What changed
The ICO has fined two home improvement companies a total of £370,000 after they made unlawful marketing calls to people who had asked not to be contacted.
The enforcement action involved calls about services such as loft insulation, home surveys and government grants. The ICO said the companies contacted people registered with the Telephone Preference Service, including individuals who may have been vulnerable, and issued enforcement notices requiring the companies to stop making unlawful marketing calls.
What is the Telephone Preference Service?
The Telephone Preference Service, often called the TPS, is the UK’s official register for people who do not want to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls. Organisations making live marketing calls must screen numbers against the TPS unless they have valid consent to call.
Why this matters
This case is a reminder that telephone marketing is not just a sales activity. It is also a compliance risk. Organisations need to understand who they are calling, where the contact data came from, whether the person has objected, and whether the number has been screened properly.
The case is especially relevant for businesses using outbound calls, purchased lead lists, call centres or third-party marketing agencies. It also highlights the additional reputational and regulatory risk where campaigns target or affect vulnerable people. For wider updates across PECR, direct marketing and data protection, see our Regulatory Updates page.
What organisations should do
Organisations using telephone marketing should review whether their calling activity is properly controlled and evidenced.
- Screen live marketing call lists against the Telephone Preference Service before campaigns are launched.
- Keep clear records of consent where relying on consent to contact someone registered with the TPS.
- Check where marketing data has come from and whether it can lawfully be used for calls.
- Make sure call scripts accurately describe the product, service or offer being promoted.
- Maintain suppression lists so people who object are not contacted again.
- Review whether third-party marketing agencies or lead providers are following PECR requirements.
- Use extra care where campaigns may reach older, financially vulnerable or otherwise vulnerable individuals.
Practical takeaway
Telephone marketing needs more than a contact list and a sales script. Organisations should check TPS status, consent evidence, data sources, suppression controls and third-party activity before making outbound marketing calls.
Grounded in
ICO enforcement action against two home improvement companies, including findings relating to unlawful nuisance calls, TPS-registered individuals, vulnerable recipients, outbound marketing controls and PECR compliance.
Sources
- Information Commissioner’s Office: two home improvement companies fined £370,000 for nuisance calls targeting vulnerable people , 8 July 2026.
- Information Commissioner’s Office: telephone marketing guidance .
- Information Commissioner’s Office: guidance on direct marketing using live calls .