Help+support

[Curt123]

Hello my name is Curtis.
I currently keep honey bee in my back garden.
Today I received a phone call from Leicester city council saying I can't or not allowed to keep bees on council property.
And the council want me to remove them.
There is no law saying that I can't have them .
I'm trying to do my bit for the enviroment and I really enjoy the bees .
Im looking for all the advice and I want your support I am going to fight it all the way I'm not getting rid of them.
please help.

 

[pargyle]

Hello my name is Curtis.
I currently keep honey bee in my back garden.
Today I received a phone call from Leicester city council saying I can't or not allowed to keep bees on council property.
And the council want me to remove them.
There is no law saying that I can't have them .
I'm trying to do my bit for the enviroment and I really enjoy the bees .
Im looking for all the advice and I want your support I am going to fight it all the way I'm not getting rid of them.
please help.

If you live in a Council owned property there is probably a clause in your tenancy agreement that specifically prevents you from keeping 'bees and other livestock' within the garden ... it may be more vague than this but that's probably what they are relying on. I suspect that the Council have had a complaint from a neighbour as they, generally, would not invoke a clause of this nature without something provoking them.

Check your tenancy agreement - or write and ask them, nicely, what their grounds are for asking you to remove them and the reason.

You probably don't have a leg to stand on if I know Councils ... probably best to see if you can find an out apiary somewhere in the vicinity as a fall back. Are you a member of your local association - could be a starting point. Best of luck.

 

[Luminos]

A phone call?
Can you be certain it was the council phoning?
If it were me I'd be calling in at the council offices to confirm...

 

[Curt123]

Yes it was the council area manger that contacted me.

 

[pargyle]

A phone call?
Can you be certain it was the council phoning?
If it were me I'd be calling in at the council offices to confirm...

That's good advice ... I rather assumed that you would have confirmed that the phonce call actually came from the Council.

 

[Curt123]

Yes it's was neighbour that made complaint to the council.
Bees are not domesticate animals they are wild so it wouldn't be in the agreement.
The council housing manager told me he was looking into and will contact me.
And it's only one beehive.
How would I go about renting land to keep them on?

 

[domino]

Best to start with your local councillor, maybe try and find an alternative site with their help.

 

[domino]

Yes it's was neighbour that made complaint to the council.
Bees are not domesticate animals they are wild so it wouldn't be in the agreement.
The council housing manager told me he was looking into and will contact me.
And it's only one beehive.
How would I go about renting land to keep them on?

Speak to your local association, they can probably help find a new site.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Good luck, but don't start fighting yet because an angry beekeeper often has unhappy bees, start finding information.

*ignore most of this message, I took too long to write it.

You need to check a few things. The first is your incoming phone numbers, to be sure it actually was somebody from the council who phoned you. It's highly unusual for action to be started over the phone rather than by letter. I hope you took their name - always ask for the person's name during difficult conversations, because even if they say who they are at the beginning you probably won't remember it. Write it down.

If it turns out it was somebody from the council then, before getting back to them and arranging a site visit, check to see if your tenancy agreement specifically prohibits the keeping of either animals, livestock or bees. Then take a look at your bees form your various neighbours' points of view and try to work out why a complaint has been made - have you done your best to make sure they fly up and away from your garden, have you ever spoken to your neighbours about your bees?

Check this newspaper article from the Leicester Mercury.

If you aren't already a member of your local (Leicester and Rutland?) BKA then you should get in touch with them and ask for their help. They will be more likely to know local conditions and regulations, and might also have apiary space you can use if you do have to move your bees from your garden.

If the phone call didn't come from the council you should contact your tenancy contact and/or environmental health officer and tell them that somebody is impersonating them.

 

[Outlander]

Hi Curt have a word with Dishmop as he had problems from a neighbour and his local council wanted him to move his from his council property. He still has his so may be worth talking to him. Good luck and don’t give into them unless you have no other option.

 

[jp19sqn]

Hi Curt,

Use it to your advantage, tell them they are an endangered resource and that you need them to supply you with council land to keep them on, you cannot just kill them. They will have lots of bits of land for use. Pay a peppercorn rent and you get a free out apiary out of the deal. Turn this situation to your own advantage.

Jon

 

[HM Honey]

Hi Curt

I work for a lettings agency and what you will probably find is that there is a general term that prohibits the keeping of ANY animals on the property without prior consent. This is the condition they will quote but make them do the work, ask for it in writing and tell them that they needs to quote the relevant terms in your agreement so that you can check it. Also request a copy of your signed tenancy agreement. If I know councils, it will take them a couple of years to do anything on it anyway.

The worry now for me would be what (if anything) the disgruntled neighbour might do to my hive even if you did win?

Speak to a local farmer. They are usually prepared to allow you to use some of their land free of charge. Just bear in mind things like spraying, farm animals etc....

 

[Curt123]

Thanks for you advice everyone I will use to my advantage. And I'm letting the council do all the work. Include finding land for them and the council should pay for the land.
I don't really want to keep them on farm do to spraying chemicals that kills bees.
I made sure that the hive entrance is away from the neighbours but likely they don't want me o have them.

 

[domino]

And I'm letting the council do all the work. Include finding land for them and the council should pay for the land.

I wouldn't hold your breath, they don't have to do any of these things. Your best bet would be to see if you can keep them and if not speak to you local association to see if you can keep them on their land for a small fee. Mine charges about a fiver a year.

 

[Curt123]

Could someone be so kind and get dishmop to contact me i need to have 20+ post to email someone.

 

[Easy Beesy]

In the meantime, Dig out your training certificates. Show them your credentials, your risk assessments and if you can get other neighbours to write some references to say you have managed them responsibly, show your Beebase record to show you have no disease, regular inspections etc.
be prepared for any query or specific concerns they may have. It's a strange time for someone to complain as they will have been inside the hive for months causing no bother. Ask for specific details on the complaint so you can address the correct issues.

 

[Skyhook]

In terms of an out-apiary, rent is rarely an issue- or is paid at a jar of honey per year, more of a goodwill gesture. You will find some people just like the idea of having bees and are happy for you to put them there. Your local association may be able to help, or just ask around.

You will of course have to check any offered sites to make sure they are suitable, eg not next to someones front door.

 

[waverider]

LRBKA have apiaries at Brooksby and Walton. Maybe try giving them a call and ask if you can home your bee's at their site.

As mentioned on the thread, many people like the idea of bee's in their garden and are happy to offer land for free. You may surprise yourself! Good luck.

 

[VEG]

You won't get the council to pay for your bees to be kept else where.

 

[ultreen1]

Check your local asc web page they might have offers for sites.
I did just that 2 weeks ago, I now have an out apiary. The land owners paid for new hives, frames etc, said I could keep the honey and gave me the key to an out house for equipment.
I think I've been very lucky!