Mail Order company harrassment

[MTbowels]

My mother-in-law died tragically of cancer earlier this year. She had an account with a well-known mail order gift company. There were no outstanding debts due to the company on her death.

My father-in-law has received a number of promotional catalogues from the company since her death. These catalogues have continued to cause him great distress and he has asked that I contact the company to put a stop to the mailings. I've been in contact with them a number of times and asked for the mailings to be stopped. They have told me that they can only do so upon receipt of my mother-in-law's Death Certificate.

This seems to me to be a very extreme way of establishing the bona-fides of a person's death and I'm reluctant to go to these lengths to confirm the death. They have stipulated that only an original Death Certificate will do.

I take the view that this has now turned into a form of harassment as it's causing distress to my father-in-law. Two Christmas catalogues have been delivered since the beginning of December alone. Is there some law I can quote to them that would put a stop to this matter? Could anyone provide something along the lines of a template that I could use?

Thank you

[rojash]

Write to them in you MIL's name. How will they know the difference?
"[Date]

Dear Sir or Madam

Notice under the Data Protection Act 1998 not to use my personal information for direct marketing.

I [MIL's full name] of [MIL's full address] require you to stop / not to begin processing personal information relating to me for direct marketing as soon as possible and in any event within 28 days of the date of this letter / email.

If you do not normally handle these requests for your organisation, please pass this letter to your Data Protection Officer or the person who does.

Please note that if you do not comply with this notice, I can apply to the court for an order against you under the Data Protection Act.

Yours faithfully

[Your MIL's name] "

[askyourgran]

I would mark the envelope No longer at this address, Return to Sender. They will have to pay their own postage.

[Postdog]

Could you not name and shame on here?

Love the name BTW

[starone]

Either send them back with no postage on them or just throw them in the recycling bin without even unpacking them.

[Hopkirk]

I would try to get hold of the name of the top man in the company, Chairman or Chief Executive.

I would then send him a handwritten letter explaining what has been happening, and ask for his help to stop this.

[MTbowels]

Thank you all. The company name is Studio with a order address in Preston. The return address for undelivered correspondence appears to be in Rochdale. the web address is www. 24studio.co.uk

It's really not up to me to throw the stuff in the recycling bin. I'm concerned about the effect this is having upon my father-in-law. When this stuff arrives with my late mother-in-law's name on it, it distresses my father-in-law immediately no matter what he decides to do with it and I can't intercept the post as I don't live at the address.

[Mamyalynne]

I sincerely understand your distress, my husband died over 3 years ago and just now and then still get mail through - although I don't think you should have to do it, maybe a copy of the death certificate and a final letter may be worth it.

[bunkmoreland]

understand completely how upsetting this is. i had problems with an order firm on a couple of occasions,through them being bloody minded like this. i wrote and informed them that i was reporting them to my MP,councillor and local paper for their disgusting behaviour.I soon received an apology reply and the mail stopped. They will push people as much as they can be pushed,its what their lawyers are there for unfortunately

[rockyracoon]

They have a Facebook page and a Twitter account, both under the name 24studio, tell them you'll go on there and let everyone know about how they are harassing a widower unnecessarily.

[joko]

i know this is distressing, but your chosen course of action seems it would be more hassle than simply doing as they ask... you dont want them to start sending collections and court letter to your MIL too do you?

however, you could just phone up and claim to be your MIL, say you love their catalogue and would like to let them know you have moved and would like them to send the catalogues there in future... make up some random address - but check it does not really exist first.
let them waste their own time and money.

[bednobs]

agree with Joko - if you are so areated abput it and your fil is so upset by them, just do as they ask. you are going to write to them anyway. ask them to return the DC so you haven't wasted £7

[themas]

I think it is totally outrageous that they demand an original death certificate for something like this.

This outfit seem to have some very odd ideas. I am aware of a case where a customer couldn't find his account number with them, rang them & gave his name & address, they confirmed they had an account for him but refused to tell him his account number. I have a lot of dealings with tihis sort of thing, and have never come across anything so stupid before (or since).

I would do what bunkmoreland suggests - preferably writing to the CEO if you can find his/her name.

[MTbowels]

joko, on what basis do you expect them to send collections or a court order? I did specifically state that my late mother-in-law owes them nothing. All her purchases were made by debit card.

bednobs, with an outfit like this, I would never send them an original Death Certificate. Why should I? I'm simply not of the opinion that they will show any inclination to return an original Death Certificate. They've not shown any courtesy or understanding so far, so why should they suddenly decide to spend money on a stamp an envelope to send the Death certificate back?

[bednobs]

yopu say you FIL is getting more and more distressed. I would have thought that was a good enough reason to send them the DC without delay, rather than sit ans stew, write to the ceo or whatever (which you will still need a stamp for)
you are just procrastinating, whereas if you do as they ask it could be sorted by the end of this week.
I know you are upset and distressed (or angry) but why waSTE superfluos energy on it, getting all irate when you could pop the DC in the post today and get your FIL's distress over with?
it seems like the procrastination on your parrt is just adding to his distress

[Jan1957]

They are talking rubbish! My husband had an account with a catalogue company and I simply emailed them and told them he had died and could they remove him from their marketing list (he was fully paid up) but kept receiving them. I then phoned them and complained and they apologised profusely and said they could do it straight away but I may receive some more as it can take up to a month to go through. I did not receive anything else from them.

My only suggestion if they will not listen to you is to get a woman to phone and say she is your mother in law and wants to cancel. If they won't believe she is dead without proof then they should still think she's alive and do as they are asked. They can't have it both ways!

[themas]

bednobs

"whereas if you do as they ask it could be sorted by the end of this week."

You have a touching faith in their ability and wish to act promptly and efficiently. This would just not happen.

[jessiedog]

Take an unopened letter/catalogue from them, write on it return to sender/not known at this address, attach firmly to house brick or other heavy object and send back to them.

Repeat as necessary

[ubasses]

Just put it back in the post 'return to sender remove from mailing list' This is what we did for my MIL on all marketing letters, charity appeals and catalogues. It worked.

[bednobs]

themas, At least it would get the ball rolling. If MT writes to the ceo or whoever, it probably wont get sorted any quicker

[joko]

well pardon me!

my point was they may start sending other types of mail as well as catalogues....if you start sending all sorts of threatening letters to them - where do you think they are going to send the replies? more mail to upset the FIL...
they may even send a formal mail request for the DC...

i was threatened with court and all sorts of fines, because i did not renew a service... i was not obliged to and owed nothing.
i sent them a furious letter asking how dare they threaten me with all kinds of action because i have chosen not to renew some thing... they still kept sending demands...i just ignored it and eventually they stopped... its a bullying tactic they use...

you clearly are ready to cause a big fuss over this so why not go the whole hog and see a solicitor... that wont upset your FIL at all...