Street Naming and Numbering

The Council is the Street Naming and Numbering Authority for the area. It carries out these functions under the provisions of Sections 64-65 of the Town Improvement Clauses Act 1847 and sections 17-29 of the Public Health Act 1925.

Local Authority Duty with regards to Street Naming and Numbering (pdf)

Fees are chargeable for certain aspects of the Street Naming and Numbering process. Current Fees can be downloaded below*

Street naming and numbering fees from 1 January 2023.

Apply online to change, add or remove a property name.

Can I name my house without contacting the Council?

If a property is already numbered, a property owner can add a name to their property. The Local Authority should be notified, as the Royal Mail may not accept notification of the addition without confirmation by the Local Authority. The Local Authority will check to ensure that there is not another property within the vicinity that they are aware of with a similar name. Many databases, including Royal Mail for postal address purposes can only record this name as an "alias" and the name may not form part of the recognised postal address. The property number must still be displayed and referred to in any correspondence; for example:

'My House' (not part of postal address)
1 My Road (official address)
Town
Postcode

Please note that it is no longer necessary for you to quote your County in your postal address.

How do I name my House?

In the case of properties where there is no number allocated, property owners wishing to change the property name need to put their request in writing (e-mail acceptable) stating their name, the present full address of the property and state clearly their new preferred name.

We will check our records to see if there is a similarly named property in the locality. If the name is satisfactory, then the new address is registered and you will be informed accordingly. If there is an issue with your preferred name, we will request alternatives.

The property name-change information is then sent to Royal Mail, emergency and essential services and other relevant Council Services. It is the responsibility of property owners to inform their own personal contacts etc.

Change, add or remove a property name Application Form

Developing a Single Property/Small Development - How do I number properties?

If you are a developer of a new property (single or small development), you should contact us as soon as you commence work on site. (The Local Authority may contact you prior to this time to check whether you are ready to proceed). For single properties, it is usual to include them into the existing numbering scheme whenever possible. Small developments will be treated on an individual basis.

Developing a Large Estate - How do I Name New Streets and Number Properties?

It is preferred that names are of Local or Historic significance, but other names are open to consideration. Ideally at least 3 names should be submitted for consideration for each road. If the Developer requires suggestions for names, they are encouraged to speak with the local Parish Council or Rickmansworth Historical Society for the Rickmansworth area or Moor Park 1958 (the Estate Management company) for the Moor Park area. The District Council may do this on behalf of the Developer with any suggestions fed back to them if preferred.

We will consult with interested parties, including Royal Mail, regarding the suggested names. When we have an agreed name, we will then register the street name/s and prepare a numbering schedule.

The information is then sent to Royal Mail, public utilities, emergency services, Land Registry and relevant Council services. A postal code is requested. You will be sent a copy of the naming and numbering schedule from which we would ask you to inform all your prospective purchasers of their new property address. You will be asked to provide new street name plates to our standard design.

What happens if a street needs renaming/renumbering?

On rare occasions it becomes necessary to rename or renumber a street. This is usually only done when:

there is confusion over a street's name and/or numbering
a group of residents are unhappy with their street name

What happens if the residents of houses with names only request postal numbering?

Roads which primarily have house names rather than numbers will only be considered for official numbering schemes on submission of a formal proposition, endorsed by the majority of residents.

If a named-only house is within a road primarily with postal numbering, a postal number can be allocated if available. However, please be aware that this number may take precedence with the Royal Mail for postal address purposes.

We strive to provide you with an open and prompt service.