[JenG]

Hi everyone, I'm Jen.

I'm the treasurer for our allotments and I'm desperate to get a card reader to reduce the amount of cash at rent collection.  I've had 2 failed attempts at getting a card reader due to the status of the allotments.  Does anyone have a card reader and who would you recommend?

Thanks

[snowdrops]

At our members only store we’re hoping to buy a sum up machine, our tech guy has researched it & you can get a ‘complete ‘ one that doesn’t need WiFi (we haven’t got it) or need a smart phone ( not all our ‘staff’ could manage that. We’re just waiting to hear if we’re eligible for a local council grant that we’ve applied for, towards half the cost of various equipment we need, but we’ll buy one even without the grant, I think it’s about £130 .

[Yorkie]

Would be interested in knowing more about the solution you eventually opt for, snowdrops.

We struggle with digital payments for the same reasons you mention - no phone line, limited numbers of volunteers with smart phones, and/or limited numbers of volunteers with inclusive data plans on their smartphones.

We've resorted to either using cash, cheques, or providing customers with our online details for them to pay via immediate bank transfer

[Yorkie]

To JenG, how is the status of your allotments causing you issues at the moment?

[snowdrops]

Will do Yorkie, we will know on April if we our to receive a grant of anything, but we will be purchasing either way as our bank is now charging for every  cheque in or out & cash deposits. We are going to look at moving banks too when our new treasurer is in place after our AGM in March

[Yorkie]

We're in exactly the same position too with charges. The dilemma is finding a bank that will allow you to open a clubs/society type account, unless an applicant already has a banking relationship with them. One for our new treasurer too.

[GraciesGran]

Where I am the allotment shop uses Zettle for card transactions, rent has to be paid by bank transfer or cheque using your invoice number as reference.  There are over a thousand plots

[JenG]

Hi Yorkie, we lease the land from a Trust (previously the Council) and the last people I dealt with said I would have to get my details added to the Companies House register!

[grinling]

Allotments are not considered as a business, so a bank/building society should be club/society account and not personal or buisness. All should provide, but you should ask at each, what the conditions are, also see if you can pay in at post office as that can be convienient. 2 signatures can be required for cheques if you need that.
Card reader can be great but there is a charge per transaction or monthly charge, that can not be passed on to payee, so is it worth it.
Our treasurer would hand deliver rent request with 28 days to pay.

[Yorkie]

Hi Yorkie, we lease the land from a Trust (previously the Council) and the last people I dealt with said I would have to get my details added to the Companies House register!

Not sure whether those people knew anything about what they were talking about!

Our allotments are managed by a charitable incorporated organisation, which has a lease of the land from the council.  Given the hundreds of allotments they manage, and the need for the managers to have some form of legal protection, that was the best route for them.

If you have a bank account for your allotments, then you should be able to add a card reader that will enable payments to it.  Or get people to pay direct by bank transfer (with an invoice number as reference). 

[jezza]

hello could your allotment organisation get a dedicated smart phone with a 50gig data plan i've seen advert with sim cards as low as £6 if every one pays in the same month you only need a sim card for a one off payment,i use my phone as my mobile hotspot   jezza

[pdblake]

Not sure what the allotment shop uses as I don't use it, but rent is done by bank transfer.

[GraciesGran]

As a separate comment we've just changed banks as ours wanted to impose transaction charges, estimated cost £900 per year.  New bank gives first 200 a month free and then a charge of 20p per transaction, estimated to cost us £70.

[Yorkie]

Ah, which bank have you moved to, please?

[GraciesGran]

Ah, which bank have you moved to, please?

We've gone to metro.