Time to reform the TPS and stop nuisance sales calls

Potsdamerplatz

Anyone who lives in the UK and who has a landline will suffer several calls per day from companies offering double glazing, solar energy grants, PPI insurance claims etc.

Many of us register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) in hope these calls will stop but they don't. Companies ignore the law and continue pestering us with sales calls. Even when you politely ask to removed from their list they just call back again a few days later.

The TPS is a toothless organisation with no powers to investigate, prosecute or issue warnings/fines to these companies.

Instead the information is passed onto the Information Commissioner's office and more often than not they won't take any action either despite having the power to fine persistent offenders up to £500,000.

There have been several petitions launched on the UK government website but most have either been rejected because it isn't properly worded or else they have fizzled out due to lack of interest.

Well today I have succeeded in having my epetition published and if we can get 100,000 signatures over the next 12 months then the issue will be debated in parliament and hopefully new laws will be introduced to protect ordinary people from these tele-pests.

The text of the petition is below. I would be grateful if you could please take a moment to sign it and also to forward it onto your friends, family and workmates.

Please also share the link on Facebook, Twitter and any other similar social networking sites you might use.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41028

I would like the TPS to be regularted in order that companies who make unwanted sales calls can be prosecuted and fined.

The TPS has no powers to prevent companies from making unwanted sales calls. It is responsibility of ICO to enforce the law.

The ICO has the power to fine companies up to £500,000 but this rarely happens as companies use legal loopholes to claim they are making legitimate calls.

Despite registering with TPS, people are still harrassed by sales calls without action being taken.

Whether its double glazing, PPI or energy grants - companies flout the law knowing they have little chance of being prosecuted.

Such calls are a misery to those who receive them with some companies phoning the same number many times per day.

The TPS is a toothless organisation which needs sweeping new powers and widespread reform to reduce the number of unwanted calls and prosecute persistent offenders

We need new laws for TPS, ICO and OFCOM to tackle the problem together and stop passing the buck to each other over the issue.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41028

This petition will run for exactly 1 year and there can only be one single petition at anyone time for the same issue so please this is a once-in-a-lifetime (well 365 day period) to ask the government to change the law to stop nuisance sales calls with tough new legislation.

Thanks for reading and please don't forget to add your signature.

Together we can make a stand and take action on this issue which blights people's lives and makes them scared to answer the phone in their own home.

Buzby

I've done this - however it is a shame you ignored the additional issue of Spam SMS - which the TPS avoid entirely and pass to the ICO (who appear to do little).

yangptangkipperbang

Totally agree with the comments about TPS and ICO.

I took my own actions: foolproof - well I can use it anyway!

See:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=56299075&postcount=58

cepheus

Good idea, they are a waste of time. I'm getting calls from Bordeaux fine wines one a day now!

macman

Most of the 'spam' calls are from outside the UK, and therefore beyond the remit of the TPS.
The 'man from Microsoft' who wants to 'help you with your computer error messages' is hardly likely to concern himself with breaches of the cold calling regs.
Must dash. 'Reginald from Cheltenham' is on the line again, it seems I have another virus...

cepheus

This is true, perhaps all overseas calls could be blocked except specific numbers, many people could live with this.

mickaveli2001

The TPS are a joke. I registered on this and seemed to receive more pestering calls. In fact to be fair, I don't even use the landline anymore. It only functions as a phone to use for those "0845" numbers that my mobile will charge through the roof for.

I think by this time next year most landlines will be out of the home

macman

And how will most of us then receive our broadband?
If you don't need to use the handset for any incoming calls, then just switch it to silent.

Heinz

A lot of nuisance calls from overseas could be eliminated if only BT would allow CLI through (they automatically block the CLI of all international calls).

bobster999

i registered with the TPS a while ago but for the last few months ive been getting loads of calls from different companies.

ive just received a call and told the person that im actually registered with the tps and she asked do i update my details every month, i told her no and she said i need to do that. is that correct? why should people have to update their details every month to stop these nuisance calls?

macman

No you don't. Domestic number registration does not require any renewal.