You must be told when your information is collected that it is going to be used for direct marketing, unless this is obvious. This is particularly the case when an organisation intends to give your information to others so they can also send you direct marketing.

You have a right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to object to your personal information being used for direct marketing. To do this, you can tick an opt-out box if one is provided at the time of giving your information, or you can write to the organisation asking them to stop using your personal information for direct marketing. The organisation must comply with your request within a reasonable period. This should normally take no longer than 28 days.

More information about this right can be found in a leaflet produced by the Information Commissioner’s Office entitled ‘Stop Unwanted Marketing’, which you can get from the Information Commissioner’s Office website or by calling 01625 545745.

The Mailing Preference Service (MPS) file is available to overseas based companies however many companies who mail the UK from overseas do so to avoid legal and self regulatory restrictions. We would advise caution in responding to unsolicited mail posted from overseas especially if they are asking you to send them money. If you are receiving unsolicited mailings sent from overseas, you should contact the company who sent the unsolicited mailing directly and ask to be removed from their mailing lists.

Visit the Consumer Direct website for further information and advice, or call 08454 04 05 06.

At the moment there is not a preference service to stop free newspapers and flyers. You should therefore follow step one of the unwanted mail five steps, 'Write to sender'.

You can write to the head office of your local free newspaper to request that they stop sending the free newspaper and flyers to your address.

Stickers can also be put on front doors and letter boxes asking for co-operation from those who deliver this material. For example: No Free Newspapers, Ads or Flyers – Thank You!

You can register a previous occupant's name at your current address on the Mailing Preference Service and this will reduce unsolicited direct marketing mailings to your address under their name. It can take up to four months for the registration to take affect.

For further information or to register, visit www.mpsonline.org.uk or call 0845 703 4599.

The Bereavement Register is a free service specifically designed to remove the names and addresses of people who have died from databases and mailing files. Form more information about the service and to register your details visit The Bereavement Register website.

You can also register their details onto the Mailing Preference Service (MPS). This will reduce unsolicited personally addressed mailings received under their name. For further information and to register, visit www.mpsonline.org.uk, or call 0845 703 4599.

If there are companies that the person had dealings with we would recommend you contact them directly.

If you receive a mailing, especially from overseas, which you think is a scam you should contact Consumer Direct for advice, visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk or call 08454 04 05 06.

The Office of Fair Trading lists three things to look out for in terms of scam mailings:

• they ask you to send money straight away
• they give you a PO BOX number as their address
• they ask you not to tell anyone about the deal

If you have registered with the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) but are still receiving personally addressed direct mailings, you can complain directly to the MPS, who will investigate and contact the company sending the mail.

Remember the MPS service can take up to four months to take full effect and cannot stop mail from companies who you are a customer of or from companies from which you have requested mailings.

For further information on how to make a complaint visit the Mailing Preference Service website, or call 0845 703 4599.

If you are receiving unwanted mail from an organisation you have written to, requesting that they stop sending you direct marketing materials, you can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Visit www.ico.gov.uk or call 08456 306060 for further information and advice.

One of the best ways to stop unwanted marketing is to tick the appropriate box on any form you fill out. When filling in any form, from applying for credit to entering a competition, always read the short statement provided by the organisation collecting your information – this is normally at the bottom of the form. The statement will summarise how the organisation intends to use your information and will usually give you the option to either ‘opt in’ to or ‘opt out’ of having your information used for marketing or passed to a third party.

Even if you forget to tick the box, you always have the right to ask an organisation to stop using your personal information for marketing.