Rental property not listed on Royal Mail's postcode finder

demorules

Hi, my situation goes as follows - I'd really appreciate any help/advice!

I'm due to move in to my new flat on Sunday (getting the keys on Saturday, but can't move in until Sunday due to the start date of the tenancy agreement).

I'm trying to sort out the home insurance through the provider recommended by the letting agent, but the flat is not listed on Royal Mail's postcode finder (all the flats either side of mine are on the list), so the provider has said they won't be able to insure me.

Just called up the LA who advised that as they don't actively manage the property, it's up to the landlord to get it added to the Royal Mail list, so they'll get in touch with him. However, apparently it "shouldn't be a problem" for me to move in over the weekend, even without insurance.

Questions:

1) If the flat isn't listed on the Royal Mail website, where was the previous tenant's post going?

2) I don't feel comfortable moving into a property for which the contents aren't insured, and the agent's own policy states that contents must be insured. However, I have already signed the tenancy agreement - where does this leave me?

3) Should alarm bells be ringing? Because they feel like they are...!

Thanks!

Dave_the_Ginger_Cat

1) Being registered on their database is not a pre-requisite to having post delivered. If post is labelled clearly enough to identify where it should be delivered, it will usually find you

2) Talk to a couple of insurers, and possibly a broker. I've used Swintons in the past for non standard stuff. Also see if the former tenants can advise how they insured it. As a last resort, talk to an insurer about insuring them as personal possessions, and link it.
And not sure you can get out of the contract on this basis

3) No reason I can see - I might take a look at the council's planning website to see if they had building control approval (assuming it's a conversion) for the flat. If there is nothing else which gives you cause for concern, sounds OK

SerialRenter

Heard about this problem on the news the other day. Terrible excuses and laziness from insurers it seems.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24960746

benjus

Nothing to stop you getting it added yourself - it doesn't have to be the landlord that does it.

Drop an email to addressmaintenance@royalmail.com with details of the addition you want them to make.

However, online forms are usually filled in from copies of the Royal Mail database, which aren't always updated very frequently from the master version. Some particularly useless companies keep an outdated database AND won't allow you to enter addresses manually when they are not found in the database (T-mobile / Orange, for a start).

ihatemyhouse

you will get a council tax bill, use this post code for stuff

I had this when I moved in to a flat, the post code the HA give me, I couldn't use as when trying to get BT, ELE they said I was a school, so wouldnt give me a phone, used the one on council tax and got stuff