And it shall be known as Mutant's manor from this point on.

November 12, 2009 5:28 AM

Anyone name their house in London?

Our house needs a very fine name.

Anyone name their house in London?

We were curious if anyone had named their house in London? We see lots of instructions and processes on how to do this in different regions of the UK, but none for London.

Is this something that's no longer done in London? I've been all over our council's web site, and can't find any relevant information. Is this possibly something that's no longer done at the Local Council level in London? If so are we talking London Assembly or who?

We're in Tower Hamlets if that matters.

posted by Mutant to home & garden (7 answers total)

Assuming you mean naming your house in the sense that it will no longer be "52, Main Street" and will now be "Oak Cottage, Main Street", then this might be helpful.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:36 AM on November 12, 2009

First of all, is your road a council adopted road: if it's a main road it may be TfL or Highways Agency who are responsible for numbering etc. Have you tried emailing General Enquiries at Tower Hamlets?
posted by Electric Dragon at 5:43 AM on November 12, 2009

I live in a house with a name not a number. It was like that when I found it though so no advice on the process of moving form one to the other.

Be aware that it is often a pain in the arse - if I had a penny for every time I've said, 'No, there's no number'. The postcode lookup software that call centres often use, historically had a problem finding chez moi but this seems less of an issue as time goes by.
posted by dmt at 6:03 AM on November 12, 2009 [1 favorite]

We were curious if anyone had named their house in London? We see lots of instructions and processes on how to do this in different regions of the UK, but none for London.

Is this something that's no longer done in London? I've been all over our council's web site, and can't find any relevant information. Is this possibly something that's no longer done at the Local Council level in London? If so are we talking London Assembly or who?

Okay, I don't live in London, but grew up in an area where house names were very common. The general rule was that you could name your house whatever you pleased, and use that name for postal things, just so long as you keep the address line the same below that. You don't need to inform anybody or register a name, simply because it isn't official and you keep your number regardless. Usage of the name simply trickles down as it gets put in databases here and there. The same process goes for losing a house name - you just stop using it and it disappears (unless you don't have a number), and my parents' old house did exactly that despite the name still being displayed at the front. Several of the links you give say the same by the looks of it. If you already have a house name, then it's different, and I don't think you can lose a house number for just a name in many areas.

Here's my old council: If a property is already numbered, a property owner can also name their property without contacting the council.

The property name in this case will not officially form part of the property address. The property number must still be displayed and referred to in any correspondence.

In London? No idea if it's any different. But even if nobody uses a house name where you live, you're free to be the lone eccentric who lives at "Squirington Fort, 37 Totnes Crescent, Tower Hamlets", if you please. I can't imagine anybody stopping you from doing this unless you live in a listed building. Just buy a sign and stick it up, it's what everybody else does, honestly.
posted by Sova at 7:18 AM on November 12, 2009

Does this need to be a formal process. Can't you just name your house whatever you want. Surely you will still need to include your proper address for deliveries and such.

I live in Bermuda and most every house has a name. Here are a few out of the phonebook: Ten Talents, Neptune Court, Captain's Walk, Sargasso Cottage, Chatajack, Dancing Waters, Fiddler's Green, Fig Tree, Summerhaven, Mangrove Hill, Gates Fort, Grey Gables, Tweedside, Greenacre, Crows Nest, Old Rectory, Turtle Place
posted by jasondigitized at 8:49 AM on November 12, 2009

I also don't live in London (or the U.K., for that matter), but my husband's family own houses with names, and there are a few on my side as well, so I am dropping in to second what Sova and jasondigitized say. I would like to point out that it will be infinitely easier for mail and any other kind of deliveries if you retain a numerical address (I speak from sad experience), and just informally add a house name that pleases you.

(jasondigitized, those are great house names in Bermuda; some from houses I know include Khatmandu, Little Rest, The Willows, Ark, As You Like It ....)
posted by gudrun at 9:28 AM on November 12, 2009

Some Oxford student friends of mine who lived near this named their shared house "Sharkview." Another group house down the street, a little closer, promptly got named "Better Sharkview."

So go for it. Maybe you'll start a trend!
posted by Pallas Athena at 10:09 AM on November 12, 2009 [1 favorite]