Tenancy Agreement Template September 2026docx

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North Petherton Town Council
Tenancy Agreement For Allotment Holders
(agreed by the General Purposes Committee 21.09.2026)
Important Notice: tenants should be aware that bee hives may be located on the
Pilots Helm Allotment Site, anyone who may suffer an allergic reaction to bee stings
should carry the appropriate medical supplies / information when visiting the
allotments.

This agreement made on this day of [month and year in words] between North
Petherton Town Council (hereinafter call the Town Council) and [full name and
address (hereinafter called the Tenant) by which it is agreed that:

1: The Town Council agrees to let and the tenant agrees to hire, as a tenant from
[enter start date of tenancy in words] the allotment, the area being half and part of
the Allotments provided by the Town Council at Pilots Helm and at the current rent
of £[enter amount] per year and numbered [enter plot no] in the Town Council’s
allotment register.
2. The tenant shall pay a yearly rental on the commencement of the tenancy and
thereafter on the first day of January each year.
3: The tenancy may be terminated by three months’ notice in writing by the Town
Council, expiring on or before 1st April or on or after 30 September, except as
provided for in sections 8, 9 and 37, or by one months’ notice by the tenant. The
tenancy may be terminated by three months’ notice from the Town Council at any
time if the allotment, or part thereof, is required for building work, repairs or
improvements.
4: Rents are payable on 1 January each year in advance or when demanded, if later.
Rents will be charged at the rate prescribed by the Town Council. The first
payment of a mid-term tenancy is on a pro-rata basis and is due on the date of this
agreement. The first payment may be a % of the annual pro rata rent at the
discretion of the Town Council to take into account any special circumstances
relating to the plot. The income from rents will be used by the Town Council
towards the cost of running the allotment site.
5: One month’s notice will be given of any rent increase by a notice placed on the
notice-board at the allotment site.

6: The tenancy agreement is with named individuals (usually a maximum of 2
persons). Family or friends may assist the tenant on their allotment.

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7: The tenant must advise the Town Council of any change of address, phone
number or email address.
8: A tenant cannot assign the tenancy, or sub-let an allotment plot or any part thereof
without the consent of the Town Council being first obtained in writing, should it
be found that such an assignment or sub-letting has taken place the tenancy will
immediately become void.
9: An allotment tenancy cannot be inherited and there are no automatic transfer
rights to a person who is not named on the tenancy agreement.
10. Whilst the Town Council will endeavour to find out individual circumstances and
take those into account, failure to make payment of rent within 30 days of a
reminder being sent will lead to eviction.
11: Tenants must ensure the clear display of the supplied plot number sign at all
times. (replacements for lost or damaged signs can be supplied by the Town
Council upon request).
12: The tenant shall keep the allotment clean, tidy and in a good state of cultivation
and fertility, free of all thistles and other noxious weeds.
13: Allotments must be used for the purpose of an allotment garden only. It must be
wholly or mainly used to produce vegetables, flowers or fruit for the consumption
of the tenant or their family. It must be kept free from weeds and every part must
be maintained in good condition. It is expected that at least 75% of the plot will
be kept cultivated.
14: Paths between the allotments should be two feet wide and must be kept clean
and tidy by the tenants alongside them.
15: The tenant shall maintain in decent order all fences, hedges and ditches
bordering the allotment.
16: The Town Council shall keep the track, hedges and fences of the allotment land
in good repair.
17: Refuse and rubbish shall not be placed or thrown upon paths, fences, hedges or
open spaces, nor shall implements or machinery be left on the tracks or paths.
18: The tenant shall ensure that the allotment is kept safe. Any substances hazardous
to health kept on the site are to be stored securely. Water storage containers
should be kept covered.
19: No nuisance or annoyance shall be caused by the tenant to any other tenant of
the allotment gardens or neighbours of the allotment gardens or visitors to the
allotment gardens. All disputes shall be settled by the Town Council, whose
decision shall be final.
20: No livestock or poultry of any kind shall be kept on the allotment gardens.

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21: The Town Council does permit a limited number of bee hives to be kept in the
Pilots Helm allotment site. Any requests to keep bee hives must be made to the
Town Council and a specific bee keeping agreement will be required to be
signed and adhered to. Failure to obtain the relevant permission or to adhere to
the bee keeping agreement will result in termination of the allotment tenancy.
22. The tenant shall cultivate the allotment for, and shall only use it for, the
production of fruit, vegetables and flowers for the tenant and family. This
agreement does not constitute an agricultural tenancy.
23: Fruit trees, not to exceed 2 meters in height may be planted on the allotment,
provided that all tree branches remain within the boundary and do not obstruct
any pathway.
24: Dogs shall be kept under proper control at all times.
25: The tenant shall not erect any building or other permanent structure on the
allotment gardens without first obtaining written consent from the Town Council.
26: Tenants are requested to reduce mains water consumption by collecting rainfall
from shed roofs or any other appropriate method.
27: Tenants are requested to compost the materials arising from cultivating and
maintaining the allotment i.e. vegetable waste, cuttings, grass clippings etc.
28: Tenants must remove from site any inappropriate and / or redundant materials no
longer required for use on the allotment and dispose of it off-site and in an
appropriate manner.
29: Bonfires are only permitted between the 18:00hrs and 21:00hrs Wherever
possible a metal incinerator should be used which is located well away from
anything flammable. - this includes trees, long, dry grass and sheds. The
following must not be burnt: Fuel (petrol, diesel or paraffin), Household rubbish
(for example, Plastics), Aerosol cans, Lighter fluid, Tyres, Fireworks, Gas
canisters, Foam, Paint
30: From time to time the Town Council may provide a skip for allotment tenants to
use for the disposal of materials such as metal and plastics. The skip must not be
used for the disposal of green waste, wood or tyres.
31: Barbed wire must not be used on allotment plots
32: Tenants must take all reasonable steps so as not to encourage rat infestations by
ensuring that foodstuff and other waste materials are not left on site.
33: The Town Council shall maintain and pay for a water supply to the allotment
garden, which will be available for use at various standpipes around the gardens.
Tenants should not attach hosepipes to these taps as this could cause a danger
to the quality of the supply. The Town Council reserves the right to recharge a
tenant where it can be established that their actions have led to excessive water

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costs. Tenants shall permit access to the allotment for the purpose of inspecting,
maintaining and repairing the water supply.
34: The tenant shall permit the inspection at all reasonable times of the allotment by
any officer or agent of the Town Council
35: The Town Council shall pay all rates and taxes due or other assessments which
may, at any time, be levied or charged upon the allotment gardens.
36: The tenant shall be responsible for ensuring adequate and appropriate public
liability insurance cover in respect of their personal liabilities associated with
operating an allotment.
37: A vacating tenant will be responsible for clearing the allotment of general rubbish
and to leave it in a clean and tidy condition. A charge (against the deposit) will be
made for the removal of any rubbish remaining on the plot.
38: On vacation of a plot, the vacating tenant must either remove any structure or
inform the Town Council if they are leaving any structure e.g. shed, greenhouse,
polytunnel. All such structures which are being left must be cleared of their
contents by the vacating tenant. Where structures are in a poor condition and
have not been removed by the vacating tenant a charge (against the deposit) will
be made for its removal.
39: The Town Council shall inspect the allotments periodically. Tenants who are in
breach of any of the provisions of this agreement will receive written notice to
improve the allotment or rectify the breach within a specified timescale (the
specified timescale is at the discretion of the Town Council and will be stated in
the written notice). If the tenant is still in breach at the subsequent inspection, the
Town Council may re-enter the said allotment and retake possession and the
tenancy will come to an end.
40: The tenancy is subject to the payment of a deposit of £50.00 by the tenant which
will be held by the Town Council and returned at the end of the tenancy provided
that the plot is left in a reasonable state. The Town Council reserves the right to
change the deposit charged.
41: Any costs incurred by the Town Council in bringing the plot up to the required
standard will be deducted from the deposit before it is returned. If the cost
exceeds that of the deposit, the Town Council reserves the right to invoice the
vacating tenant for the total cost of any clearance work.
42: The powers, duties and responsibilities of the Town Council as set out in this
agreement shall be exercised by any duly authorised Officer or Committee of the
Town Council.
43: Any notice required by this agreement to be given to the Town Council shall be
delivered or sent by post to the Town Clerk at the address below. Any notice
shall be treated as sufficiently served if left at or delivered to this address.

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44: Deposits and rents are payable to the Town Council by cheque, bank transfer or
cash.

Town Clerk
North Petherton Town Council
The Somerset Room
Junction 24
Market Way
North Petherton
Somerset
TA6 6QA
Signed…………………………………………………………….Date……………………..
Clerk to North Petherton Town Council

Signed…………………………………………………………….Date……………………..
Tenant