You can apply for a house name, house number or street name if you're a homeowner or property developer.
House naming and numbering
Property developers
You must apply for new building names and/or numbers when you are either:
- converting a property into flats
- building new homes
- creating a new residential development
Homeowners
If your property already has a number, you can apply to give it an official house name.
An official house name is usually used alongside the property number. Address searches will normally return the numbered address.
Why an official house name or number is important
Before approving an application, we'll consult with Royal Mail and the emergency services to ensure that:
- emergency services can find your property quickly
- you meet legal requirements
- Royal Mail can assign an official postcode
- utility providers can connect services such as electricity, gas, water and broadband
Planning permission
If your development required planning permission, you must still apply separately for house names and/or numbers through the street name and numbering (SNN) service. Planning permission does not automatically create or assign official addresses.
New property names and numbers are normally allocated once construction work has commenced on site.
Postcodes
Postcodes are allocated by Royal Mail.
You do not need to contact Royal Mail directly, as we will liaise with them on your behalf as part of the SNN process.
To help us arrange this, you must tell us when the new address should become active. This is usually the date when the property will be ready to receive mail and other services.
The activation date you provide will be passed to Royal Mail so that the address can be added to their systems at the appropriate time.
The SNN service cannot guarantee the timescales for Royal Mail's processing of new addresses.
Street naming
If your development includes the creation of a new street, you will need to apply for an official street name through the SNN service.
When suggesting a street name, the suffix should be appropriate for the type and layout of the road.
Street name suffixes we can consider:
- Road/Street - any thoroughfare
- Way - major roads
- Avenue, Drive, Grove or Lane - residential roads
- Gardens or Place - where there is no risk of confusion with a nearby open space
- Crescent - a crescent-shaped road
- Close - a residential cul-de-sac
- Square - a square or enclosed open area
- Hill - a road located on a hillside
- Circus - a large circular road or roundabout
- Mews - where the name does not repeat that of the road from which access is gained
- Vale, Rise, Row, Mead or Wharf - residential roads, but only in exceptional circumstances
Street name suffixes we cannot accept:
- End, Court, Cross, Side, View, Walk, Park, Meadow, Gate or Common
We also cannot accept street names that begin with "The" or names that could be considered offensive.
All proposed street names are subject to our review and approval as part of the SNN process.
Building naming
Building name suffixes we can consider:
- House, Court, Lodge, Apartments, Mansions (residential developments only)
- Point (high-rise residential buildings)
- Tower or Heights (high-rise residential or office buildings)
How new names are approved
A new street or building name must go through a consultation process before it can be formally authorised.
Stage 1: Statutory and stakeholder consultation
The proposed name is shared with:
- Royal Mail
- emergency services
- local ward councillors
- residents associations
Stage 2: Public consultation
If the proposed name passes the initial consultation, we will display a public notice for one month so that local residents and other interested parties can provide feedback.
After the consultation period, we will consider all comments before making a final decision.
Please note that suggesting a street or building name does not guarantee approval. We may reject or amend proposals to avoid confusion, support service delivery or comply with our naming policy.
Fees
- Property naming/renaming or numbering/renumbering (per individual unit) - £150
- Street naming or renaming (per street) - £369
Make an application
Apply for street and building naming and numbering
Pay for an application
Pay for a street or building name or number application
Your application will not be processed until payment has been received. Please note that fees are non-refundable once work on the application has commenced.
How long it takes
We aim to process applications within the following timescales:
- Property numbering, naming, renaming or renumbering - approximately one month
- Building naming - approximately three months
- Street naming or renaming - approximately three months
Please note that the timescales shown are estimates and should not be relied upon for construction, occupation or sales completion dates. External organisations, including Royal Mail, may also have their own processing times once an address has been approved.
Contact us
- email: SNN@hounslow.gov.uk
