Delivering the annual canvass - England

How should I carry out the third contact attempt?

You must make a minimum of three contact attempts where you have not obtained a response.1 In order to be able to close the Route 2 process in three contacts, you will need to ensure that the contact method you select for this stage will enable you to comply with the contact rules for Route 2.

In determining your contact options for the third contact attempt, you should therefore ask the following two questions:

• Have you already made an attempt to carry out the personal contact requirement of Route 2 – either by telephone call or household visit? 
• Have you already sent the prescribed Canvass Form as part of a previous contact stage? It is important to remember that the sending of a CCB does not meet this requirement.

If the answer to both the questions is yes, you can choose from any of the property or individual contact methods available to you (and outlined as part of the first and second contact stages).

If the answer to either of these questions is no, and you wish to complete the Route 2 cycle with the minimum required contacts, you should undertake whichever of the outstanding requirements remain as part of this contact attempt.

If you choose to use a contact method for your third attempt that would not enable you to meet the minimum contact requirements, you will need to make further attempts until the minimum contact requirements have been met or you have obtained a response.