What is the MPS?
The Mailing Preference Service (MPS) is a free service set up 20 years ago and funded by the direct mail industry to enable consumers to have their names and home addresses in the UK removed from lists used by the industry. It is actively supported by the Royal Mail and all directly involved trade associations and fully supported by The Information Commissioners Office.
The MPS Consumer File is a list of names and addresses of consumers who have told us they wish to limit the amount of direct mail they receive. The use of the Consumer File by list-owners and users is a requirement of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing administered by the Advertising Standards Authority. It is also a condition under the Code of Practice of the Direct Marketing Association.
The MPS will prevent the receipt of unsolicited direct mailings sent from member companies of the Direct Marketing Association and we will take steps to prevent the receipt of unsolicited direct mailings from companies which are non-DMA members. It will not stop mail that has been sent from overseas, un-addressed material or mail addressed to The Occupier. You can expect to continue to receive mailings from companies with whom you have done business in the past. You may also receive mailings from small, local companies. If you wish these mailings to be stopped, you must notify these companies directly. It will take up to 4 months for the Service to have full effect although you should notice a reduction in mail during this period.
Registering with the MPS is FREE
'Your Choice' Preference Service for Unaddressed Mail
Unaddressed Material
Many local and national organisations like to communicate information to people using unaddressed mail and door to door material delivered directly to their homes. Such items can include free newspapers, free magazines, catalogues, information leaflets, advertising brochures & money-off coupons, local directories and free product samples.
Organisations who communicate in this way include local authorities, central government, utility companies (e.g. gas, water, electricity), public service organisations, charities, political parties, local education bodies, local shops and providers of local services.
These kinds of items are delivered to most homes within a given area and do not involve the householders name and address being asked for or kept on record.
Unaddressed Mail or 'door to door' items (i.e. items that do not have individual names or addresses recorded on them) are delivered to homes by a number of different companies.
DMA
The Direct Marketing Association UK (DMA) is the trade body for the direct marketing industry. The majority of national distribution companies involved in the door to door delivery of unaddressed mail, as well as some local distribution companies, are members of the DMA.
DMA membership includes a proportion of free newspaper publishers and the majority of national door to door distribution companies including The Royal Mail.
How to Contact the DMA to find out about stopping delivery of Unaddressed Mail
Although the communications they carry are usually valued and informative, door to door distribution companies recognise that not everyone may want to receive these items.
Those companies that are members of the DMA agree to abide by the expressed wishes of householders who do not wish to receive unaddressed material through their letterbox.
For details on how householders can exercise .Your Choice. and ask distribution companies to stop the delivery of unaddressed mail to their homes, please contact the DMA by letter, fax, telephone or e-mail and ask for details of the 'Your Choice' Preference Service for Unaddressed Mail. Please note, that registration with Your Choice will last for 2 years, after which you will need to re-register with the service.
DMA 'Your Choice' contact details:
'Your Choice' Preference Scheme Dept.
Direct Marketing Association (UK)
DMA House
70, Margaret Street,
London
W1W 8SS
Telephone: 020 7291 3300
Fax: 020 7323 4165
e-mail: yourchoice@dma.org.uk
How to complain
If you still receive unsolicited mailings despite your registration with the Mailing Preference Service you may like to take advantage of our complaint handling service.
We would need a full copy of the mailing in question including the envelope. The envelope is important as it often has a code on it which helps the mailer identify the source of your name and address.
We will write to the company concerned and ask for an explanation as to why the mailing was sent. If it is a breach of the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion we pass the complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority for action.
The address to send your complaints to is:
Mailing Preference Service
MPS Freepost LON20771
London
W1E 0ZT
Using the Freepost address will delay a response
MPS Complaint Department
Mailing Preference Service
DMA House
70 Margaret Street
London
W1W 8SS