Methodology
How AllotSpot verifies allotment information
AllotSpot is a search product built on researched, dated facts — not guesses. This page explains how we research sites, what our labels mean, and how you can suggest a correction.
How we research sites
Researchers work through official and open sources in a deliberate order: district or borough pages, parish and town councils, allotment associations, community groups, and then discovery aids such as OpenStreetMap. Each physical site is entered only when identity is supported by evidence. Missing facts stay blank.
Preferred sources
We prefer primary sources: council and parish publications, association pages, and other official notices. Third-party directories may help discovery but are not treated as authority for live availability or price. OpenStreetMap can support location discovery; it is not used as the source of waiting-list or price claims.
What “Verified” means
On a listing, an Operator verified badge means a researcher confirmed that an organisation is associated with that site and may update certain facts through a controlled invite session. It does not mean plots are available, and it does not boost search ranking.
What “Needs checking” / stale facts mean
Availability, prices and waiting-list information are time-stamped observations. When a fact is older than our freshness threshold, the interface marks it so you can see that it may need confirming with the operator. We never silently refresh a fact without a new observation.
How missing facts are handled
If we have not found a reliable published value, we show Not published or Unknown. We do not invent prices, plot counts, waiting times, or eligibility rules. Absence of a facility row does not mean the facility is absent — only that it has not been recorded.
How availability, prices and waiting lists are dated
Each dynamic fact stores when it was observed and which source supported it. Listings and area pages surface the latest check date from those observations. History is preserved: new evidence appends a new observation rather than overwriting the old one.
How duplicate sites are handled
When two records may describe the same physical place, researchers flag them for review. We do not silently merge or delete contested identity without evidence. Synthetic pilot fixtures never appear on the public site.
Suggest a correction or missing site
Anyone can suggest a missing site or open a listing and suggest an update. Suggestions are moderated; approving a suggestion does not automatically overwrite trusted facts. Operators with a verified claim can update published facts through the operator session without changing this moderation path for the public.