving plot holder on our site and when anyone has a problem they come to me as a general rule.

I get them discounted seeds, discounted fertilisers and compost and I grow plants such as peppers, tomatoes,brassicas and leeks for some of themI have been even known to grow collections of Chrysanthemums and dahlias .

None of them ever pay up front and it is not unusual for me to fork out £300+ some years for stuff in advance.

When I sell my plants I check locally to see what the going rate is for plants then I charge half price.

I add nothing onto the compost and fertilisers so it is not that I am out to make money out of them, but you wouldn't think that when I ask them for payment, it's like getting blood out of a stone, and now and again I get the age old story......I don't fetch money onto the allotment with me which is fine I don't either, but if I knew I owed money to anyone, I would make sure I would have that money with me the next time I visited the plots.

Sometimes the odd person will not pay so they are knocked off next years order list, then there others who will try it on and fetch less than the asking price in the hope that I will say......forget it!

Well after this year that all stops simply because for some reason I am not flavour of the month, I think I know why but can't prove it but I think there is one couple who it have helped no end this year starting with swapping one of my well worked plots for their half plot as I wanted to downsize.

The reason for the problem is; they thought  the 8x6 greenhouse went with the plot when I said from the outset I wasn't selling.

The I gave them two weeks to pay me £100 pounds and they didn't come up with the money.

So after two weeks and one day I phoned them up and said I would be removing the greenhouse tomorrow, then they accused me of saying earlier that I had said they could have the greenhouse for free which I pointed out to them I had not!

Then they got a plot holder who I am very friendly with to talk me in to cancelling my plans.

This incensed me that they would bring an outsider ( my friend) into fight their corner so that was it there was no way was I going to change my mind.

Now would you believe it that friend no longer speaks to me so from now on I go to my plot, I do what needs doing I speak if I am spoken to and the cheap plants,seeds and composts are a thing of the past.

Personally I think it is an ageism thing as it's the younger people who are causing the unrest,they want the benefits but on their terms........I'm sorry they have had it.

There I have at last got something off my chest that has been bugging me for over a month now, so sorry folks I came to commiserate with Squash and ended up having a rant myself!

But do you know?

I feel better already......bring it on!

[Squash64]

Tee Gee, I felt better too for having a rant.

Sorry to hear about your problems though, rant away all you like.

[BarriedaleNick]

To be honest it seems that it is always the same people, who will do nothing for the community, that are the first ones to start moaning about something they don't like.

We had to re felt the site hut roof yesterday and it was the usual guys that turned up.  The same few people who fix the plumbing and organise site days etc.  It took 5 hours (I only did a couple) for them out of their weekend.  One guy turned up near the end and started giving "advice" and got several slightly unkind remarks directed at him from those of us teetering around on the roof covered in bitumen!!

[pumkinlover]

 Where is that Sicilian husband when you need him

Glad that you all feel better for your rant, remember the nice people and **** the rest.

[antipodes]

We have water on our site which is paid for out of the fee we pay annually. The bill is 2000 euros for the 3 sites in the association! So it is a huge amount of money. We all have barrels and many have 1000l tanks provided by local council, but in the height of summer that is still not enough for some. Many will not mulch so they water like mad. You cannot force people to change old habits unfortunately.
Surely if water must be paid for, it makes sense to first lay out $$$ on tanks?