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Original poster

Neighbour using house name

80 replies

Baggyprincess · 19/12/2024 22:03

Rural house. Lived here many years. Neighbours next door but one moved in at the end of last year. Their house was lived in by a very old man, it has since been renovated and rented out.

Our house has a geographical name to help locate it as the village in our address is over a mile away. The neighbours house has the same geographical name but is followed by a traditional business type name. They have decided to add ‘House’ to the end of their property name and now we have had multiple deliveries for them and more recently ours have been misdelivered to them. We have only recieved their deliveries when we have not been home and things have been left in our parcel store but they have accepted our parcels without informing us they have them.

For property names think Castle House for us and then Castle Forge which they have changed to Castle Forge House for them. Castle Forge gives Google results but Castle Forge House does not. Yet they insist Castle Forge House is the property name. I’m convinced it’s just Castle Forge and would like them to revert to that name - I only realised they were using the modified name this week.

How can I prove to them that Castle Forge is the correct name for the property that they rent and get them to drop ‘House’ from their address?

OP posts:
Lollylucyclark101 · 26/12/2024 09:35

prh47bridge · 26/12/2024 09:27

If your house does not have a number, you do indeed have to get any change of name approved by the council who will only give their consent if Royal Mail is happy with the new name.

Show quote history

You don’t need their “permission” to change it. You change it and LET THEM KNOW.

The may have already done so!

The other house just needs to stop accepting parcels.

Chaseandstatus · 26/12/2024 09:44

The worst issue is your parcels going to them - so I would focus on resolving that part. Do they have a sign saying Castle Forge House? Do you have a sign saying Castle House? I would find out who the landlord is and tell them their sign is wrong and must be changed.

Chaseandstatus · 26/12/2024 09:45

And I would keep going round to see if they have any parcels for you; do it so often they feel inconvenienced and the tenants will be more minded to fix this situation.

stressedinsurrey · 26/12/2024 10:14

You can search for an address using a postcode on the Royal Mail website. That will tell you the official name.

MoreHappy · 26/12/2024 10:47

do you see your postie? speak to them about the problem

prh47bridge · 26/12/2024 12:17

Lollylucyclark101 · 26/12/2024 09:35

You don’t need their “permission” to change it. You change it and LET THEM KNOW.

The may have already done so!

The other house just needs to stop accepting parcels.

Show quote history

Wrong. You need their permission before making the change. That is the law, despite your disbelief.

If your house has a number, you can give it any name you like and you don't need anyone's permission. However, if your house has no number, you need the LA's permission BEFORE making the change (and they will only consent if Royal Mail is happy with the new name). You may have to pay a fee to get the LA's permission. If you rename your property without their permission the name change is invalid, and they have the right to make you reinstate the old name. You can also be fined for the unauthorised change of name.

Original poster
Baggyprincess · 26/12/2024 12:24

No, the house is not a new build! It was given a geographical name as the postal address would suggest it’s in another place. Also the geographical location used to name is one side of us and the forge is the other, so it is more accurate for us than them. We are rural, no road name, no house numbers. @GrumpyCactus in this situation a number would be meaningless.

We’ve been here many, many years and when we moved we had the name approved by Royal Mail, as was the process at that time. Whilst we chose the name it had to be approved before we could use it. I agree with @FeegleFrenzy !

The ‘Forge’ is a longer established name and business - I don’t think we would have been allowed to use ‘House’ if they had it in their address. But our House name is also very long used now!

The main issue is the newest one, couriers delivering our parcel to them, them accepting it AND not letting us know!

OP posts:
RandomMess · 26/12/2024 12:25

@prh47bridge my council is clear that to even add a name to a numbered house you need to apply to them.

Presumably unless it's offensive or similar they say yes. I applied last week and they gave my permission 9pm that night which was very bizarre!

BettyBardMacDonald · 26/12/2024 12:50

Have you spoken to anyone at the council?

WhereYouLeftIt · 26/12/2024 12:51

"The main issue is the newest one, couriers delivering our parcel to them, them accepting it AND not letting us know!"

What's their answer to that?

Another2Cats · 26/12/2024 20:50

Lollylucyclark101 · 26/12/2024 09:35

You don’t need their “permission” to change it. You change it and LET THEM KNOW.

The may have already done so!

The other house just needs to stop accepting parcels.

Show quote history

I'm sorry but you really are mistaken here. You really do need permission for any new names or changes to names.

Perhaps you are getting mixed up with the situation where a house already has a number?

When a property is numbered the owners may use a property name in addition to the number but the property name will not form part of the official address. In all cases the property number must be used as part of the address.

If there is no property number, but just a name, then you definitely do need permission from your local council to change the name of the property.

Hedgehogcarer · 27/12/2024 10:19

We also live in a small village. Our house has had the same name since 1841. Some barns in the next lane were developed into housing approx 30 years ago and one was given the same name as our house. We were unaware of this until someone else in the village noticed. It was too late to say anything. Instead we introduced ourselves to the new neighbours. We exchanged phone numbers. The postcodes are different so the majority of deliveries get to the correct address. Occasionally we have to redirect delivery drivers to the correct address. It’s a minor inconvenience. You don’t want to have bad feelings living in a small village. We made it work.

prh47bridge · 27/12/2024 14:45

Hedgehogcarer · 27/12/2024 10:19

We also live in a small village. Our house has had the same name since 1841. Some barns in the next lane were developed into housing approx 30 years ago and one was given the same name as our house. We were unaware of this until someone else in the village noticed. It was too late to say anything. Instead we introduced ourselves to the new neighbours. We exchanged phone numbers. The postcodes are different so the majority of deliveries get to the correct address. Occasionally we have to redirect delivery drivers to the correct address. It’s a minor inconvenience. You don’t want to have bad feelings living in a small village. We made it work.

It is surprising that your council approved (or allocated) that name. However, that is different from OP's situation where it appears her neighbour has changed the name of their house without the required permission.

Atina321 · 27/12/2024 15:53

The councils street name and numbering is the one used by emergency services. I would point out to them that they are possibly risking their and your lives if there is ever an emergency and the ambulance ends up at the wrong address having to be redirected.

Those few minutes could be the difference between life and death.

Original poster
Baggyprincess · 19/01/2025 20:22

From the original post, “For property names think Castle House for us and then Castle Forge which they have changed to Castle Forge House for them.”

PLOT TWIST! Spoke to lovely lady at the council who understood the issue and has confirmed that their address is actually Forge House and they should not being using Castle in their address at all. That is not what postcode finder results show but the council are updating the Royal Mail and will be writing toneighbour to advise them of the correct address.

OP posts:
MiddleClassProblem · 19/01/2025 21:37

Well done OP!

Harassedevictee · 19/01/2025 23:24

That is good news.

FlatShoesOnly · 20/01/2025 09:01

Well done OP! Hope this resolves things. Thank you for updating the thread!

Original poster
Baggyprincess · 01/05/2025 11:33

FURTHER UPDATE

Early April, parcel for the daughter addressed to her but the whole address was ours. Text the mum to let her know and it was collected the same evening. The week before last my parcel was misdelivered to them, found it on their doorstep and I the process saw their new house sign Castle forge house (like that with only 1 capital). Updated lady at the council (she was away until this week) and there’s nothing more that they can do! So now I have contacted local councillor for help. I also rang around local letting agents (they’d refused to give details when asked in 2023) and on 6th call I was put onto a very useful website which has given me the landlord and letting agents’ names. Have made contact and left a message for the landlord. Hope he’s reasonable otherwise it’s legal action next.

OP posts:
ButterCrackers · 01/05/2025 11:41

What a hassle for you. I’d say to line up the legal action right away.

Karatema · 01/05/2025 14:30

Oh my! They must be very ignorant people not to understand the palaver this is making for you!

Polistock · 01/05/2025 14:39

You certainly are committed to the issue, I'll give you that.

Original poster
Baggyprincess · 01/05/2025 14:54

Oh my! Just spoken to their Landlady, the house sign will be down today!! She was lovely, totally understood the issues and said that the lease was in another name for the property altogether. I now have her name and details, ironically she lives opposite a family friend 8 miles away.
🤞🏻 we might have a solution.

OP posts:
FeegleFrenzy · 01/05/2025 15:30

Fingers crossed then - but if not I would just keep any of their parcels which come to you and deny all knowledge. If they have negative consequences they will be keener to sort a solution.

Another2Cats · 01/05/2025 18:45

Polistock · 01/05/2025 14:39

You certainly are committed to the issue, I'll give you that.

And why shouldn't she be? Misdelivered mail and parcels is a real problem.

It may not be for you (yeah! great for you) but it very definitely is for others.

[EDIT]

Having just seen some of your previous posts, you do just come across as quite a snarky and abusive person.

It's a bit sad really that you seem to get your kicks from making these sort of comments on different threads.