Villagers want action to stop paying price for postcode

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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HOMEOWNERS in a "forgotten corner of Carmarthenshire" say they are paying the price for Swansea's "high crime rate".

People in the village of Ystradowen, which is right at the top of the Amman Valley, say they are being hit with large insurance premiums because they have an SA9 Swansea postcode.

They feel that as a rural, low-crime area they should come under the SA18 address of the other villages on the Carmarthenshire side of the county border.

"Our car insurance and house insurance has a black mark against it because we get lumped in with Swansea and its higher crime rate," said Les Wrangles, chairman of Quarter Bach community council.

"SA18 is considered a rural postcode and the crime rate is very low around here.

"The difference in insurance premiums is quite big and it hits people hard — especially at a tough time like this.

"We feel like the forgotten corner of Carmarthenshire."

Community councillor Clive Trotman added: "I live in SA9 and the sorting office is in Pontardawe.

"The insurance costs are much higher here.

"Between all the payments it works out at a few hundred quid a year more.

"It's not fair for a small village like us to be classed the same as the rest of Swansea."

The area has been battling to get its postcode changed for around four years.

But the plight has been hampered by the fact Royal Mail does not consider insurance premiums when allocating postcodes, just the direction of mail.

Royal Mail spokeswoman Val Bodden said: "The postcode is a Royal Mail operational tool designed to ensure the accurate sorting, routing and delivery of our customers' mail.

"Postcode boundaries do not necessarily reflect geographical or administrative boundaries.

"Royal Mail does not normally change postcodes unless there is a pressing operational reason to do so.

"However, there is a process for customers to request a change under the code of practice for postal addressing."

Quarter Bach Community Council is now renewing its attempt to get the postcode changed.

At a recent meeting clerk Alan Pedrick asked members: "How are we going to get a change in postcode?"

The community council agreed they would again write to Royal Mail. Councillors urged Mr Pedrick to include their concerns about the hike in insurance costs.

[Lounge Lizard]

"The area has been battling to get its postcode changed for around four years." - they've got no chance whatsoever of changing it, and quite rightly so. Their efforts should be to get insurance companies to recognise smaller divisions, postcode sectors not postcode districts.