Street naming and numbering FAQs

Can I name my own house/commercial building and remove the number?

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Where a property has a name and an official number the number must always be included in the address and displayed on the property, for example:

'My House' (not part of official address)
1 My Road (official address)
Town / Locality
Postcode

You only need to seek permission from the Council if there is no number allocated in the official address, i.e. if the property historically has been allocated a name as part of its official address as it is on a street with named only properties. This is so we can make sure there is only one property in the same road or area with the name to avoid potential confusion, particularly for the emergency services.

If a property is already numbered, a property owner can additionally name their property. The name cannot be regarded as an alternative to the number. Leaving out property numbers and using just a name causes complications for deliveries as well as for the emergency services. We would suggest you still apply in writing so we can check the name against our database. It is the responsibility of the property owner to check the street the property is on to ensure the name is not already in use.

Can I change the number in my address?

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No. Any request to change a number or suffix due to superstition or personal preference will be refused.

How are new street names chosen?

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Where new roads are to be constructed, developers can suggest suitable names or we can produce a list of names to choose from. Full details of this process can be found in our Street Naming and Numbering Guide.

What happens if a street needs renaming / renumbering?

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On rare occasions it becomes necessary to rename or renumber a street. This is usually only done as a last resort when:

  • There is confusion over a street's name and/or numbering.
  • New properties are built in a street and there is a need for other properties to be renumbered to accommodate the new properties.
  • The number of named-only properties in a street is deemed to be causing confusion for visitors, for the delivery of services or for the emergency services.

Existing residents will be contacted and their views taken into account.

What is the difference between an official address and a postal address?

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The Council is responsible for issuing the official address, which usually takes the format:

  • Building Number & Street Name
  • Locality

The locality is based on the following areas in Trafford: Altrincham, Bowdon, Carrington, Davyhulme, Dunham Massey, Flixton, Hale, Hale Barns, Old Trafford, Partington, Sale, Stretford, Timperley, Trafford Park, Urmston, Warburton.

We notify Royal Mail of the official address from which they create the postal address, which is for their own use for the efficient delivery of mail. They will add the appropriate postal town and postcode and may change or remove the locality:

  • Building Number & Street Name
  • Postal Locality
  • Postal Town
  • Post Code

Postal Towns in Trafford are: Manchester, Sale, Altrincham and Lymm.

Why doesn't a postcode accurately locate a property in a sat-nav or on-line mapping system?

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Post codes are designed by Royal Mail purely for the efficient delivery of mail. Royal Mail sell this data and it is used by organisations for other uses, for example in sat-nav systems. We have no influence over post code allocation and Royal Mail refuse requests for individual post codes unless you receive a large volume of mail.

Why doesn't my new address appear on the Royal Mail website?

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It usually takes 48 hours before a new address or address change appears on Royal Mail’s website. If it is a new build it may have been added to their “not yet built” file. To make an address live in Royal Mail’s Postal Address File, please contact their address management centre on 08456 045060.