1. The gates must be locked at all times however short the visit.
2. WATER
a) Hosepipes are not to be used to water directly on to the plots under any circumstances. A Hosepipe may be used to fill a tank or water butt.
b) Watering cans have preference of hoses attached to taps, i.e. a hose may be removed from a tap if a watering can requires filling, with or without the consent of the hose owner.
c) The site water supply may be turned off in the winter; it can only be turned on after consultation with a committee member. If the water has been temporarily turned off outside of the mentioned period (i.e. due to a leak, maintenance etc.) please consult a committee member before turning it on.
3. Nothing shall be removed from, or deposited, upon another plot without the prior consent of the tenant. Do not go onto another person’s plot without their permission.
4. Communal skips will be advertised in the noticeboards, these skips must not be used to dispose of weeds or wood as they can be burned or composted. Skips are expensive and plotholders are responsible for the disposal of their own rubbish.
5. The burning of debris is only allowed between 1st November and 15th March if the following precautions are taken on each occasion:
a) Fires are to be in a cleared area at a distance of at least 10 metres from any property.
b) Fires are not to be left unattended at any time.
c) Fires/smoke must not cause a nuisance to neighbouring plot holders or neighbours to the allotment site
d) A suitable fire extinguishing appliance to be kept available for immediate use
e) Fires to be extinguished at least one hour prior to leaving the site
6. It is the duty of the tenants to keep paths adjacent to their plot, including the 9ft wide paths, free of weeds, the grass reasonably cut down and free from debris.
7. ERECTION OF SHEDS AND GREENHOUSES – You must ask in writing for permission from the committee, giving details of the size of the shed and were you propose to place the shed.
8. FENCES are not allowed on plots
9. Cars are not allowed on any of the main path ways. They are only allowed in the car park area.
10. Rubbish must not be dumped anywhere inside the site. Household and building items must not be brought on to the site without the permission of the Committee.
11. The plots must not be used to store any types of goods, as part of the Commercial Enterprise for sale from the plots.
12. You must not let any unauthorised people on to the site, anyone who’s meant to be on the site will have a key.
13. WAITING LIST
a) The membership officer shall keep a list of people who apply for a plot, known as the ‘Waiting list’.
b) The list will be ranked in order of when a person applies and will include a record of name, address, email address, telephone number and the date that they apply
c) Once a person reaches the top of the waiting list they will be offered the next vacant plot which becomes available
d) They will be contacted by Telephone and/or email, if no response is received within ten days the person will be removed from the waiting list
e) If a person refuses a vacant plot, they will go to the bottom of the waiting list
f) Existing plotholders may apply to go on the waiting list for an additional half plot, full plot or switch from a half plot to a full plot. They will be placed at the bottom of the list and will not be given preferential treatment, except if they switch from a full to half plot.
14. PROBATION – When a probation system is in operation the following will apply :-
a) All new plotholders taking on a plot will be placed on a probationary period of up to six months. They shall be known as a ‘Probationary plotholder’
b) They will be required to sign the Probationary contract and pay a deposit, site fees and gate key deposit.
c) Probationary plotholder must get permission from the committee before erecting any structures. Application must be put in writing to the committee, detailing the size and the proposed positioning on the plot and posted in the site postbox. Any existing sheds and greenhouse may not be removed/dismantled; these remain the property of the association until a tenancy agreement is signed.
d) The committee will inspect the plot at the end of, or 14 days before, the stated end date of the probationary contract. If the probationary plotholder has satisfactorily met the requirements in contract then they will be offered full tenancy and arrangements will be made for them to sign the city council Tenancy agreement. If the probationary plotholder has not met the requirements they will be served with Notice to Quit.
e) Once Notice to Quit has been served the probationary plotholder has 14 days to remove any items from the plot and return the gate key
f) The committee may decide to extend the probationary period but for no more than three additional months.
g) The committees decision is final
h) Existing plotholders taking on an additional plot, or changing plot, will also follow the same procedures
15. GATE KEYS
a) All plotholders are required to pay a deposit for the Gate key, the deposit is not a fixed sum.
b) The gate key is the property of Ashfield Allotment Assocation and not the property of any individual
c) The gate key must be returned upon the end of the tenancy and the Assocation will refund the deposit paid
d) If a plotholder loses a gate key then they will be required to pay a deposit again on the new key. Once the key is returned only one deposit will be refunded.
e) If a plotholder damages the gate key, they will be required to pay a deposit for a new key and must return the damaged key. They will not be refunded the first deposit and only the second deposit will be refunded upon the end of the tenancy.
f) A plotholder is only entitled to one gate key, no matter how many plots they may have tenancy of
g)
i) A plotholder may apply to the committee to receive an additional gate key for a gardening partner. This must be put in writing and placed in the postbox.
ii) If the committee give permission the plotholder will be required to fill in a secondary key holder form with the name, address and telephone number of the secondary key holder. The form must be signed by the plotholder and secondary key holder, stating that the plotholder has responsibility for the secondary key holder and must make them aware of the rules set out by the Association and City Council.
iii) A deposit will need to be paid for the gate key
iv) Upon the end of the tenancy it is the plotholders responsibility to ensure that the secondary gate key is returned
16. Any complaint/request/suggestion must be put in writing to the committee and posted in the post box on the site office. Individual committee members should not be approached about items. All complaints/requests/suggestions will be dealt with at the monthly committee meetings.
17. HENS – If a plotholder would like to keep hens on their plot, they must get permission from the committee. They must ask for permission in writing posting into the postbox on the site office. You must be a plotholder for a minimum of six months before any application will be considered. If the application is successful you will need to sign a contract committing you to certain minimum standards.
18. Dogs brought on to the allotment site must be kept on a lead at all times
19. Minors under the age of 18 must be supervised at all times. The Committee and City Council try to make the site safe and secure but allotments by nature are hazardous places.
20. Plotholders must not give access to any unauthorized person(s) or someone who is not a plot holder (i.e. by unlocking a gate for them).
21. Plotholders may bring friends/family onto the site, but they must be accompanied at all times by the plotholder, who shall ensure that they adhere to the site rules.
The City Council Tenancy Agreement also covers a number of rules and regulations
Rules updated October 2021