Street naming and numbering
Street naming and numbering is a statutory service we undertake to issue and officially register postal addresses in the borough. We have adopted the provisions of Sections 17 and 18 of the Public Health Act 1925 which relates to the issue of street naming and alteration of street names and the numbering of properties under The County of Kent Act 1981.
Why it is needed
If a property does not have an official postal address, it will not be registered on any database and no one will know the property exists. If a property is not registered you will likely experience problems applying for utility services, mortgages, credit cards, insurance and deliveries because all checks require the registration of the address.
Organisations such as the Kent Fire Service, Kent Police and the Ambulance Service require the registration of all properties in the borough to keep their databases up to date with address information in the case of an emergency.
We issue the postal numbering and naming of streets in the borough and register the details with the Royal Mail. Requests for the registration of a postal address applied directly to the Royal Mail will be referred to us to officially register.
Address records
When a property is officially registered the postal address is confirmed and entered on the Royal Mail database. Organisations purchase address information from the Royal Mail to update their own databases.
It is the responsibility of the Royal Mail to allocate the postcodes. If you would like to check if your address is registered on the Royal Mail’s database, please visit their website.
Applications
You can use the street naming and numbering application form to register the following:
- property name change
- addition of a property name
- amendment to postal address
- official registration of an existing unregistered property
- official registration of an individual new build
- official registration of a new development of two or more units
- conversion of property into flats
We are only able to accept applications from the legal owner. If you are a tenant please ask the owner to complete the form. If you are in the process of purchasing a property you need to wait until completion of the sale before applying to make any changes to the postal address.
We recommend looking at our guidance notes before filling in your application.
To apply, download the street naming and numbering application form and send the completed application form and the required plans to the address on the front of the application or you can email the details to StreetNamingNumbering@MidKent.gov.uk.
Please email us or call 01622 602518 to receive details on the correct fees and how to pay by credit/debit card.
We are still accepting cheque payments. Please make cheques payable to ‘Maidstone Borough Council’ and write 'Street Naming and Numbering' on the reverse of the cheque.
Official registration
Following the official registration of new postal addresses, we will notify the following statutory authorities and request they update their databases with the new address information:
- The Land Registry
- Kent Police
- Kent Ambulance Headquarters
- Kent Fire Services
- Ordnance Survey
- Valuation Office
- Openreach
- Southern Water Authority
- Centrica (British Gas)
- South East Water
- Scotia Gas Networks
- Royal Mail Delivery Office (Maidstone)
- Maidstone Borough Council - Electoral Registration
- Maidstone Borough Council - Council Tax
- NLPG (National Land and Property Gazetteer)
It can take a while to update databases from a few months up to two years. This is entirely down to how often individual companies decide to update their own databases.
If you experience problems with your address missing from databases, you should check that the address is registered as ‘live’ on the Royal Mail’s PAF (Postcode Address File).
Cost
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
Property name change | £30 |
Addition of property name | £30 |
Amendment to postal address | £30 |
Official registration of an existing unregistered property. The building must have existed for five years or longer | £55 |
New build one individual property or the registration of a new postal address | £90 |
New development of two or more units fee per unit/flat/house | £50 |
Creation of new street, fee per street | £120 |
Conversion of property into flats, fee per flat | £50 |
Renumbering of a development or block of flats, fee per unit/flat | £25 |
Street name plates
Developers are responsible for street name plates on any new development. We are responsible for the maintenance and replacement of any street name plates on adopted roads. To apply for our specification of street name plates or to report missing or damaged road signs please email streetscene@maidstone.gov.uk.