Make money from your garden by hiring it out as allotments. If you have a big garden and no time (or interest) to keep it going, make some extra cash by renting it out to one of the many people who want an allotment and can’t get one. Here’s how.

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How do you do it?

First of all you need the space. You need to have enough to feel comfortable giving a proportion of it away. You can choose to make as much of your garden as you want into allotments, but before you do, try listing all the things that you use your garden for. This will give you an idea of how much space you actually need.

Access is also a big issue. It is much more practical for people to be able to have access directly to your garden, rather than traipsing through your house all the time. If you do not have a side gate, think about whether you will be comfortable with your tenants accessing their plots through your home or if you can provide any alternative access.

Once you’ve decided how much to rent out and arranged access, get started with these steps.

Step 1

Mark off a part of the garden that you are happy to rent out and divide it into points. Ideally you’ll have a gate or access point close to this part of the garden.

Step 2

Make sure that the access point to your garden is relatively secure – a solid gate that locks is a very good idea. Make sure you put up all the relevant contact details on the gate, that way your tenants always have a way to contact you, and anyone seeking a plot can enquire and you’ll make some more money!

Step 3

Let it be known around your area that there are plots up for rent. You can do this through word-of-mouth or by putting up an advert in your local newsagent’s window. Your local library is another good place to advertise and don’t forget the internet. Posting an ad on Gumtree for your local area will mean thousands of people get a look at it.

Now just wait for the calls to come in.

Step 4

Once you’ve found someone who wants to use your garden, make sure you draw up a basic contract for all the tenants to sign. This doesn’t have to be anything complex; just some straightforward rules stating exactly when the garden can be used, and for what purposes.

For loads more help and advice on exactly how to do this, get in touch with the National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners. It’s also worth looking at the Communities and Local Government’s Plot Holders’ Guide. Although this is really designed for the tenants, it is full of useful information and will give you a great idea of exactly what’s expected of you as the landowner. Landshare is also very helpful and even has free, downloadable legal documents that you and your tenant can fill in and sign.

Why should you do it?

OK, so it’s not going to make you a fortune; we’re really talking pocket money. On average, allotments in Britain cost between £10 and £30 a year. Nevertheless, with say three or four plots, that’s about £80 a year or more without you having to do anything!

Another good reason is that it’s a fairly certain source of income. Demand is massive and so if you get your offer out there, you’ll probably find that people will be very quick to take it up. Council waiting lists are years long and loads of people are looking for other ways to get their green fingers back into practice.

If you live in London the case is the most extreme, as many boroughs have a ten year waiting list of as many as 400 people. For you this means more money – you could probably get away with hiking up the prices and still find keen tenants. Couple this with the unprecedented interest in organic food and your garden could raise more than you might think.

Obviously you should be happy to have a fair few people traipsing through your garden on a regular basis, but remember that there’s always a chance you’ll get the occasional gift of some hearty, organic fruit and vegetables in the bargain!

If you liked this article you might also like…

• 10 ways to make quick cash
• Renting out your driveway or garage
• Make money from your home: garage, garden and attic
• Make money from your postcode
• Rent a room for tax-free cash
• Make and save money from renting
• Make money investing in garages

Useful Links

• Landshare
• National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners
• Communities and Local Government’s Plot Holders’ Guide.
• Allotments UK