I heard people discussing this problem last week on BBC radio. One of the suggestions there was to say "I'm 87 years old" over and over again or, as Otken has suggested, to let them know you are not the home owner (and therefore not the person who would pay for the double glazing, or soffit boards. - I am often asked if I would like soffit boards. What the blazes are they ???). I think it's always as well to be polite (because these kids doing the phoning have one hell of a job) and just say, really early on, before they launch into the 'spiel' that you are sorry but really not interested.

Best solution I found happened by accident, and I've never yet been able to repeat it. My daughter and her friend were making such a racket when the phone rang, that I had no idea who was on the line. I called out to them to keep the noise down, and said "I don't know who it is...sounds like a Scotsman on the phone." It turned out to be someone from BT (and *not* Scots) launching into one of their marketing spiels, asking me all kinds of questions about the phone line - Just as I started to reply, I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye: two little girls doing very energetic mock Highland dancing and bagpipe impression of Scotland the Brave.... Total collapse into incoherence on my part.... tried to reply....BT man eventually saying "I see I have called at an inconvenient time" and hanging up to get away from the lunacy. Never had any calls them since.

- jeanie