# Why we should capture good quality addresses at source ## Addresses: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Image showing 12 different variations of how an address could be represented

examples of addresses of different quality

## The impact of poor-quality addresses * Returned mail. * Potential to remove customer access to goods or services. * Delays to the delivery of goods and services. * Affects organisational efficiency. * Creates bottlenecks. * Creates flawed insights. * Reduces confidence. * Negatively impacts system implementation and migration. * GDPR – Data breaches. * Results in costly expenses.
image of a shield with a cross
## What makes a good quality address? * Complete (House Name / Number, Road Name & Postcode). *Contains all the information required to find the property or post a letter to.* * Validated. *It’s been through a quality control process.* * Up to date. *It’s current.* * Links to a Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN). *Enables linking to other datasets.* * Contains co-ordinates.\ \&#xNAN;*Provides a geographical locator.*
aerial image of houses
## How to capture a good quality address? An address lookup lets users specify a UK address by entering their postcode and selecting a valid address from a list. It could also be configured to enter a street name or number. In the background this can be configured to take advantage of the UPRN and other associated attribution depending on data source.
image of New Forest District website with a list of addresses to select from
## Considerations When a need to capture addressing occurs the following questions should be considered:
How current does the data need to be? How often does the data need to be updated? Daily, weekly, 6-weekly?
What geographical area does the data need to cover? It is limited to your operational area or beyond?
How can the system access the address information? What formats can it use?
## Sources of a good quality address * Your Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG), if you have one * AddressBase * AddressBase Core * AddressBase Plus * AddressBase Premium * OS Places API * Other commercially available address products ## Benefits of capturing a good quality address * Consistency * Enables the linking of disparate data * Significant reduction in human error * Time saving by reducing the need for address matching * Increased efficiency through automation * Reduce fraud * Easier to share data with external organisations/partners * Adheres to Government Digital Service style guide
An example of a well captured address: 10 Downing Street

An example of a well captured address: 10 Downing Street

## **Capture It Right, Once – Always Right!** *** This content has been developed from what was originally a Lightning Talk PowerPoint slide set. These slides are available to PSGA members to view and download from the [PSGA members area of the OS website](https://auth.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/my.policy) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.os.uk/more-than-maps/data-in-action/customer-best-practice/why-we-should-capture-good-quality-addresses-at-source.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.