Postcode enquiries
New addresses (including those for existing buildings converted into flats or brought back into use after being unoccupied for a long period) must be registered with the Council otherwise they will not be recognised by Royal Mail, and will not be given postcodes.
Royal Mail sell their postcode database (PAF) widely, and various companies use this as an initial security check, including Mail Order companies, Cable / Satellite TV, British Telecom, Dixons etc. If you are not on this database, these companies may not supply you.
A few developers / builders / owners neglect to get addresses registered with the Council and this can mean that tenants or purchasers move into their new flats without a proper address, leading to anger or frustration when they are told that their address "does not exist"
If a new address has been registered / agreed with the Street Naming & Numbering Officer, it will be submitted as soon as possible to the Postcode Centre, but it obviously takes a month or so for that information to be circulated to users of the PAF data.
Postcodes for agreed addresses can be obtained from the Royal Mail internet site at www.royalmail.com/paf/ which is updated frequently. There is also an automated postcode enquiry line: 0906 302 1222 (This costs 50p per minute).
Postcodes are issued from the Address Management Centre at Shrewsbury.
If addresses have not been agreed, purchasers / tenants should check with their vendor or landlord and make sure that details have been sent to the Street Naming & Numbering Officer.
Page updated: 28 Feb 2007