How Allotmin works

Allotmin keeps your membership and plot data in one place so you can see who holds which plot, who has multiple plots, and who is waiting.

• 1
  Add and edit members. Enter each member’s name, email, phone, and membership dates. You can organise members into groups (e.g. by site or role) to make filtering and emails easier.
• 2
  Create your plots. Add every plot with a reference (e.g. plot number or code), optional site or area, and status. You can bulk-import plots from a spreadsheet if you already have a list.
• 3
  Assign plots to members. From a member’s profile, assign one or more plots. Allotmin supports multiple plots per member and shows which plots are taken or available at a glance.
• 4
  Import when you need to. If you’re moving from spreadsheets or another system, use the members and plots import tools to upload a CSV and map columns, then review and confirm before saving.

A clear, ordered waiting list reduces disputes and saves time. Allotmin lets you maintain the list, reorder when needed, and even let people join and check their position online.

• 1
  Add people to the list. Add applicants with their contact details and the date they joined the list. You can search and filter the list so you always know who’s next.
• 2
  Reorder when necessary. Move entries up or down with a single click. When a plot becomes available, you can see the next person in line and update the list without retyping.
• 3
  Offer public signup (optional). Generate a unique signup link so applicants can add themselves to the waiting list. They receive a reference number and can later check their position online, which cuts down on “where am I on the list?” enquiries.
• 4
  Promote to member when ready. When you offer a plot, remove the person from the waiting list and add them as a member, then assign the plot. Your history stays in one system.

Track rent and other charges per member, open a new billing year when you’re ready, and record who has paid so you can chase arrears and run reports.

• 1
  Open a rental year. When it’s time to bill (e.g. for the new season), open a new rental year in Allotmin. The system takes a snapshot of current members and their plots so you bill the right people.
• 2
  See who owes what. Each member’s charge is shown with their plot details. You can handle members who leave or join mid-year and adjust the snapshot if needed.
• 3
  Mark payments as received. When a member pays, mark their record as paid and optionally record the date. You can quickly see who has and hasn’t paid and use the email tool to nudge unpaid members.
• 4
  Keep a clear history. Past years remain visible so you have an audit trail and can answer questions about previous payments without digging through spreadsheets.

Track the physical items you issue to members — gate keys, shed keys, anything with a deposit against it — and the money held for each, kept completely separate from rent.

• 1
  Define your deposit types. Set up types like “gate key” or “plot deposit” with a default amount and whether it’s refundable. A type can track individual numbered items, or simply hold money.
• 2
  Add your items. For item-based types, add a whole batch in one go (e.g. “keys 1–30”) so your inventory is ready before you start issuing.
• 3
  Issue, return and forfeit. Issue a deposit straight from an item’s row or the type’s “take a deposit” form. When it comes back, mark it returned and record whether the refund was paid; if it isn’t coming back, confirm and forfeit.
• 4
  Keep track at a glance. See totals held, items out and anything forfeited this year on the deposits dashboard and on each member’s own Keys & Deposits tab — always separate from your rent figures.

Communicate with members and applicants without leaving Allotmin. Send one-off emails or use templates, attach documents, and target specific groups such as unpaid members or plot holders.

• 1
  Use the messaging centre. From the email section you can compose a new message, choose who receives it (e.g. all members, unpaid members, a specific group, or plot holders), and add a subject and body.
• 2
  Attach documents. Upload and store key documents (rules, policies, renewal forms) in Allotmin. When sending an email, you can attach one or more of these so everyone gets the same file without separate emails.
• 3
  Create email templates. Save common messages (e.g. “rent due”, “plot offered”, “waiting list update”) as templates. Reuse them and personalise with the member’s name so emails feel consistent and professional.
• 4
  Send from your organisation. Configure a “from” address (e.g. secretary@youraa.org.uk) in settings so emails come from your association. Recipients see your organisation’s identity and can reply to the right place.

Walk the site on your phone and record the condition of every plot as you go. Each inspection is kept against the plot as a permanent record, and you can email the holder about any issues with a single tap — no clipboard or spreadsheet required.

• 1
  Start a site walk. Open the inspections section on your phone to see a card for every plot. The “outstanding only” filter is on by default, so plots drop off the list as you check them and you always know what’s left. You can set how often a plot is due for re-inspection (e.g. every 7, 14, 30, or 90 days).
• 2
  Mark each plot as you walk. Tap ✓ Satisfactory for a plot that’s fine, or ⚠ Issue to record a problem. For an issue you can pick from quick problem tags (e.g. overgrown, untended), add notes, attach a photo, and adjust the date.
• 3
  Email the holder about issues (optional). When a plot has a problem, you can email the member straight away or later from the saved inspection. Add an editable “please address these issues by…” deadline if you wish. The email is logged against the member’s correspondence so you have a record of what was sent.
• 4
  Keep a full history per plot. Every inspection is bonded to the plot, so reassigning it later never rewrites the past. View a plot’s full inspection history at any time, see the latest outcome on each card, and remove an accidental duplicate if needed.

If your committee looks after more than one site, Allotmin keeps each one completely separate — while staying on a single account.

• 1
  Add a site. Add a second site from the account menu whenever you need one. Nothing changes for single-site associations until you do.
• 2
  Switch in one click. Use the site switcher in the account menu to jump between sites. Allotmin remembers the one you last worked in.
• 3
  Everything kept separate. Each site has its own members, plots, waiting list, billing year, inspections, correspondence, keys & deposits and documents — and its own public sign-up link.
• 4
  Share what makes sense. Email templates are shared across all your sites by default, or you can pin one to a single site when it’s site-specific.