House Numbers

[belfastcustomer]

Hello All

I live in an apartment block. The six houses were numbered before the properties were sold. All but one of the owners put the number on the door as they took ownership. One owner in the block has still to put a number on or near their door. (10 years)

The Top floor landing has two houses: Number 5 (with house number) and Number 11 (not identified)
The numbers (all odd) begin at the bottom of the building on the left side and go up.
The sequence is left side apts Number 1 (G/F) Number 3 (middle) and Number 5 (top floor)
numbers continue on the right side ground floor also going up with Number 7(G/F) Number 9(middle), number 11 (top floor) the unmarked house number.
Because of the lack of identification at house number 11, mail addresses to Number 7 is occasionally being posted to house number 11 as it shares the common top floor with number 5
I have been told by ex postmen that the Post office often use my area to train new staff. As I see it the postman can drop off mail at number 5 and accidentally put mail addressed for house number 7 in the letterbox of 11 because the house number is not on the door.
I have reported this to the Head Post office. They said they would put an instruction notice for postmen to be careful with the layout in this building. The situation is still causing problems
Can anyone tell me if I can insist that my neighbour identifies their house with a number? I think the postman needs to be able to properly identify the top floor unmarked house as number 11. I have also met residents in the next street who are getting mail that is addressed to house number 11 from my building.
I understand that a postman should not post mail unless they are sure the address is correct. I have tried and pleaded MANY times with the owner at house number 11 to identify their house with a number.
It now looks very likely that they have become defiant.
My last resort is to have anyone who sends me mail add which floor my house is located on. I realise that this is not always possible. E.g. At the last local election. My local election voting card was posted to the wrong address.
Hopefully someone can shed some light on what can be done to resolve this problem.
I do not want to get a postman in trouble with this problem. Any help on how to legally deal with this problem would be appreciated

[Izzy]

Well the initial cause of this problem is the muppet who originally gave the flats their numbers. But since they and the residents of 11 are outwith your control I can see your problem (I'm assuming you live in 7). One unofficial way of dealing with this problem is to write a small '11' (1/8 inch figures) in pencil at eye height on the wall right next to the door jamb. You'd be amazed at how unobtrusive this is unless you're looking for it. Experienced posties in a confusing block of flats should know where to look for this clue. Inexperienced posties are another matter.

Secondly there is the issue of walk sequence. Depending on the direction of the stairwell (assuming no lift) your flats are delivered in the order 1, 7, 3, 9, 5, 11 or 7, 1, 9, 3, 11, 5.The posties bundle of letters should be in walk order so they should have delivered to 7 before getting to the top landing. It is highly likely that no-one has ever bothered to correct this glitch.

Write a letter to the Delivery Office Manager for (insert your address) by Recorded Delivery (keep a note of the barcode number). Ask them to update the Aplus walk log, walk sequence trays and sorting frame. Include a sketch of the stairwell and a precise specification of the order of the doors as you walk from the entrance to the top landing. Ask that they reassure you that this has been done within 28 days of the date of recept of the letter, otherwise you will be taking the matter up with the regulator.

Don't worry about getting a postie into trouble about misdelivery. The flats are not in sequence and are not all marked. It is true that a postie shouldn't guess but in practice we do quite often, and then sometimes wrong. Sorry.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

You could also consider reporting them to the local council. Its a legal requirement anywhere in the UK for House names and (not or) numbers to be prominently displayed to help the emergency services.

[Izzy]

Thankyou TBT I didn't know that.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Towns Improvement Clauses Act 1847 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/10-11/34" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Numbers of houses to be renewed by occupiers.

The occupiers of houses and other buildings in the streets shall mark their houses with such numbers as the commissioners approve of, and shall renew such numbers as often as they become obliterated or defaced; and every such occupier who fails, within one week after notice for that purpose from the commissioners, to mark his house with a number approved of by the commissioners, or to renew such number when obliterated, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £20 and the commissioners shall cause such numbers to be marked or to be renewed, as the case may require, and the expence thereof shall be repaid to them by such occupier, and shall be recoverable as damages.

[belfastcustomer]

My thanks to all who posted replies.

TBT you are ace. I am feeling more confident I will get a solution to the problem now. The law is there for a reason. I can well appreciate the confusion where emergency services cannot find a house because of this sort of behaviour.
I am very aware of the challenges to the health service and beyond caused by changing post codes in Fermanagh last year.

Izzy
There is a lot of very good advice in your post. I will try the small numbers as a first step, then take it from there should that not work.

I meet my regular postie this morning. he is just back from holiday, Nice man. He does not have any such problems with deliveries. This supports my fears that this problem only tends to happen either if the regular postie is on holiday or the other posties are on training and are unaware of the problem. As you say Izzy the relief/trainees posties are rookies and my not have been introduced to the assist.

I am it debt to you all

Best regards

BelfastCustomer