Postcodes... yes they aren't precise, especially in rural areas they can be quite a large area, but you have nothing else to go for unless you are using google nav, which in turn can be inaccurate because pubs and businesses are self added, sometimes in totally the wrong place!
As for handbrakes, I can't remember, I had a series of random hire cars of different makes a while back and most of them had the bizarre handbrake issue. Citreon? Kia? I can't remember now.
