Why PeopleTraceUK should be on your removal list
Most people have never heard of PeopleTraceUK. That is part of the problem. While 192.com gets the attention, PeopleTraceUK quietly holds over 40 million names and addresses, compiled from the open electoral register, consented consumer databases, and telephone records. If you are registered to vote in the UK and have not opted out of the open register, your details are almost certainly in their database.
I have submitted removal requests to PeopleTraceUK across dozens of client cases. The process is not difficult, but their removal page is deliberately buried, and the site gives you very little confirmation that anything has actually happened. This guide covers what actually works, based on my experience handling these requests professionally.
No automated removal service covers PeopleTraceUK. Not Incogni, not DeleteMe, not any of them. This is one you have to do yourself, or have someone do it for you.
What data PeopleTraceUK holds
PeopleTraceUK is a people-search site that aggregates publicly available data. Their database includes:
- Full names and aliases
- Current and previous residential addresses
- Postcodes and address history
- Telephone numbers (landline and some mobile)
- Electoral register entries dating back to the early 2000s
They source this from three main places: the open electoral register (which anyone can buy for £20 plus £1.50 per 1,000 entries), consented consumer databases, and BT-OSIS telephone directory data.
The open electoral register is the biggest contributor. Roughly 19 million UK adults remain on it because they did not tick the opt-out box when registering to vote. If you have ever been on the open register at any address, that historical data may still sit in PeopleTraceUK’s records. Opting out now does not erase what they already purchased. I have written about the electoral register problem in detail elsewhere, but the short version is this: brokers who bought previous editions of the register retain that data legally.
How to remove your data from PeopleTraceUK
Step 1: Find the removal page
Go to peopletraceuk.com/RequestRecordRemoval.asp. You will not find this page linked prominently anywhere on their site. There is no obvious “remove my data” button on the homepage. You need the direct URL.
Worth noting: the page uses an .asp extension, which tells you something about how old this infrastructure is. The form itself is basic.
Step 2: Submit your details
Enter your full name, the address you want removed, and your postcode. Be precise. If you have lived at multiple addresses, you may need to submit separate requests for each one.
Here is what the form does not tell you: it only covers suppression from their search results. It does not guarantee deletion from their underlying database. For actual deletion, you need a formal erasure request.
Step 3: Send a formal Article 17 erasure request
Do not rely on the web form alone. Send an email to their data controller requesting erasure under UK GDPR Article 17. Include:
- Your full name (and any previous names)
- All addresses you want removed
- A clear statement that you are exercising your right to erasure under Article 17 of the UK GDPR
- A request for confirmation of deletion within one calendar month
If their contact details are not listed on the removal page, check their privacy policy or terms of service for a data protection contact email. You can also send the request via recorded delivery to their registered office.
The ICO provides template letters for erasure requests that you can adapt. I would recommend using their template as a starting point and adding the specific addresses and data points you want removed.
Step 4: Follow up after 30 days
Under UK GDPR, PeopleTraceUK has one calendar month to respond to your erasure request. If they fail to respond or refuse without a valid legal basis, you have the right to complain to the ICO.
In my experience, most data brokers respond when they receive a properly formatted GDPR request. The ones that ignore informal web form submissions suddenly find their data protection obligations when you cite specific legislation.
What PeopleTraceUK removal does not cover
Removing your data from PeopleTraceUK is one step in a much longer process. Here is what it will not fix.
Google cached results. Even after PeopleTraceUK removes your listing, Google may cache the old page for weeks or months. You can request removal of outdated cached content through Google’s removal tool, but this is a separate process entirely.
Other brokers holding the same data. The open electoral register is sold to multiple buyers. 192.com, Tracesmart, UKPhoneBook, and others all purchase from the same source. Removing your data from PeopleTraceUK does nothing about the copies sitting in their databases. I have covered the 192.com removal process and the Tracesmart removal process in separate guides.
Historical electoral register editions. If your data appeared on previous editions of the open register, those records were sold legally at the time. PeopleTraceUK and other brokers argue they have a legitimate basis to retain historical data. This is a grey area, but in practice, a firm Article 17 request usually gets results.
Your current electoral registration. Removing data from PeopleTraceUK does not change your registration status. If you are still on the open register, your details will be sold again in the next edition. Opt out of the open register before or alongside your removal requests. Otherwise you are emptying a bath with the tap still running.
Why I think PeopleTraceUK matters more than its profile suggests
Here is my honest take. PeopleTraceUK does not get the attention that 192.com does. It has a less polished site, lower search visibility, and fewer consumer complaints. But from an investigator’s perspective, that is exactly what makes it useful to people looking for information about you.
The less well-known a data source is, the longer data persists there. People who go through the effort of removing themselves from 192.com rarely think to check PeopleTraceUK. I have seen cases where a client had cleaned up their 192.com listing months earlier, but their full address history was still sitting on PeopleTraceUK untouched. Anyone running a professional trace would find it in minutes.
The pattern I see repeatedly across my investigations: people focus on the data brokers they have heard of and ignore the ones they have not. The obscure brokers are often the ones that cause the most damage, precisely because nobody remembers to check them.
If PeopleTraceUK refuses your request
If they refuse or simply ignore your erasure request after 30 days, you have options.
First, complain to the ICO. File your complaint online at ico.org.uk. Include a copy of your original request, proof of sending, and evidence that they failed to respond. The ICO’s track record on individual complaints is mixed (roughly 3% of breach reports led to investigation in 2024/25), but a complaint creates a regulatory paper trail.
Second, consider a Section 168 DPA 2018 compensation claim if you have suffered distress or financial loss. Following the Farley v Paymaster (2025) ruling, no threshold of seriousness is required for non-material damage claims. Small Claims Track fees start at £35 for claims up to £300.
Third, if your situation involves active threats (stalking, harassment, doxxing), a formal GDPR request may not move fast enough. In those cases, an investigator-led approach that maps your full exposure across every broker simultaneously is more effective than picking them off one at a time. You can get in touch with us if that applies to your situation.
Opt out of the source, not just the broker
The single most effective thing you can do alongside any broker removal is opt out of the open electoral register. This is the tap that feeds PeopleTraceUK, 192.com, and every other UK people-search site.
Re-register at gov.uk/register-to-vote and tick the opt-out box for the open register. Alternatively, contact your local Electoral Registration Office or use your annual canvass form. The opt-out is permanent at your current address but resets if you move. It takes effect from the next register publication, typically 1 December with monthly updates.
This will not erase data already sold. But it stops the flow of new data. Combine it with individual broker removals and you are actually making progress rather than playing an endless game of whack-a-mole.
