Reduce or reuse your waste at home

Unwanted mail

Every day items are posted through your letterbox, some of which you did not ask for and do not want.

Unwanted mail includes:

  • Advertising from companies wanting you to buy something from them e.g. a takeaway or gym membership
  • Post addressed to The Occupier usually delivered by your postman
  • Free newspapers
  • Advertising and offers from companies you already bought something from
    Leaflets inside your magazines or newspapers

Reduce unwanted mail

Before you act on unwanted mail make sure you know what you still want to receive.

  • Mail Preference Service (MPS). Sign up to remove your name from most direct mailing lists. This free and simple service allows you to register as many people as like, including previous residents at your address. Visit MPS online and complete the online form. You will receive an email which you need to respond to in order to confirm your registration. Or call 0845 703 4599 to register.
  • Royal Mail opt out service. Stop post addressed to ‘The Occupier’, (note: you could still receive some items from other delivery companies).

    • Email your name and address to optout@royalmail.com. They will email you a form (pdf Royal Mail Opt Out Application) to complete and post to them. Write to Royal Mail giving them your name and address

    Freepost RRBT-ZBXB-TTTS
    Royal Mail Door to Door Opt Outs
    Kingsmead House
    Oxpens Road
    OXFORD
    OX1 1RX

    You will be sent a form to sign and return. Once Royal Mail receives the form, they should stop delivering unaddressed items to your address within six weeks.

  • Your Choice Preference Scheme. Register to opt out from other post distributors. It will only work if the company is a member of the Direct Marketing Association.Email: yourchoice@dma.org.uk
    Or Telephone: 020 7291 3300
    Or Write to: Your Choice Preference Scheme
    Direct Marketing Association (UK) Ltd
    DMA House
    70, Margaret Street,
    London W1W 8SS
  • Say no from the start. When you sign up to new services or magazine subscriptions, tell the person on the phone that you do not want to receive details of offers from them or their selected partners in the post. Tick the opt-out box on any forms you complete.
  • Make your voice heard. Contact any organisation that sends you marketing material that you don’t want and ask to be removed from their mailing lists.
  • Return to sender. Write ‘return to sender’ or ‘not at this address’ to unaddressed or wrongly addressed post and put back in the post box to be returned.
  • Opt out of the edited version of the electoral register when you register to vote. Companies can buy this version so this prevents your details being used for marketing purposes.
  • Get e-news. Sign up to electronic versions of newsletters, magazines and newspapers to reduce the amount of paper being delivered to you. Try requesting an electronic version of your local council magazine.
  • Put a ‘no junk mail’ sticker on your letterbox. Make the person delivering leaflets think twice about putting their leaflet in your letterbox. Contact your local council to request a sticker.

Reuse unwanted mail

  • Write a list. Use the back of envelopes and leaflets to write lists or notes
  • Send it on. Put a sticker over the window on the envelope and use it to send your own post. You can buy these from organisations such as World Wildlife Fund.

Recycle unwanted mail

Unwanted mail is usually printed on paper. Recycle this with your other papers.