Sale of The Electoral Roll

So that we can all vote there has to be a register of electors. There are two versions. The full version used for voting purposes and various government departments and can be purchased by credit reference agencies (so it doesn't affect your ability to obtain credit if you opt out). This link is what the ICO says about electoral registration.

A second smaller version is the edited roll which contains only those people who have not opted out of having their details sold commercially.

By law, anybody can buy a copy of the edited roll at modest cost as replicating an electronic file is inexpensive. Bigbrotherwatch have written about sales of the edited roll.

In Barnet the following purchased a copy.

Godfrey & Barr
Jeremy Leaf
London Properties
Global Land Group
Individuals x 4
Your Move - Spencer & Spencer
Warden Hill School of Motoring
Litchfields
Heronslea Ltd
Secure Services (GB) Ltd
Jesus House
Foxtons
Data Trans Ltd
Duncan and Maclean
Winkworth
Bell Pottinger Public Affairs
6th Friern Barnet Scout Group
Nepomak UK
Kato Enterprise Ltd
Cosway Estate Agents
Open Heavens Christian Centre
Midway Insurance Services
Chess Estates
Eden Clinic
Taylor Hawkins Ltd
The Howard League
Coast Insurance

Mr Mustard ticks the opt-out box every year.

What he didn't know, and what he suspects you didn't know, is that you can opt out permanently. This is how.

Write as follows:

Electoral Registration Officer
North London Business Park
Oakleigh Road South
London
N11 1NP





Dear Sir or Madam

I, [ full name ] of [ full address ] require that you as Electoral Registration Officer for [Chipping Barnet / Finchley & Golders Green / Hendon *] cease or do not begin processing for the purpose of direct marketing personal data which I supply to you in respect of the Register of Electors with effect from the date of this request. In doing so and until I notify you in writing to the contrary, I particularly request that my name be withheld from the current and future versions of the Edited Register of Electors and that this choice be specifically marked on any annual registration forms sent to me in the future.

Signed

* delete as appropriate. If you don't know which constituency you are in then enter your postcode on this website.

This should cut down the amount of junk mail you receive including letters from estate agents asking you to sell or rent your property etc.

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard