Last week I got some junk mail – nothing unusual about that, it’s a nuisance but it gets recycled, often without opening. Generally I let it sit in the mail bucket until the end of the week and then sort it our when I have a moment. Last week the catch was lower than usual and I only got 3 or 4 pieces; usual stuff – it’s labelled to “The Occupier” and has wild claims all over it – “Open Now for a chance to WIN!”.

Because I had a lower catch than usual, one of the pieces caught my eye – “The Occupier / Your renewal documents are enclosed”.

So I opened it.

It turned out to be the direct debit cancellation form for my boiler insurance, of the “please phone us before the 26th if you do not want to keep paying us £12.50 per month” variety; the corerage I had only taken out because it came with a boiler repair job.

Now, let’s see: They have my name, my phone number, my address, my bank details – they know the make of my household boiler… a shitload of information about me, and yet they mail me in a anonymous white envelope which is labelled “Occupier”?

WTF is that all about?

Domestic and General, what the hell are you doing, if it is not an attempt to retain customers by stealth – making it harder to opt-out than cancel?

Heaven knows what would have happened if I had not opened the letter in time, or if I had chucked it. Would it be a case of “oh no, sir, you’re contractually committed for another year, but you do have the benefit of boiler insurance?”

Should I contact the trading-standards people?