A wrong address on Google Maps is more than an inconvenience. If you are a roofer or any UK tradesperson whose listing shows an incorrect location, customers are getting confused, your local ranking is suffering, and Google might even flag your profile for inconsistent data. The good news is that most address problems can be fixed within a few days if you follow the right process.
This guide covers how to update your address on Google Business Profile, what to do when your edit keeps getting rejected, and how to handle the trickier scenarios that catch tradespeople out.
Address issues can get your profile suspended — if you would rather have a professional handle it, get in touch and we will sort it out.
Why your address might be wrong on Google Maps
There are several reasons your Google Maps listing could be showing an incorrect address:
You moved and forgot to update. The most straightforward cause. You changed premises or started working from a different location but never updated your Google Business Profile.
Google accepted a user edit. Anyone can suggest edits to your listing on Google Maps. If someone suggests a different address and you do not respond, Google may accept the change automatically. This happens more often than most people realise.
A previous owner or agency made changes. If someone else had access to your profile, they may have updated the address without telling you.
Google's automated systems changed it. Google cross-references your listing with other data sources. If a directory or website shows a different address for your business, Google may "correct" your listing to match — even if the other source is out of date.
Pin location is wrong. Your written address might be correct, but the map pin could be placed in the wrong spot. This sends customers using sat-nav to the wrong location.
How to update your address in Google Business Profile
If you have access to your Google Business Profile, changing your address takes just a few minutes:
- Sign into business.google.com
- Select your business profile
- Click "Edit profile" and then "Business information"
- Under "Location," update your address
- Check that the map pin is in the correct position — drag it if needed
- Save your changes
Google will review the edit. Most address changes are approved within 24 to 48 hours. For some changes, particularly if you are moving to a significantly different area, Google may ask you to re-verify your listing by postcard, phone, or video.
After updating your address, zoom in on the map pin in the profile editor and make sure it sits exactly on your building. A misplaced pin causes problems even when the written address is correct.
What to do when Google keeps rejecting your address change
This is the problem that frustrates most tradespeople. You submit the correct address, Google rejects it, and you are stuck in a loop. Here is why it happens and how to break out:
Inconsistent information elsewhere online. If ten directory websites show your old address and only your GBP shows the new one, Google's systems treat the majority as correct. Fix your address on all major directories first — Yell, Thomson Local, Checkatrade, Bark, and any trade-specific directories you are listed on. Once the data is consistent, resubmit the GBP change.
The address fails Google's validation. Google uses Royal Mail's address database and its own mapping data. If your address is new, unusual, or in a rural area, it might not validate properly. In this case, try entering the address exactly as Royal Mail lists it, including the correct postcode.
You are changing to a residential address. Google scrutinises moves from commercial to residential addresses more closely because of spam concerns. If you genuinely work from home, you may need to provide additional verification. For service-area businesses, consider whether you need to display a street address at all — most tradespeople who travel to customers should hide their address and set service areas instead.
Someone keeps suggesting the old address. If a competitor or former associate keeps submitting edit suggestions with your old address, Google may keep reverting your change. Monitor your listing for suggested edits in the dashboard and reject any incorrect suggestions promptly.
Fixing the map pin without changing the address
Sometimes the written address is correct but the pin on Google Maps points to the wrong spot. This is a separate issue from the address itself.
To fix just the pin:
- Open your profile editor in the Google Business Profile dashboard
- Go to "Location" settings
- Click on the map to adjust the pin position
- Drag the pin to the exact right spot
- Save
If adjusting the pin through the dashboard does not work, you can also suggest a pin correction directly on Google Maps. Search for your business, click "Suggest an edit," and select "Change location on map." This routes through a different review process and sometimes succeeds when the dashboard method does not.
Service-area businesses and address confusion
Many UK tradespeople are service-area businesses — you travel to your customers rather than having them come to you. For these businesses, the address setup is different and commonly misconfigured.
If you are a service-area business, your street address should be hidden from the public. You set your service areas (towns, cities, postcodes, or a radius) instead. Customers see the areas you cover, not your home address.
Problems arise when:
- Your address is set to display publicly when it should be hidden
- Your service areas do not cover the places your customers are searching from
- You have switched from a displayed address to a service area but Google is caching the old address
If your business is not showing on Google Maps after an address change, allow up to a week for the new settings to propagate fully. Google Maps caching can be slow, particularly for service-area changes.
Standard address changes are typically reviewed within two days.
Major address changes may require re-verification by postcard or video.
After you fix the address — clean up everywhere else
Updating your Google Business Profile is only the first step. For the change to stick and to protect your local ranking, you need to update your address everywhere it appears online:
- Your own website (header, footer, contact page, schema markup)
- Yell, Thomson Local, and other directory sites
- Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People, and trade platforms
- Facebook, Instagram, and any social media profiles
- Industry body listings (Gas Safe register, NICEIC, etc.)
Consistent name, address, and phone number data across the web is what Google calls NAP consistency. It is one of the strongest signals for local search ranking. Our guide on business citations explains why this matters and which directories to prioritise.
Get your address sorted properly
A wrong address on Google Maps means missed customers, poor rankings, and the risk of profile suspension. Most fixes are straightforward, but persistent rejection loops and caching issues can make it feel impossible.
If you are a roofer looking for a free GBP audit, we will check your address setup, pin placement, NAP consistency, and service area configuration — everything that affects whether customers can actually find you. Contact us and we will get your listing pointing to the right place.