Finance expert and saving guru Martin Lewis has issued advice to UK homeowners regarding the importance of filling in Household Enquiry forms.
Speaking on BBC 5 Live Radio, the Money Saving Expert said that failure to fill in and return the form, which many see as 'junk mail', can result in a hefty £1,000 fine.
He said: "Many people between July and November get sent a Household Enquiry form.
"This is a form from the council right across the country. It’s effectively asking you to check whether the right people in your household are registered to vote.”
The form is often mistaken for junk mail and this is where people get caught out, reports Manchester Evening News.
He said: "Now if you don’t deal with that properly – check and tell them the difference – there can be a thousand pound fine.
"It’s rare but the problem with this form is that I always think it looks like junk mail."
It's important not to get the Household Enquiry form confused with the Open Register - a document which allows companies to know if they can market to you. You are not able to opt out of completing the Household Enquiry form, so if you don't think you've received it or believe you may have thrown it away by accident, you should contact your local council.
Each council has a different deadline for completion of the form, so it's important to check when yours is.
Martin added: "People often get confused and think that they get junk mail because they’re on the electoral register. Now there’s a separate thing called The Open Register, where companies can market to you.
"You can opt out of the Open Register. It will not affect your credit file and you won’t get the junk mail, but you will still be registered to vote."
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