The TPS also have a complaints service as well.
So if you do get a cold caller once you are registered ( this can take upto28days to work) and you get there details then take note of the date and time of the call and then go to the TPS website and fill a complaints form in and then the TPS will write to the said company and ask them to remove your details from there list....if they are a uk based company they have to abide by this .........
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F.A.Q fron the TPS...
1.
If I register with TPS, will I still be able to receive calls from companies and charities who I have dealt with in the past?
Only if you have given permission for them to call you. It is worth bearing in mind before you register with that you may miss out on calls from companies and charities that you would be happy to hear from. It is important to make sure you give permission to those companies so they can continue to contact you via the telephone.
2.
I have registered with TPS and have allowed 28 days for my registration to become fully effective. Why am I still receiving unsolicited sales and marketing phone calls?
We can't promise that registration with TPS will stop all unsolicited sales and marketing calls but it will certainly reduce them. If after 28 days you are still receiving this type of call to the telephone number you have registered with TPS, you can take advantage of our free complaint handling service.
3.
Why do I have to wait up to 28 days for the service to become fully effective?
It is a legal requirement for telemarketers not to call a TPS subscribed number after it has been registered for 28 days. Upon registering with the TPS you should notice a gradual reduction of unsolicited sales and marketing calls after a few days but please allow 28 days for the service to become fully effective.
4.
I wish to register my business number(s) onto the TPS, is this possible?
Yes, in June 2004 Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) was launched which gives corporate businesses (limited companies , publicly limited companies and Scottish partnerships) and organisations the opportunity to opt-out of receiving unsolicited sales and marketing calls. Please select 'What is CTPS' on the left hand menu for further details. Sole Traders and Partnerships (except in Scotland) fall under the legal definition of 'individual' and have been able to register their numbers onto the TPS since May 1999.
5.
Recently I have been receiving silent calls on my telephone. Will registering with TPS reduce these?
Not necessarily. Silent calls are generated from the use of 'automated diallers'. When these are incorrectly set, more numbers are dialled than there are operators available to take the calls. If the purpose of the call was to sell you a product or service, then registering on TPS will reduce these. However companies use automated diallers for things such as debt collection, market research etc. and TPS will not reduce these.
6.
How can I reduce the receipt of silent calls?
There is a separate service called Silent CallGard. You can register with them by calling
0870 4443969.
7.
Will registering my mobile number on the TPS reduce the receipt of text (SMS) messages?
No. New legislation, which came into force on 11 December 2003, makes it unlawful to send an unsolicited direct marketing SMS to an individual subscriber unless the recipient has previously given their consent to such communications.
Text messages are defined as "electronic mail" under the
Regulations and, as such, they should not be sent without the prior consent of the individual subscribers. Companies are therefore, not obliged to screen against TPS because they should already have established prior consent.
However registering your mobile number on the TPS will reduce the number of unsolicited voice sales and marketing calls you receive on your mobile
8.
Will registering with TPS reduce the receipt of recorded messages?
No. Organisations that use recorded phone message to try and sell or promote their products or business have to comply with the <A href="http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=96" target=blank>
Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. These say that marketers who leave recorded phone messages must obtain the prior consent of the subscriber before they can make that call. Where a subscriber receives a recorded phone message they haven't agreed to there may have been a breach of the regulations.
If you are receiving recorded messages and have not given prior permission, you can complain directly to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), whose details are under the 'Useful links' section on the left hand menu. Unfortunately many of the companies that send these types of recorded messages are based overseas which makes it difficult to take enforcement action against them.
9.
Can registering with TPS stop the receipt of unsolicited faxes?
No, however there is a service called the Fax Preference Service, which will reduce unsolicited sales and marketing faxes. Please visit the FPS section of the website by using the left hand menu, for further details.
10.
I submitted a complaint to TPS regarding an unsolicited call I have received despite being registered on TPS for more than 28 days. What action have you taken?
All complaints received will be acknowledged and processed by our complaints team. We will write to the organisation involved asking for an explanation of why it has called a TPS registered number and request that it removes the number from its call lists. As the TPS has no enforcement powers, we will pass all the complaints received over to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), who are the UK independent supervisory authority reporting directly to the UK Parliament. It is the ICO's responsibility to look at non-compliant organisations and take appropriate action. If you wish to follow up on a complaint you have made, please contact the ICO directly. Their details can be found under the useful links section of the website.
11.
What happens if my phone and address details change?
If you have a new telephone number you can register this number with the TPS on this website. If you have moved address but have kept the same telephone number please let us know by e-mailing us at <A href="mailto:
[email protected]">
[email protected] giving the telephone number you have registered and your new contact details. Please let us know about any changes so we can keep our records up to date.
12.
How can I check to see if I am registered with the TPS?
If you are unsure whether you are already registered with the TPS, you can dial the TPS registration line on 0845 070 0707 and select option 2. Alternatively you can e-mail your details (including telephone number) to <A href="mailto:
[email protected]">
[email protected] and we will be able to confirm for you. If you try and register a previously subscribed telephone number via the website, the site will inform you that the telephone number is already registered.
13.
Will registering on the TPS stop unsolicited sales and marketing calls from overseas?
Companies based abroad who call into the UK and who are making calls on behalf of a UK based company, must comply with UK regulations and screen their call lists against TPS before making an unsolicited sales and marketing call to a UK telephone number. We do make the file available to overseas based companies under licence for the purpose of suppression so they know whom not to telephone but many overseas companies who telephone the UK on their own account from overseas do so to avoid legal and self regulatory restrictions. We would advise caution in responding to unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls from overseas especially if they are asking you to send them money or using a premium rate phone line (numbers beginning with 09). If you are receiving unsolicited sales and marketing calls from overseas you should contact the overseas company who is making the call.
14.
Is it possible to register more than one telephone number on the TPS?
Yes. If you visit the TPS website and click on the option to register and enter your first phone number, then select 'add another number', enter the second number and continue this process. Please only register 'live' telephone numbers.
15.
How do I de-register my telephone number from the TPS?
If you have registered a telephone number onto the TPS and now wish for it to be removed from the file, please e-mail your details to <A href="mailto:
[email protected]">
[email protected]
16.
Do I need to renew my subscription with the TPS?
If you have registered a residential number or a number belonging to a sole trader or (except in Scotland) partnership, you do not need to renew. However, if you have registered a number on to the Corporate TPS belonging to a Limited company, Plc or other large organisation, you are required to renew annually. In this case TPS will send you an e-mail each year to notify you of this. Failure to renew will result in your number(s) being removed from the CTPS data file. Please be aware that if you change your telephone package, obtained broadband or change telephone line service provider for example, we may receive notice from your current/old line service provider that your line has been made inactive. In this case your number would be removed from the file as the service is only intended for live numbers.
