Combining two properties

My husband and I have just bought 2 semi detached cottages which are on two separate title deeds. In some situations the properties are classed as 1 house (insurance, council tax  etc) but they are technically still 2 on the Royal Mail system and as far as our local council are concerned. We would like to knock through and make it 1 house and to have it classed as 1 for ease. I have phoned the local council to see what the procedure is for legally making it 1 property and they said I just needed to fill in a form and follow the same process as if we were changing the house name. This seems too simple - is there anything else we need to do? Would there be any advantages to have the deeds combined or can we leave the land register as it is?

Abigail - it really is that simple as the local authority control postal addresses for electoral roll purposes. So if you ant to rename, renumber or change existing addresses you need to go through them, with a form, and they have to approve it.
Once the address has been changed you can contact us with a copy of the confirmation from them and we can update the two title deeds as appropriate.
There's very rarely a need to apply for the two titles to be amalgamated into one and such requests can be refused as a result. However if 2 have become 1 then it might be prudent to make the request, and update the postal address at the same time, bearing in mind that a future buyer/mortgage lender may take issue with the 2 title scenario
If we turn around and say no for any reason we can still update the registers re the address and you get the £40 fee back plus an explanation as to why we have said No

An amalgamation is the joining of two or more parcels of registered or unregistered estates affecting different extents of land under a single registered title.

We do not amalgamate titles unless some positive advantage accrues to a number of prospective purchasers (such as an amalgamation of areas of land comprising a housing development), or the request does not add unnecessarily to our workload.

Amalgamation can only happen where: 

• the estates are of the same kind [for example, freehold title] 
• the estates are owned by the same proprietor[s] and in the same capacity [for example, if an owner holds one title as joint proprietor and another as sole proprietor, amalgamation of the two cannot take place]
• the impact upon any encumbrances on individual titles, such as mortgages, have been accounted for  

If you wish to apply for amalgamation you will need to complete and submit:

• Form AP1
• a covering letter outlining the reasons for the request along with any supporting evidence [If you are being refused insurance, for example, then you should include a copy of that refusal with the application]
• a sufficient description or plan of the land being amalgamated 
• a fee of £40.00 [cheques/postal orders to be made payable to HM Land Registry]

To find out where to send the completed form, see Land Registry address for applications.

Your application and any supporting documentation will be considered on receipt.