Mal's Allotment
The first column of this table shows the rent agreed by the Edinburgh wide allotment association FEDAGA (Federation of Edinburgh & District Allotment and Garden Association) and landlord City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) for each year.
The last column shows what our rent would have been if it had tracked the RPI. (? - Of course we don't know the RPI for the next two years -although we do know our rent hike) Here's what a graphic comparison of the figures reveals:
The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999 makes it automatically unfair for a landlord to impose an arbitrary increase in rent. Guidance by the OFT (Office of Fair Trading) on unfair terms in tenancy agreements indicates that unless increases are linked to such external factors as the RPI or evaluated by an objective person independent of the landlord they may be deemed to be unfair. It does not foresee that the representative body of the tenants might collude with the landlord in putting up rents! Clearly an oversight.
Views: 27
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Comment by Fred Hogg on October 4, 2012 at 21:56 -
We have high price plots too, £98.00 for a 10 pole, 100% Increase in 2012 and now lots of vacancies
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Comment by Colin Robinson on October 4, 2012 at 22:09 -
It looks to me like an easy way to raise revenue although the actual amounts collected, in terms of overall council income, are likely to be trivial. I suspect it's like a lot of things that councils do. They do them simply because they can.
When I lived in town we had residents parking permits which were free but then the council decided they needed to 'cover administration costs' and they now cost £30. This is for the privilege of being allowed to park in your own street!
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Comment by Malagrowther on October 5, 2012 at 0:09 -
Fred - 100% increase in one year? That's illegal, unless they increased the charges for every other "leisure facility " by the same rate. Do you have an allotment association?
I emailed every Edinburgh Councillor today. Yesterday I emailed my 8 MSP representatives (think MP)
BTW is Letchworth really a GC? - I grew up in WGC - Chelsea are crap. The Hammers are coming (back).
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Comment by Malagrowther on October 5, 2012 at 0:21
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Hi Colin,
Coincidentally we are being offered the "protection" of paying for permits to park outside our house this year too!
I agree about the insignificance of the revenue in terms of the Council budget... but a 267% increase would make a significant difference to our OAPs!
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Comment by Fred Hogg on October 6, 2012 at 8:00
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Other leisure pursuits, were not put up by 100%, and the allotment association, were aware that it was an illegal increase, but nothing was done.
Letchworth, is the First Garden City.
Chelsea are top of the Premier league and European champions, as for the east end pikey's????????
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Comment by Malagrowther on October 6, 2012 at 20:34
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After today I have to concede the bubbles have faded a bit, but not died.
As for allotments there is a legal precedent here: harwood
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