De-junking.

[pseudomonas]

Not had any junk mail from Virgin for a couple of months - I surmise that my opting-out email has had some effect. I've shoved the details here in the hope it might save a tree or two.

Comments

[lnr]

Most of the time if we get Virgin junk mail it's in a bundle with a bunch of flyer-type, rather than addressed to our address. But it's got to be worth a try!

[pseudomonas]

For that there's http://www.blogs.stopjunkmail.org.uk/royaljunkmail/index.php?/pages/junkbuster.html

[lnr]

Oooh, that's rather nice! I'll let you know how well it works. And I've also mailed the dma.org.uk link in the email below while I was at it.

I'd like to avoid having to post a PDF if I can, but we'll see!

It *is* a bit hopeless that you can only opt out for 2 years at a time. It must be a pain for the posties to remember which houses aren't meant to get it too!

[lnr]

I've just remembered, this may also opt us out of leaflets from the local authority. I should have thought of that sooner! Oops.

[pseudomonas]

If the local authority doesn't have an RSS feed, then they bloody should have.

[pseudomonas]

Though actually, if you don't email Royal Mail to opt out, but instead use http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~adamb/images/Door_to_Door_Opt_out_form.pdf I'd like to know if that works.

The email you're certifying that you've read and understood is the tedious:

Dear Householder
Royal Mail Door to Door

Thank you for contacting Royal Mail about the ‘opting out’ of Door to Door deliveries. We are happy to
stop deliveries of unaddressed items to your address, but before doing so we need to make you fully aware
of the implications of opting out, and to get your written authorisation to stop deliveries of these
items.

The main areas for you to consider are:

• The opt out service only relates to unaddressed mail delivered by us. Royal Mail is still legally obliged to deliver all addressed mail, which includes mail that is addressed “To the Occupier” (or with any other generic recipient information), as well as mail that is personally addressed to you by name.

• It is not possible for Royal Mail to separate material you don’t want from material that you do want, such as advertising offers or leaflets from Central and Local Government and other public bodies. Opting out from Royal Mail Door to Door stops all unaddressed items from being delivered by us (although in exceptional circumstances Government may request that we make an exception to this opt out). Election material is not delivered by the Door to Door service and is therefore not affected by this opt out.

• Opting out means no one at the address will receive unaddressed mail items - is this acceptable to everyone living at the property?

• Please be aware that Royal Mail only delivers about 25% of the total volume of unaddressed mail items in the United Kingdom. The opt out will not cover any other distributors, who will continue to deliver unaddressed mail items. Opting out of Royal Mail Door to Door deliveries will not necessarily reduce by a significant amount of the number of items that you will receive, as there are other carriers in the market place.

If you would like to opt-out from deliveries from other unaddressed mail distributors, who are member of the Direct Marketing Association, you may wish to register with the Your Choice Preference Scheme run by the Direct Marketing Association. The contacts details are:

Your Choice Preference Scheme
Direct Marketing Association (UK) Ltd
DMA House
70, Margaret Street,
London W1W 8SS
Telephone: 020 7291 3300
Fax: 020 7323 4165
Email: yourchoice@dma.org.uk

If you would like to stop any other unwanted communications please visit www.mydm.co.uk, which provides details on all other preference services, or call the Mailing Preference Service on 0845 703 4599

If you still wish to opt out of receiving Door to Door mail items, please complete the attached form and return it to the address given on the form and we will process your request. Every effort will be made to prevent the delivery of Door to Door mail items by Royal Mail. Exceptionally, if relief staff are used, an occasional delivery may occur. Please be advised that it may take up to 6 weeks for your request to be implemented, and that your opt out will last for a period of 2 years. If you wish to resume deliveries of Door to Door to your address during this period please contact us.

(See attached file: Door to Door Opt out form.pdf)

Please note that your address will be opted out of receiving Door to Door items for a period of two years. At the end of the period you will need to confirm that you are still resident at the address and wish to continue opting out of Door to Door deliveries.

Yours sincerely

Opt Out Team
Royal Mail Door to Door