Hundreds of addresses lost in post

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A ROYAL Mail error led to several hundred postal addresses throughout the Highlands disappearing over the past year after being removed from the Post Office database.
The situation meant that the addresses of large numbers of holiday homes in the area no longer existed.

Highland Council highlighted the issue as it was concerned that removing postal codes from the Post Office Address File (PAF) made it difficult
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for occupiers to obtain insurance, utility connections, or goods ordered by phone or online.

The PAF is used by many businesses, from British Telecom to mortgage providers, and a post code is usually the first personal detail requested by companies dealing with the public.

The database is also used for planning the provision of public services – including emergency ones – and by commercial GPS navigation systems.

The Royal Mail admits it made an error in deleting addresses, but denies it has a policy of removing addresses not permanently occupied, including holiday homes. It said it is making arrangements to have them reinstated.

The council said it had examples of addresses being removed from Caithness to Lochaber between January and December 2008.

On the island of Raasay, the number of postal addresses dropped from 164 to 102 and in the north of the island numbers fell from seven to just one.

In Wester Ross, the village of Lochcarron saw a reduction from 351 to 310, Applecross experienced a drop from 32 to 24 and the community of Milton witnessed a fall from 17 to 11.

Half the homes sharing the post code IV54 8LR also disappeared from the database last year.

Ian Ross, chairman of the council's planning, environment and development committee, said he was pleased the matter is being rectified: "We were concerned with the removal of a number of postal addresses in rural communities across the Highland Council area.

"Such action by Royal Mail could have significant implications for householders in their ability to receive a broad range of services."

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "Royal Mail does not have a policy to remove addresses not in full time permanent occupation, including holiday homes, from the Postcode Address File.

"The only addresses removed by Royal Mail are those which no longer exist, or which are no longer physically accessible or which are obviously completely unoccupied and abandoned."

She said there is no evidence to suggest the error was repeated in other areas.