Frequently Asked Questions

• FULL LIST OF FAQS

UK Postcode/Address Query

1. Change of business or house name
2. How can I convert to latitude and longitude or obtain the grid reference?
3. I am trying to find a new building/postcode
4. My postcode is not recognised.
5. My postcode is recognised on the Royal Mail website but not on Multimap.
6. PO Boxes
7. Search tips
8. The marker indicating my postcode location is wrong.
9. The marker indicating my postcode location is slightly wrong.
10. Why can't I find the address/place I am looking for?
11. Why can't I produce a map for a valid Isle of Man/Channel Islands postcode/address?
12. Why can't I produce a map for a valid Northern Ireland postcode/address?
13. Why is my address incorrect?

1. Change of business or house name

   There are 27 million addresses within the UK. The central database that holds this information is maintained by Royal Mail within their Postcode and Address Finder facility (PAF database). Royal Mail supplies this data to Multimap.com and you can check postcodes and addresses on the Royal Mail site here: http://www.royalmail.com.
   
   To amend your address or postcode details, please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives regular updates from Royal Mail, so any changes reported to them will eventually filter through to the site. Please be aware however, that this process can take several months.

   back to top

2. How can I convert to latitude and longitude or obtain the grid reference?

   We offer a business geocoding service. If this is of interest, please email details of your requirement to sales@multimap.com.
   
   The datum we use is WGS84 (World Geodetic System 1984). Most GPS receivers use this datum as well. You can find more information at http://www.wgs84.com.

   back to top

3. I am trying to find a new building/postcode

   The postcode data is supplied to us by Royal Mail who receive the geographic co-ordinates that place the circle on the map from Ordnance Survey (OS). When a new building, property or postcode is developed, the first set of co-ordinates is a "guesstimate" supplied by the UK's governing body for national statistics to OS. These co-ordinates will become more accurate once the OS has surveyed the area and recorded the exact positioning. The updated co-ordinates are then added to the OS central database and subsequently supplied to Royal Mail. We would therefore expect to receive the correct co-ordinates for your postcode in due course, but this process can be lengthy and we are unable to give you a precise timescale for this data to appear on our site.

   back to top

4. My postcode is not recognised.

   Please check your postcode on the Royal Mail site here. If the details are incorrect at Royal Mail please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives data updates from Royal Mail every three months.
   
   If the postcode is correct on Royal Mail but not on Multimap, this could mean the postcode is new or has changed and we have not yet received the data update.

   back to top

5. My postcode is recognised on the Royal Mail website but not on Multimap.

   We receive our address data from the Royal Mail. Therefore, if the address is valid on the Royal Mail website but isn't recognised on Multimap, you can rest assured that it will filter through in future updates. Unfortunately, we're unable to provide clear timescales for this improvement to take place as it is dependent on our suppliers.

   back to top

6. PO Boxes

   When a Royal Mail customer has a PO Box, the mail is held at the sorting office. They don't get any mail deliveries, so the Ordnance Survey assigns their postcode the co-ordinates of the sorting office, not the customer's real-world location. Because our overlay map data is all based on postal delivery points, we don't know the physical location of the business if it's a PO Box. The location of the sorting office is all we have.

   back to top

7. Search tips

   To find the map you require, use the Advanced search fields here. The most accurate way to search is to complete as many fields as possible.
   
   For a simple search, you can use the quick search on the Home Page here. Words must be separated by spaces or commas and when entering an address ensure it is in the same order that it is written. If you cannot find something using the quick search, you should be able to find it by using the advanced search.
   
   You may be offered a choice of streets or towns before getting through to the required map. The list of possible matches is shown beneath the search fields; matches are indicated by spots on the map.
   
   When you have the map you require, you can use the buttons to zoom in or out to a different scale, and pan north, south, east or west.
   
   You can check that the postcode you are entering is valid by checking it on Royal Mail here.

   back to top

8. The marker indicating my postcode location is wrong.

   The geographic co-ordinates for each UK postcode are created and maintained by various map data suppliers. If the marker for your postcode is in the wrong location, it may be because the coordinates listed for your postcode have been wrongly estimated. We receive regular updates so any changes will eventually filter through to the Multimap website.
   

   back to top

9. The marker indicating my postcode location is slightly wrong.

   The postcode data is supplied to us by Royal Mail who receive the geographic co-ordinates that place the circle on the map from Ordnance Survey (OS). If you have entered a full postcode to produce a map and the marker is in slightly the wrong location, this is usually because the postcode alone is shared between several addresses and therefore may cover a whole street or set of streets. In such cases, the various map data suppliers will place the red circle roughly in the middle of (or somewhere close to) the geographic span of these addresses. You can check your postcode and address details on http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm.
   
   

   back to top

10. Why can't I find the address/place I am looking for?

    There are 27 million addresses within the UK. The central database that holds this information is maintained by Royal Mail within their Postcode and Address Finder facility (PAF database). Royal Mail supplies this data to Multimap.com so if you are having difficulty in finding an address or a postcode on our site, please check it on the Royal Mail site here: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm.
    
    If you find that your address or postcode details are incorrectly listed, please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives regular updates from Royal Mail, so any changes reported to them will eventually filter through to the site.
    
    If the postcode is correct on the Royal Mail website, but not on Multimap, this could mean the postcode is new or has changed and we have not yet received the data update. Therefore, if the correct address is with the Royal Mail on its website, you can rest assured that it will filter through to our site in due course.

    back to top

11. Why can't I produce a map for a valid Isle of Man/Channel Islands postcode/address?

    At the moment, the suppliers we use do not yet have street-level map data for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. As soon as this data is made available to us, we will publish it on our site.

    back to top

12. Why can't I produce a map for a valid Northern Ireland postcode/address?

    We have street level map data for many parts of Northern Ireland, but not all. We will continue in our efforts to source this data and hope to offer it on the site in the future.

    back to top

13. Why is my address incorrect?

    There are 27 million addresses within the UK. The central database that holds this information is maintained by Royal Mail within their Postcode and Address Finder facility (PAF database). Royal Mail supplies this data to Multimap.com so if you are having difficulty in finding an address or a postcode on our site, please check it on the Royal Mail site here: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm.
    
    If you find that your address or postcode details are incorrectly listed, please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives regular updates from Royal Mail, so any changes reported to them will eventually filter through to the site.
    
    If the postcode is correct on the Royal Mail website, but not on Multimap, this could mean the postcode is new or has changed and we have not yet received the data update. Therefore, if the correct address is with the Royal Mail on its website, you can rest assured that it will filter through to our site in due course.

    back to top