The tenancy agreement signed by all plot holders upon commencement of their tenancy states: "The Tenant must observe all rules and regulations relating to allotment gardens which have been or may at any time in the future be made by the Council and of which the tenant is notified."
Below are some of the terms set out within the tenancy agreement and some of the informal regulations that apply to Charnwood Borough Council allotment sites. Please see your tenancy agreement and site notices for full details and updates.
If the rules and regulations are not being followed, warning letters will be sent and if not resolved plot tenants will be at risk of losing their tenancy i.e., a Notice to Quit will be issue.
Acceptable standard of cultivation
The Council expects tenants to visit their plots on a regular basis, and that most of the plot (80%) is being worked, with weeds removed and vegetables, fruit, flowers etc grown.
We expect new tenants to be working 25% of their plot within 3 months and the full plot within 6 to 12 months of their tenancy. Failure could lead to termination of the tenancy.
If a plot seems to be neglected, with little or no cultivation and weeds covering much of the surface, then the tenant will receive a warning letter requesting that there is a marked improvement in the level of cultivation within the next month.
After the plot has been re-inspected, if there has been little or no improvement in the level of cultivation, and there seems to be no good reason why the plot isn’t being cultivated (e.g., serious illness) a Notice to Quit will be issued, which gives the tenant a further month to remove any property etc before the plot is re-let to a new tenant.
Who can work the plot?
Plots cannot be sublet without written agreement from the Council.
Plots are primarily for the use of the named tenant, but the Council does not usually have any objections to family and friends helping the tenant to work on the plot, although such assistance does not give the individuals concerned any claim to the tenancy of the plot or the produce from the plot.
Also, the registered tenant will be held responsible for ensuring that their visitors to the site adhere to allotment rules and terms of tenancy.
Security
Gates are to be kept closed and locked at all times for the protection of all tenants and their possessions. This includes when plot holders are onsite.
Water use
For more information about water use on allotments, please visit the link below.
Consideration to other Plot holders
The Tenant must not cause or permit any nuisance or annoyance to the occupier of any other allotment garden or local residents. For example:
- They must not allow fruit trees etc to grow excessively high causing shade/water take up from neighbouring plots.
- They must not obstruct or encroach on a communal path or roadway or use barbed wire adjoining any path set out by the Council for the use of occupiers of the allotment gardens.
- They must not allow children or dogs to go onto other plots without the plot holder’s permission.
- They must be careful when lighting bonfires/incinerators to avoid times when the smoke might cause a nuisance. (Link to new webpage guidance above)
The phrase ‘nuisance or annoyance’ also has implications for dog owners; even when on a lead, a dog is capable of fouling on other people’s gardens. This would most certainly be considered as a nuisance, and if reported to the Council, a tenant would be in danger of losing their tenancy.
Dogs on Allotments
Plot holders may bring their dogs to their allotments if they wish, as long as they don’t cause a nuisance to other plot holders. The dogs must be always kept on a lead or suitably contained on the plot holder’s own plot.
All dog waste must be bagged, removed from site, and disposed of either at home or a public litter or dog waste bin.
Garden waste
More details about garden waste and site maintainence can be found by visiting the link below.
Garden waste and site maintenance
Waste and fly-tipping
Tenants should be aware that disposing of any refuse on allotment sites is classed as fly tipping and could lead to termination of your tenancy. Tenants must take refuse home to dispose of correctly.
To report flytipping on allotments please use our online form.
Bonfires and incinerators
For details about bonfire and incinerators, please click on the link below.
Buildings and sheds
The Tenant must not erect any building on the Allotment without the written consent of the Council; permission can be sort using our online form below.
Consent will not normally be refused for the erection of a garden shed, polytunnel or greenhouse however receiving the request enables us to check it’s not going to cause an issue for other plot holders.
Trees on Plots
The only types of trees which we allow to be planted on allotment plots are fruit trees grown on dwarf stock. Permission must be granted from the council before any trees are planted and they must be pruned on a regular basis and should not be let to get more than 12 foot high.
Deliveries to plots
If you are taking delivery of anything on the allotment or paying someone to do work on your allotment, you MUST be present on site at the time.
Paths between plots
The communal paths between the plots are there for transporting material to the rear of plots and for emergency access if needed.
Where they exist, it is the plot holder’s responsibility to keep the path to the RIGHT (when looking at the plot head on) free of weeds and if it is a grass path, cut to an acceptable standard.
Carpets and tyres
We no longer allow carpets to be used on allotment plots. Please use cardboard or weed suppressing membrane/plastic sheeting to suppress weeds instead.
Please ensure any plastic sheeting/membrane is not covered by mulch, bark chipping or soil etc; it must be on the surface so that it can be easily seen and removed when needed.
The maximum number of tyres allowed on each plot is three.
Change of address
It is important that you let us know as soon as you change your address. If any invoices or warning letters are sent to an old address and not responded to, we will terminate the tenancy. It is the responsibility of the individual to inform Charnwood Borough Council, this can be done using our online form
To contact us please use our online form:
Last updated: Thu 15th September, 2022 @ 08:33