Paying plot rent

Discussion in 'Allotments Discussion' started by Steve R, Apr 14, 2015.

  1. Steve R

    Steve R Soil Furtler

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    Normally, one of our Parish council members has always stood at the top of our Allotment site on Easter Saturday for a couple of hours, and collected plot rents. It's been that way for many years.

    Now the new council clerk insists that we pay by cheque and post it to her to provide "an audit trail for record purposes"

    Many plot holders no longer have cheque books and I am told that many banks are to phase these out anyway, I wonder if someone can tell me if paying via paypal or some digital easy to use online service would provide the same "audit trail" for her recrods?

    Steve...:)
     
  2. rustyroots

    rustyroots Total Gardener

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    Yes it would as it is payed directly onto a bank account.

    Rusty
     
  3. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Not every one will have Paypal either or wants to use it, so why not do an online bank transfer (assuming everyone has internet access). The clerk just needs to provide the councils bank details. Otherwise I can't see an issue with cash, provided a receipt is issued at the time of handover it's just as valid for 'audit trail' purposes.
     
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      PayPal, bank transfer, cheque and even cash are all valid for an audit trail. For cash it need only be a simple, page numbered, duplicate book. Surely the total money taken should equal the number of plots and provide a sufficient audit trail in itself - whether it be cash or other methods! I'd buy her a duplicate book as a present - I've just seen one on Google for 83p.

      It sounds to me as though she doesn't want to get off her backside and come and collect!
       
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      • Steve R

        Steve R Soil Furtler

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        That is pretty much our assessment of it too.

        I remember in the mid seventies there was a number of people who paid some bills, by writing their details onto strange objects, for example on an old back door or the belly of a shark.

        Maybe next year we should all write our details onto cabbage leaves or some such...:yahoo:

        Steve...:)
         
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          A brilliant TV comedy series called A.P. Herbert's Misleading Cases, starring Roy Dotrice as Albert Haddock (A.P. Herbert based the character on who he would have liked to be) and Alistair Sim as the magistrate Justice Swallow.

          Sir Alan Herbert trained as a barrister and was an active law reformer, although he never practiced as a barrister. He was an MP as well as an author and playwright and comedy writer.

          The series stopped when Herbert died!
           
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          • Scrungee

            Scrungee Well known for it

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            Have the Parish Council(lors) agreed this change in procedures?

            Our Parish Council hire a meeting room at the Village Hall one evening a year to collect rents, which might seem like an unnecessary on cost, but both the PC and many plot holders find it useful for the opportunity it provides for any discussions about the running of the allotments (and other village stuff).

            And I haven't used a cheque book in years, and don't even know if I've still got one/where it might be.


            P.S. Undischarged bankrupts/those with poor credit ratings/etc. (who could really help themselves by growing their own veg) may find it impossible to get a bank account with a cheque book.
             
            Last edited: Apr 15, 2015
          • miraflores

            miraflores Total Gardener

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            usually when it comes to PAY for product/services there are millions way to do it...:snork:
             
          • daitheplant

            daitheplant Total Gardener

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            Here in Torfaen, the site treasurers collect the rents.
             
          • Snorky85

            Snorky85 Total Gardener

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            I'm an auditor and there are many better ways of doing this rather than cheques. She might find the council will eventually stop accepting cheques into bank a/cs due to admin charges. The clerk just sounds lazy!


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
             
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            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              One of our local allotments (quite a large site) have an annual wine and cake evening in one of the polytunnels. The clerk comes to it and collects the rent. It also gives a chance for the tenants to chat to him about any problems or ideas. Anyone who can't attend gives their cheque or cash to one of the other members.
               
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