New home address never found by websites

EssentialParadox

My family have just moved into a new home built from scratch. The postman seems to find us alright, but apparently online retailers can't! That "enter your house name and postcode to find address" feature can never find our address. On some websites it's fine — we can just enter it manually, but others, like Tesco.com, won't let you order any groceries online if your address isn't in their database!

Does anyone know how the system works and whether we can submit our address for these websites to see us, or will we just end up in the database eventually over time? Any smart people out there who have any ideas? :j

Humf_2

I have been living in a new built home now for just over 2 years, and some shopping websites still cant find me,

Tesco.com seem to work for me about 6 months after moving in

Lil_Dee_2

I moved into my new build 4 years ago next week. We had reserved the plot some 15 months (yes, that's 15 months) previously. On that first day, we were given the address and the post code. So, our postcode has existed for well over five years at this point.

I would say that retailer wise, we have been 'available' for about 18 months now, but sat-nav wise, we're still missing. The most infuriating one, was finding that all only the even numbers on our road were listed - yes, you've got it, I live at an odd numbered house !!

Nearly all companies that need addresses, purchase a mass-produced database from a specialist company (so even when you ring a retailer and make the order manually with them, they wouldn't update their database). Until the specialist company producing the address database adds you to their 'disc' (or however they provide the info) then you will be in limbo. And yes, it can take years for this to happen.

The Post Office wrote to us about a year after we'd moved in, welcoming us to our "new" home, and advising us that our address was now registered and active. This was was quickly followed by all the big DIY stores sending us mail shots with discounts available to us a "new" house onwers. Only problem was, we had to use them within six months on moving in - and proof of purchase date was necessary.....farcical doesn't come near, does it !?

I've also found, that having recently had some work done on my house, everyone remembers us as "the house that you can't find" on sat-nav.

So, all in all, sorry, but the answer really is, how long is a piece of string........?

EssentialParadox

Hehe, tell me about the Sat nav issues, Lil Dee! We actually live on a private road that was strangely cut in half at some point in history, so there are two roads with the exact same name and, of course, all our drivers end up on the other half and not ours — We are probably going to need to turn our official home address into a set of directions!

Thank you for the replies though, Humf and LD, I suppose what I need to do is what you have; both perseverance and patience!

annabamma

If your address doesn't show up on the Royal Mail website, you can fill in an enquiry form asking them to add it, I think other websites use this database too.

Can't post links sorry but if you google "royal mail address finder" and then click on the link in the "need help" section at the bottom of the page it should take you there.

[Deleted User]

Email addressmaintenance@royalmail.com with the info and it'll get added to all the databases within about 6 to 9 months.

custardy

billbennett wrote: »

Email addressmaintenance@royalmail.com with the info and it'll get added to all the databases within about 6 to 9 months.

your local delivery office can (and should) add/amend addresses to the aplus system
this should be updated at least monthly though often isnt,so you can visit them and get the data amended

craigbroadman

I have worked on a couple of websites in the past and it depends on how they are developed. Some link directly in to the post office database, others have their own data that they buy so it can take time for a new postcode to filter in to the system.

EssentialParadox

Thanks for the additional information on royal mail guys. I actually put in the address and it comes up there fine, and I've noticed the postman seems to find us no problem. It's just everyone else who seems to have a problem. But like you say, craig, if everyone else is using private databases, I guess I might just need to wait for it to filter in.