topic Re: Postcode address lookup in Plusnet Feedback

Postcode address lookup

thedux — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 10:28:51 GMT

The address lookup that Plusnet use comes up with a confusing address for my post code. The problem is that it does not include our village name and, since the same street address also exists in our postal town there is confusion between the two addresses: we often get post for the other address and they probably get some of ours. The post codes are different, of course, but unless the village name is included it doesn't always work.
This problem is not exclusive to Plusnet but I wonder if they could advise their post code look up provider of this issue?

Re: Postcode address lookup

spraxyt — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:08:55 GMT

If you put your postcode into the address-finder at http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder (click the Find an address tab and supply only your postcode) does that include a complete address for your property? I assume that is the official source of the information used by Plusnet's lookup provider.

Re: Postcode address lookup

jelv — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:20:31 GMT

I have access to address lookup using Experian's QAS. If you'd like me to check what that comes up with PM me your postcode.
Most address search utilities have configuration options that define how the address is presented - it's not impossible that PN have misconfigured it.

Re: Postcode address lookup

Oldjim — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:24:25 GMT

On Firefox the Royal Mail postcode finder comes up with this
"You have used up all your searches for today, Sorry. "

Re: Postcode address lookup

jelv — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:28:18 GMT

The royal mail lookup is working in Firefox for me. In the box on the right of where you enter the details it says

Quote
You can still do 15 more searches today.

http://postcodefinder.royalmail.com/popups/limit.aspx

Re: Postcode address lookup

Oldjim — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:35:41 GMT

That was the first one and it worked in IE9 immediately after

Re: Postcode address lookup

jelv — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:43:30 GMT

Try deleting all the cookies for royalmail - I've just done that and it reset the count to 15 after I'd done a few searches.
Edit: You might need this: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cookies-manager-plus/

Re: Postcode address lookup

Oldjim — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:50:33 GMT

Already tried that and it doesn't help

Re: Postcode address lookup

jelv — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:20:49 GMT

Strange! It can't be your IP or it wouldn't work in Internet Explorer.

Re: Postcode address lookup

pierre_pierre — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:28:11 GMT

try looking up 1 Windmill Close SG8, there are two but Google only finds one

Quote
The scaffolding was put up on a property in Windmill Close in Barkway, Royston. However, this was the wrong Windmill Close. The correct address was situated just 8 miles away, in Bassingbourn.
Both streets have an SG8 postcode, yet Google maps and a number of digital maps, including sat-nav maps, reportedly show the newly built road when the older one is searched for.

Re: Postcode address lookup

IanSn — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:39:30 GMT

Had a similar situation just prior to joining PN.
I was checking out another provider who were unable to connect me because my postcode gave the wrong address and they reckoned there was nothing they could do. Pah!
So I checked it out myself. There appears to be more than one list. Royal Mail has it right, but the other one - whatever that is - was referring to a line of houses that haven't existed for at least 15 years -- there is now a block of flats.
All this was well for me because I ended up with PN instead of the other bunch of twicers....

Re: Postcode address lookup

dfunked — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:46:49 GMT

Quote from: thedux
This problem is not exclusive to Plusnet but I wonder if they could advise their post code look up provider of this issue?

Any of the decent postcode lookup solutions out there use data derived from Royal Mail's PAF, and I can't really see Plusnet using anything else tbh... (I could be totally wrong, and I'd love to hear Plusnet's input on this!)
Quite a lot of address elements are considered to be postally non required by Royal Mail, so if you search for your address using the link above and your village doesn't come up there, then you'd really have to take this up with RM instead of Plusnet... (I would advise complaining about it anyway if you're getting someone else's post!)