DEALING WITH JUNK COMMUNICATIONS
In our Information Society - junk communication of many different types has become an ever-increasing problem. There are ways to limit the problem and there is legislation to protect businesses and individuals caught up in the problem.
Mail
The Mailing Preference Service (MPS) is a non profit organisation and since 1983 our main objective has been to encourage good relations between the Direct Mail industry and the general public.
The MPS is funded by the direct mail industry to enable consumers to have their names and home addresses in the UK removed from or added to lists used by the industry. It is actively supported by the Royal Mail and The Direct Marketing Association and fully supported by the Information Commissioner.
Use of the Consumer File by list-owners and users is a requirement of the British Codes of Advertising & Sales Promotion administered by the Advertising Standards Authority, as well as a condition of the Direct Marketing Association's Code of Practice.
How much does it cost?
It is free for consumers to register.
What does it stop?
Registering with MPS will stop most unsolicited consumer advertising material addressed to individuals personally and delivered to their home address by post.
Advertising from companies with which consumers have done business or charities to which they have donated in the past will continue to be delivered. If this mail is not wanted any more, it can only be stopped by contacting the individual company or charity directly.
MPS cannot stop unaddressed leaflets, items addressed to "The Occupier", "The Householder" or a business, nor free newspapers and inserts in magazines and bills. Some local mailings may also not be stopped.
It may not stop mail from overseas: organisations will often base themselves overseas in order to avoid legal and self-regulatory restrictions.
To register go to: www.tpsonline.org.uk and click onto mps
E-mail
This is not as simple as phone, mail and fax. The scheme operated by the Direct Marketing Association only applies to UK based members of the DMA. You can register on this site go to: www.dmachoice.org and click on Preference Services.
Telephone
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) helps you to make sure your home number is no longer available to organisations that may telephone you with offers and information you do not wish to receive.
Under Government legislation introduced on 1 May 1999, it is unlawful to make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who have indicated that they do not want to receive such calls.
You can either do this by contacting companies directly and asking them not to phone you or you can register with a central service (The Telephone Preference Service) to stop all such calls.
The term individual includes consumers at their residential address, sole traders and, partnerships.
It is free to register with the service. Go to: www.tpsonline.org.uk and click onto tps
Fax
Under Government legislation introduced on 1 May 1999 it is unlawful to send an unsolicited sales and marketing fax to an individual (which includes consumers, sole traders and partnerships) without their prior consent
Under the same legislation businesses now have the opportunity to register fax numbers on which they do not wish to receive direct marketing messages.
To register free go to: www.tpsonline.org.uk and click onto fps
If you would like to download this document please click on one of the links below:
Junk Communications (Word Document 113Kb)
Junk Communications (PDF Document 138Kb)
