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, a Verified organisation badge means a researcher confirmed that an organisation is associated with that site and may update certain facts through AllotSpot Manage. It does not mean plots are available, it does not mean a waiting list is open on AllotSpot, and it does not boost search ranking.
What “Needs checking” / stale facts mean
Availability, prices and waiting-list information are dated. When a fact is older than we treat as current, the interface marks it so you can see that it may need confirming with the organisation managing the site. We never silently refresh a fact without a new check.
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 changing fact stores when it was checked and which source supported it. Listings and area pages show the latest check date. History is kept: new evidence adds a new check rather than erasing 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 sites without evidence. Test-only placeholder sites never appear on the public pages.
Suggest a correction or missing site
Anyone can suggest a missing site or open a listing and suggest an update. Suggestions are reviewed by a researcher before anything changes on the live page. Allotment managers with a verified claim can update published facts for their site; that does not change how public suggestions are moderated.