Frequently asked questions

How long does a case take to complete?

A straightforward numbering case will be completed within 10 working days of receipt of the application form and required fee. Where a development includes a new street completion will be considerably long due to the consultation process.

How much is the fee for official naming and numbering?

A full list of our fees can be found on our fees page

Can some street numbers be avoided?

No sanction will be given to the avoidance of any numbers e.g. 13, and a proper sequence will be allocated.

Can I name my house?

If a property is already numbered, the owner can name their property without contacting the council as long as it does not conflict with an existing property or street name in that area. The property name will not officially form part of the property address. The property number must still be shown and used in any correspondence. For example:

'My House' (not part of official address)
1 My Road (official address)
Town
County
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 has been allocated a name as part of its official address).

How do I change the name of my house?

You will need to contact the address management team, who will be pleased to assist you.

The chosen name should not repeat the name of any other road, house or building in the surrounding area.

Can I remove the name from my house?

Yes. Please contact the address management team who will add the request to their records and inform Royal Mail and emergency services.

Can I remove the street number from my house?

If the property has a house number, it is not possible to replace the number with a name. However, we will allow you to add an 'alias name' to the address. The name will be held by the Royal Mail on their 'alias file' and will not form part of the official address. The alias name can only be used with the property number, not as a replacement of it.

What names can be used for a new street/building?

You should submit your application as soon as you start work on the site. This will enable us to approve a name and allocate the addresses as early as possible, as this can be a lengthy process.

Please submit a minimum of three names for consideration.

Please note: we prefer names that have historical or local significance and we can carry out research of the site through the local studies library.

We will check the suggested street names for duplication and suitability in the local area and forward them to the Royal Mail and the emergency services for consultation. We will then consult with the local councillors.

When a name has been approved, we will record the street name on our official street naming and numbering records. The information is sent to public utilities, emergency services, Royal Mail and various other organisations that require this information. You will receive confirmation of the new address(es) and will need to inform all your prospective buyers/occupiers of their new address. You will be asked to provide new street name plates to our standard design.

Points to bear in mind when suggesting names

1) New street or building names should not duplicate any similar name already in use in Croydon or neighbouring boroughs. A variation in the suffix, e.g. 'street', 'road', 'avenue', etc., is not accepted as sufficient reason to duplicate a name.

2) Names of more than three syllables should be avoided and this precludes the use of two words except in special cases.

3) Subsidiary names, such as a row of buildings within an already named road being called '...............Terrace/Parade', should only be used in roads of short length.

4) All new street names should end with one of the following suffixes:

Close, Crescent, Dene, Drive, Gardens, Grove, Hill, Lane, Mead, Mews, Place, Reach, Rise, Road, Row, Square, Vale, View, Way, Wharf, Yard

Not acceptable suffixes:

End, Court, Cross, Side, Path, Walk, Park, Meadow, Gate or Common.

5) All new pedestrian walkways should end with one of the following suffixes:

Walk or Path

6) No street or building name to start with, 'The'.

7) All new building names should end with one of the following suffixes:

Apartments, Building(s), Centre, Court, Heights, House, Lodge, Mansions, Point, Studio(s), Tower, Villas

8) The use of North, East, South or West (as in Alfred Road North and Alfred Road South, or East or West) is only acceptable where the road is continuous and passes over a major junction.

9) Avoid having two phonetically similar sounding names e.g. Churchill Road and Birch Hill Road.

10) Avoid misleading or unsuitable names such as Tip House, Access Way, or names open to misinterpretation like Tennis Court, Dead End Road etc.

Postal numbering

Postal numbers will be assigned to new property in accordance with established procedures. In-fill developments will be assigned numbers in sequence with adjacent property. Property along new roads will be numbered odds on one side and evens on the other, except for a cul-de-sac, which will be numbered consecutively with no break in the sequence.

The conversion or subdivision of any premises, which creates additional units, will require the assignment of new postal numbers and falls within the scope of the postal numbering legislation.

Naming buildings

Developers will be asked to submit names for multi-occupation buildings (such as blocks of flats) where it is not possible to number the individual units into the street. Any names submitted will be circulated to the Royal Mail and emergency services for comment. An allocated name will be used in conjunction with the official street number.

Renumbering/renaming

Renaming / renumbering existing streets and buildings is normally only considered when changes occur which give rise (or are likely to give rise) to problems for the occupiers, Post Office, emergency services, etc.

Re-addressing of a property

Requests to re-address property will be considered, having regard to any operational difficulties that may be experienced by the Royal Mail and emergency services. The street naming and numbering legislation will not be used to enable a more prestigious address to be established.

Problems with street signs

Please contact our street repairs section on 020 8760 5606.

Display of postal number

Regulations adopted by the council require that any postal number displayed shall be in numerals of Arabic character, eg. 123. The number shall be displayed to enable the Royal Mail, emergency services and occasional callers to readily identify the premises.

My address is not being recognised

We inform Royal Mail of all new addresses in Croydon. The addresses are added to their "not yet built" file. The Royal Mail will only make the address "live" when the property becomes occupied and is capable of receiving mail. This is to avoid post being delivered to a building site. 

The local delivery officer will inform the Royal Mail address development team as soon as a property is occupied so it can be made live and it will then show on the Royal Mail Website. If you believe that this hasn't occurred, you should contact Royal Mail directly to check. Please telephone: 08456 011 110 and press option 3 and then option 1 to speak to an advisor.

Why is my address not on Royal Mail's or other company's websites?

We inform Royal Mail of all new addresses in Croydon who will add the addresses to their "Not Yet Built" file. The Royal Mail will only make the address "live" when the property becomes occupied and is capable of receiving mail. Many companies purchase address information directly from the Royal Mail only when the address is in the "live" file. This is why certain companies may not hold your address details on their systems.

The local delivery officer will inform the Royal Mail address development team as soon as a property is occupied so it can be made live and it will then show on the Royal Mail website. If you believe that this hasn't occurred, you should contact Royal Mail directly to check. Please telephone: 08456 011 110 and press option 3 and then option 1 to speak to an advisor.

Postcodes

Royal Mail are responsible for the allocation of postcodes. Please contact Royal Mail customer services on 03457 740 740.