Royal Mail 'opt-out' offer for anyone who doesn't want 'junk' post

Royal Mail has shared what to do if people want to end the steady stream of leaflets landing on their doormat. If they go straight from the doormat to the recycling bin, you might want to stop the waste - for yourself and whoever is paying for these leaflets.

The big thing to remember is that the post still has to be delivered, including anything that doesn’t have a name on it but still has an address. Even if it only says 'To the Occupier', it has to come through the door.

Simply binning junk mail is not enough, nor is telling your postie to skip your house. The rules simply don’t allow it - but there is a free way around it.

Royal Mail says its 'opt-out' scheme only targets unaddressed 'door to door' items. Although this process should divert most nameless post, the postal service may have to ignore your request when helping deliver nationwide messages on behalf of the government when it’s deemed important.

Before signing up, Royal Mail warns it can’t pick and choose between the leaflets you like and the ones you don’t. If you opt out, it applies to everyone living at that address, so nobody there should receive those unaddressed items.

Royal Mail says you need to print an opt-out form, fill it in, sign it and send it to the address on the form. It won’t set up the opt-out by phone, even if you call customer services with questions.

People can find the English version of the form online here . If homeowners need a Welsh language version, one is available here .

Once Royal Mail receives the completed form, it says it will implement the request within six weeks. The opt-out then lasts two years, after which you’ll need to reapply to confirm you still live at the address and still want the deliveries stopped.

Another factor to keep in mind is that Royal Mail says it only handles a minority of all unaddressed mail delivered in the UK. So even if you opt out successfully, other distributors can still post their own leaflets through your door.

For people trying to cut other marketing, Royal Mail points to the Data and Marketing Association’s 'Your Choice' preference scheme for other distributors. It also highlights the Fundraising Preference Service, which lets you reduce certain types of direct contact from specific charities, including personally addressed post.