Opt-out consumers ‘get double the average number of nuisance calls’

The TPS is a free opt-out service for those who do not wish to receive telemarketing calls.

All UK companies making live marketing calls, except market research companies, are legally required to screen call lists against the TPS list to ensure subscribers are not contacted.

But a survey by Which? found that those registered with TPS still receive on average double the number of unsolicited calls than those not signed up.

Although those registered with TPS reported a decrease in nuisance calls after signing up, they received on average 10 unsolicited calls in the last month compared with the average five for those not signed up.

The poll also found six in 10 TPS users (57 per cent) are not satisfied with the service. More than 85 per cent of people received an unsolicited call in the last month, with eight per cent of these receiving 50 or more unwanted calls or more over the same period.

Of those questioned, 62 per cent had received calls about Payment Protection Insurance and almost half (48 per cent) heard from accident claim companies.

Which?, whose campaign asked the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the Ministry of Justice, Ofcom and the Office of Fair Trading to form a joint task force to tackle the problem, said the Government needed to lead a tougher approach. Executive director Richard Lloyd said: “Consumers are sick and tired of being bombarded with nuisance calls and texts.”

John Mitchison, head of the TPS, said: “By law, companies can’t make unsolicited sales and marketing calls to people registered with the TPS... However, it can’t physically block calls from rogue companies that flout the law.”

An Ofcom spokesman said: ““This is a complex area that requires action from a number of different regulators, industry and government. We are committed to playing our part in the co-ordinated effort to drive a more effective response to nuisance calls and help protect consumers.”