Greytown street number changed 3 times in days

Hit and miss street-numbering has infuriated a Udy Street resident in Greytown after council officers changed her address three times in the past few days.
Businesswoman Rose Burrin shifted five months ago to the dappled private lane she shares with another resident off the roadway and lived at 6 Udy Street when she left on Friday to visit friends. Several hours later she returned to find her letterbox announcing to the world she lived at 17 Udy Street.
On Tuesday she wheeled out her rubbish for collection to find her fickle letterbox proclaiming she now lived at 15B Udy Street.
Ms Burrin yesterday called half an hour before her Times-Age interview at home to confirm the number was the same "just in case it changes again".
"A woman came around a few months ago and asked about the changing of the street numbers from rural to urban. It's not the change that bothers me though it's needed but there was no warning apart from a photocopied message after the fact," she said.
"The message says they'll pay for all mail redirection but when I called the mayor she said the Post Office who are absolutely gob-smacked would hold all my mail until my number is set. The Fire Service haven't been told yet and what about ambulance?"
Ms Burrin said what irks her most is she is running five businesses from her home, including the importation of retail goods, and the numbering "farce" is threatening her livelihood.
"It's the 20th today and I run five businesses from here how am I meant to send out invoices when my address is at this point still a lottery," she said.
On Friday Ms Burrin had workmen visiting, who mistakenly went to the new number 6. They called later to say they visited an empty home "but I was here at number 17, no, number 15b whatever I was here waiting for them".
"Then I get a courier delivery for the new number six today and mail from the Post Office that should be held.
"Nobody knows what's going on, least of all myself," she said.
"And even if council pay for redirection, how long will that last?"
South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples said yesterday the renumbering at Udy Street is almost complete and Ms Burrin will now "permanently" hold the 15B address.
"The problem with Ms Burrin arose because of the two back sections. But I am concerned about the way things were handled. People should have been notified," she said.
"It was a staff error and poor performance."
Mrs Staples said the Post Office has now been advised of the completed changes and supplied with both old and new numbers and the relevant residents' names.
Emergency services have also been notified of the renumbering, she said.
Two nearby neighbours Jim Farley and Rachel Hall each said they have had no problems so far since their addresses were renumbered on Friday.