A Unique Property Reference Number, usually shortened to UPRN, is an identifier used to distinguish an addressable location. It can help organisations match records even where the written address appears in different formats. GOV.UK recommends the standard for identifying property locations.
Why the number is useful
Property records may use a building name, a flat number or an alternative spelling of a street. An identifier gives a system another way to match information. It does not remove the need to check that a record refers to the correct flat or building.
For a landlord, a practical use is to keep the reference alongside the postal address in a property register. That makes it easier to investigate a mismatch between a supplier's record and your own, without relying only on similar-looking addresses.
Check the address and the property together
GeoPlace provides the FindMyAddress service for looking up official addresses and UPRNs in Great Britain. Review the full result before copying a number. In a converted building, check whether the record relates to the individual unit or the wider site.
If the address looks wrong, keep a note of the discrepancy and ask the relevant address-record provider or local authority how to resolve it. Avoid replacing an existing reference simply because another search result looks more familiar.
Keep a clear audit trail
Record where you obtained the reference and when you checked it. When importing a spreadsheet, preserve the original address as well as the identifier so that a questionable match can be investigated.
A UPRN identifies a location; it should not be treated as evidence of ownership, planning consent, a licence or the condition of the building. Those questions require their own records.
Editorial review: 14 October 2026. This original Property Perpetuity guide replaces the imported text; the original archive publication date is retained.