CF allotment thief thread no 4 - Babs’s dodgy solicitor and TV producers looking to cast for the role of Penfold?

[YaMuvva]

New thread! Last one was here
www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5049200-cf-allotment-thief-part-3-the-plot-thickens-and-auditions-begin-for-the-west-end-musical?page=38&reply=135136744

So a quick update.

DH dropped me off for my surgery this morning then dropped the kids at school before heading to the allotment. Babs was there gardening as were some other people on their own plots. All her crap was still there

DH went up and reminded her that she needs to be off the plot by the 20th. She said that she is awaiting advice from her solicitor to see if she can challenge us. She also said if the solicitor says she has to be off, she will be gone by the 20th but isn’t giving it up without checking if she has rights first. She did a fair bit of guilt tripping to DH about how she has spent 10 years being part of a community and having a hobby and she now has to give it all up but he held strong and told her, unless she comes back with a legitimate legal claim her property will be off the allotment by the 21st - wether it’s removed by her or by him.

However - enter Penfold stage right

Penfold is what we are calling the allotment neighbour who marched over from the other side of the plots (because that’s who he looks like). He started shouting at DH saying “You’re a bully! Fancy picking on an old lady and taking her allotment off her after all her years of hard work”. He pointed out it’s his allotment now and Penfold said that “just because your name is on a piece of paper it doesn’t give you the right to steal it off it’s rightful owner”. He then start saying “What do you know about gardening pretty boy? These allotments should be for real gardeners not pretty boys like you”

When DH told me this I laughed so hard I thought my stitches may burst 😂 DH IS very pretty but he’s also mid-40’s and hasn’t been called pretty in many many years. We are in semi-rural Yorkshire though and a man wearing a top that isn’t either blue black or white is considered a feminine.

When DH stated he does actually know about gardening, Penfold was all “Yeah right yeah right all you know about is putting your make up on” 🤣🤣 and said how these allotment owners have been around for decades he can’t just barge in and kick people out. DH said he was half expecting Penfold to say “this is a local allotment for local people”.

Then it was BABS of all people who told Penfold to STFU. Not quite those words but she said “oh do calm down Nigel”. The other plot owners just kept their heads down apparently. DH took off in the end but he is considering buying a Danger Mouse t-shirt to wear when he gardens. I’ve told him I can help him apply his make up 😂.

Anyway Babs’s words don’t exactly fill me with confidence but it’s better than flat out refusing to leave I suppose. I’m absolutely confident that legally she hasn’t a leg to stand on, but that doesn’t mean some dodgy solicitor won’t claim otherwise for a bit of easy money off her. Either way unless there is a claim that has legs (highly unlikely) DH will be round on the 21st to set up his stuff. PP were right about insane allotment owners - but we are just gonna have to lump it and not let Penfold ruin our time there.

Seems as if Penfold is the only one bothered if the others just stood back listening & not joining in.

He also forgot to tell me Penfold made fun of his Scottish accent, as in replied back to him in a cod Scottish accent. Prick

I hate him even more now, the cheeky cunt! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 I’m amazed he’s still standing.

Penfold sounds like a I think tour DH should get himself some new gardening tshirts with some classic logos like I'm too sexy, cute as etc.

Actually thinking about it do they make those jogging bottoms with juicy written across the arse in diamontes in your DHs size.......

Actually thinking about it do they make those jogging bottoms with juicy written across the arse in diamontes in your DHs size.......

Or homemade Daisy Dukes 😂

We need a poll.

I'm voting for the Daisy Dukes.

I shall do a poll on my next thread if we have one 🤣

I really hope it’s not bad news from solicitor tomorrow. Not that I’ll be use nor ornament in the coming weeks. My surgery was a hysterectomy, I felt great yesterday morning lying in the sun but the last 18 hours has been very painful and to top it off 7yo DS leapt on me this afternoon whilst his sister was chasing him to tickle him and OMG the pain 😭 DH has said he will buy me a throne for the allotment and I can sit on it and boss him around like a subject at first, an idea I fully endorse 😂😂 I’m hoping this next week will make a difference in my recovery though because I’d really rather not rely on DH for too long - and from a place of pride if he’s not there’s digging on the 21st then Penfold will only think he’s won

@YaMuvva I'm sorry you're sore today. I expect you will feel grim for a bit but I hope you're on the mend very, very soon.

I do like the throne idea - perhaps a mini allotment "Game of Thrones"? Or just happily perched atop your regal seat, whipping your DH with twigs lest he slack in his digging. Just to show Penfold who is Queen, you understand. 😉x

If she doesn’t clear out her stuff you can make the throne out of all her gardening tools, spades and rakes etc, welded together, like the one made from swords in Game of Thrones.

Love this idea!

As youngsters may or may not say on the internet these days, sending healing vibes.

I still think that the Scottish contingent should descend on the 21st. Penfold sounds pig ignorant, so it'll work if we all claim to be members of your husband's clan.

I'm out of woad, but I think I have a palette of Miner's blue eyeshadow from 1976 somewhere: "Ye can tak oor lives, but ye cannae tak oor allotment!"

I have three kilts up the stairs. They'll be the wrong tartan, but Penfold'll never know the difference. Alternatively, I have my husband's teacher's cloak. I'm willing to don it and to claim to be the clan eldritch seer.

I also have a dried gourd that I can rattle in his face.

The plant stake throne 😂😂

I don't think I have ever been so invested in a thread.
Hope you feel better soon OP.

I’m a bit late to the party here and have only just caught up on instalments 3 and 4, but Penfold sounds like something out of a sitcom. I’m imagining someone along the lines of Mr Morris on Friday Night Dinner - the belligerent and completely bonkers old man that Grandma was going to marry, who used to call people he didn’t like “punk rockers” like it was an obvious insult!

An alternative "excuse" from Sally?....
She'll claim that she didn't realise that the allotment was included in the sale until afterwards when you called her about Squatting Babs

I’ve been giving some thought to how this might all have come about. Here is my suggestion on how the situation may have arisen.
Sally and her late husband were a couple who had their own areas of responsibility. Sally was responsible for running the house whilst Mr S was responsible for admin, the garage, and the allotment. When he died Sally had no use for the garage so she agreed when the neighbour asked to store some boxes in there. Sally may have never taken any interest as to whether the allotment was owned or rented as it didn’t interest her so when Babs said she would take responsibility for it Sally was happy to accept her offer then never gave it another thought.
Ten years later Sally decides to sell up, when the estate agent visits he asks if there is a garage included, Sally states there is but it doesn’t occur to her that the neighbour could still have anything in there and she doesn’t bother checking. The estate agent would not have asked about an allotment as that is an unusual situation and as Sally hadn’t given it a thought for years she doesn’t say anything.
Once they reach the point where solicitors are dealing with the sale Sally would have been shown a plan to check which is where she should have realise the allotment was included and explained that it was not part of the sale but not being an admin person she trusts that the solicitors have it all in hand and signs on the dotted line without checking.
Babs of course knows that she doesn’t own the property herself and she hasn’t been paying any rent to whoever the other allotment holders pay rent to. Does she think this is a mistake on the part of the Parish Council or whoever owns most of the plots or does she realise Sally owns the plot but presumes it has a separate title to Sally’s house having checked that it wasn’t included in the Rightmove particulars, so she thinks she can continue quietly occupying it. When nothing happened for a few months after the OP moved in she probably thought she had got away with it but now realises that the game is up. Hopefully she will give in gracefully and be gone by the 20th.
I hope your recovery goes well @YaMuvva.

well yes.....but surely the EA would have checked what they were selling and certainly the buyers were informed about the extra land as part of the purchase process. It may be that other folk who own the extra land (its attached to some of the other houses as well as YaMuvva's) have rented out their land, but its also possible that its being cultivated by the owner...to be clear, it has been called an allotment but in fact the tracts of land are actually owned by the owners of some of the other houses....I mean some of the other owners may have sold them but they are not operated as council (or other organisation) allotments.

It seems that the land/allotment being owned in this way is not that unusual for the area though

I'm on board with the Game of Thrones idea. Get a big bell to ring and shout, "Shame! Shame!" as Babs and Penfold walk by (fully clothed, I hope).

I think that makes all of us the Night’s Watch.

We’ve already got the dashing King In The North, Richard Madden, cast.
My eldest could come as Tormund Giantsbane, he’s a burly guy with a big ginger beard. Knaresborough isn’t that far…

'Winter sprouting broccoli is coming'.

Hopping on. Hadnt realised there was a new thread.

I truly hope Babs didn't give Sally any money for the allotment... (Not that it makes any difference to you legally).

I suspect she said "You can have it." without realising she needed to create a piece of paper stating this.

Of course, she may have done this and then sold it to you as well 😱. I truly hope not as then it wasn't hers to sell. Although I suspect if this was the case Babs would've waved it at you already.

What makes you think that? That's not at all how I picture them.

@MsLuxLisbon agree there no Hyacinth vibes here. In my head I have a young and attractive Sarah Lancaster channelling her later Happy Valley character - all that caustic wit and humour in a formidable package!

She would have said to the OPs DH if money had ever been handed over. 100%. It'll be a whine and guilt trip to #bekind and "share".