Corrections Policy: How To Report An Error In Our Flood Risk Data
An error on Flood Risk Checker is reported through the contact form as a "data error", or by email to editor@floodriskchecker.co.uk. We check it against the official source, correct our own errors within five working days, and log every correction publicly below.
Accuracy matters more on a flood risk site than on most websites, because people use these pages when buying homes, arranging insurance and planning building work. This page sets out how errors are handled and keeps a dated record of what has been corrected.
How Do You Report An Error?
An error is reported through the contact form with the topic "data error". The report should give the page address, the figure or sentence that is wrong, and, where possible, the official source that shows the correct information.
We treat as an error:
- A figure that does not match its official source.
- A fact that was true when published but has since changed, such as a premium, a rule or a statistic.
- An explanation that is misleading, even if each fact in it is correct.
- A calculation that does not follow our published methodology.
What Happens After An Error Is Reported?
After an error is reported, we acknowledge it, check the claim against the original source, and either correct the page or explain why no change is needed. Corrections to published facts are logged on this page with the date and what changed.
The steps and target times are:
| Step | Target |
|---|---|
| Acknowledge the report | Within 3 working days |
| Check the claim against the official source | Within 5 working days |
| Correct our own error | Within 5 working days of confirming it |
| Correct an error that affects safety, such as a warning or an emergency number | The same day |
| Reply to the person who reported it | When the check is complete |
Because each shared figure is stored once, a correction updates every page that uses it at the same time.
What Is The Difference Between Our Error And An Error In The Official Data?
Our error is one we introduced, such as a copying mistake, an out-of-date fact or a wrong calculation, and we correct it. An error in the official data, such as a flood risk band that does not reflect local conditions, can only be changed by the publisher, so we direct the report there.
| Type of error | Example | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Our error | A premium quoted from last year's table; a rank calculated wrongly | Correct it, log it, reply |
| Official data error | A flood risk band or Flood Zone that seems wrong for a street | Explain how to contact the publisher; show the new data once it is republished |
| Difference in method | Our town figure differs from a figure published elsewhere | Check both methods; explain the difference on the page if it is likely to confuse readers |
Challenges to official flood maps go to the publisher:
- England: the Environment Agency.
- Wales: Natural Resources Wales.
- Scotland: SEPA, through its contact form for local knowledge that could inform its flood mapping.
- Northern Ireland: DfI Rivers, which considers comments on its maps but states that it is unlikely to consider any amendment to the floods maps based on anecdotal evidence alone.
Which Corrections Have Been Made?
Every correction to a published fact, figure or explanation is listed below, newest first, with the date and what changed. Changes to spelling, layout or wording that do not alter meaning are not listed.
| Date | Page | What was wrong | What it says now |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | No corrections have been made since launch on the site’s launch. | — |
floodriskchecker.co.uk is an independent website. It is not run by, or affiliated with, the Environment Agency, Defra, SEPA, Natural Resources Wales or any government body.