How can I stop delivery of free newspapers?

Put a big sign on your postbox or above your letterbox about that particular paper? Bit of a long shot but it may work.

You could stop the dog going spare by getting one of those lockable outside boxes for your mail. It would not improve the quality of the free paper, though.

You probably can't. So get up with grandchildren and do something silly.

I have tried to stop delivery of charity bags by putting a big notice in the window. They have reduced a bit but still we get about three a week.

My neighbour has put a typewritten sign in red on his front door saying "no junk mail please" and for him it works. He now gets zilch.

Just phoned the distribution manager of the paper and he's promised no more deliveries. Is it really as simple as that ????

Absent I don't do 'fun' at 4.30 am (at least not any more!)

Aka I doubt it because the delivery people change.

Our free paper stopped after one delivery person got tired of walking the estate and dumped piles of papers behind the flower beds.
We no longer have a letter box in the front door, had a one fitted in the brick wall so that post falls into a cupboard in the porch. This seems to puzzle charity bag and leaflet droppers who often resort to slipping them under the doormat or just throwing them on the ground beside the door.

The free papers around here have mostly run out of steam. We have only the monthly local 'Post' which is full of adverts for local tradespeople and this I have found very useful. The reports are mainly about events that have taken place at least six weeks previously and there are a couple of 'holy' articles by local clergy. That's about it. It doesn't take up much space in the recycling bin.

Just discovered something online called a Flaplock. You fit it over the inside of the letter box and you can lock it shut. My postman never comes before lunchtime so it would be the perfect solution.

Anyone already got one of these?

I was going to suggest super-glueing your letterbox, Aka but I see you have got there before me (or as near as dammit)!

My Flaplock arrived today. Fitted it in 10 seconds. Would definitely recommend. I can flip a little latch on both sides to lock or unlock it. Just what was needed.

I have delivered free newspapers, so perhaps I can be of some help here.

Unfortunately there have been so many instances of delivery people dumping the papers, that the employers have become very suspicious. They are constantly checking up on the deliverers (I once had a distribution manager follow me around, calling on every 3rd of 4th house to see if I had actually delivered there).

But nobody wants to deliver something which really is not wanted. So if you don't want the "Daily Blah" then put a notice ON YOUR LETTERBOX saying "Please do NOT deliver the Daily Blah". Don't put it in the window, don't put in on your gate (but see exception below). Remember that delivering papers is not the most stimulating job and the person doing it probably has his mind on something else! If your notice is not directly in his line of vision he probably won't register it. He isn't ignoring you. He isn't being deliberately difficult. He simple doesn't "see" anything but the letterbox.

The exception is the "long delivery". If the approach to your house is up a drive that is 1/4 of a mile long, or there are 106 steps to climb to your front door then put a BIG notice on your gate saying (politely) "Please do NOT deliver the Daily Blah" - and we will be happy to leave you out. But if I have already walked up that 1/4 mile drive, or climbed those 106 steps and THEN I see your notice I will probably deliver it anyway. After all, I've already done the work so I might as well do the delivery and get paid. If I am on the same round next week, I will probably remember that you don't want it and pass you by, but if somebody else does that particular round and they climb the 106 steps, they are going to deliver it just as I would.

The notice on your letterbox needs to be precise. Newspaper deliverers do not regard the newspaper as "junk mail". So a sign which says "No Junk Mail" will probably be ignored. To the deliverer the logic is inescapable - you are saying that you don't want any junk mail, but this isn't junk mail, it's a newspaper! I once had a householder call the police because he had a "No Cold Callers" notice on his door and I had still delivered the paper. The police spoke to me and ASKED me not to call there again - then went off to explain to the householder that delivering free papers is not the same as cold calling, which is why I ignored his notice.