TV licence court summons

bella2121

there is no grace period with a tv licence even if you watch it for 5 mins without a licence you are breacking the law.

I would suggest ringing TVL and ask to be put through to there regional office and speak to someone there they will be the best ones to advise the best course of action, also I would say back dating the licence to the time you began using the TV, however the licence is for whol months only.

Can i also just clarify when the TVL officer visits even if you buy a licence there and then you can still be prosecuted because you where caught using a tv without a licence, hope that makes sense.

Hope this helps

soolin

Actually Bella you raise an interesting point.

As you rightly say a TV license is sold in montly units and for instance if you no longer require one and hand it back you only get whole months refunded, not the partial month that you are already in. That might explain why the OP believes he is being charged for a whole month..he is being charged for using the TV for the smallest possible unit, which he has admitted doing, so they are correct in summonsing (Is that the right word) for a months use as that is what he owes.

In that case OP, pay up forget your silly notion of pleading not guilty. Or, do as Tozer suggests and fork out for a good lawyer to ...um..not really sure here what a lawyer can do .

Tozer

soolin wrote: »

In that case OP, pay up forget your silly notion of pleading not guilty. Or, do as Tozer suggests and fork out for a good lawyer to ...um..not really sure here what a lawyer can do .

To tell OP to plead guilty....

bella2121

yes like for example if you rang on the 28th january for example your licence would run out at the end of the next december

i used to work there so i know l if someone was to ring to buy a new licence at the end of the month i would always double check when they needed from just to make sure they werent buying in advance and losing out.

meester

Look, I am not sure why you are not taking this more seriously.

You have been summonsed to a criminal court for a criminal offence.

This is BAD NEWS!!!!!!!

Your attitude (I only had it on for a week, the signal was rubbish) is fine, up until the point YOU GOT CAUGHT. You are going to court. The magistrate is not going to believe a word you say. If you plead not guilty, you will make it much worse.

The licence in your girlfriend's name is useless, because she doesn't live with you it seems.

BUY A LICENCE NOW.

Then call TV Licensing and explain that you just moved in, and were told by the landlord that TV license was included, but didn't realise that everyone had to have a separate licence in an HMO, and ask them to drop the case, because you did act honestly. Don't say 'I only used it for a week', there is NO grace period, and they will laugh at you. I am not sure why you are even mentioning it, your defence (to TVL, not the court, ignorance will not get you off there, but it might get TVL to drop the case assuming you are licensed) should be that you were told and believed you were covered by an existing licence at the house.

Or get a solicitor to do it if you don't feel confident.

You do not want to go to court. Do whatever you can to avoid it.

BTW, I am not sure why TVL would come to your house. It's still unclear what your domestic arrangements are. If there is a TV licence there,as you stated, how are they going to know that you yourself don't have one? Are they individually numbered flats?

PS. I speak from experience, a few years back TVL knocked on the door my wife was at home, saw her watching TV through the window, got her to sign a form, and I almost shat myself, bought the licence online (or by phone, don't remember) that same day, nothing more came of it. You brought this on yourself. You need to start behaving more sensibly now.

meester

Here's the law:

(1) A television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence under this Part.
(2) A person who installs or uses a television receiver in contravention of subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.
(3) A person with a television receiver in his possession or under his control who intends to install or use it in contravention of subsection (1)
is guilty of an offence.
(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

Level 3 is £1,000.

If you go to court, you will be found guilty. That crime will remain on your criminal record for five years. However, for a number of jobs, it remains forever. Also, you would be ineligible to use the Visa Waiver Scheme to go to America for the rest of your life. Same for plenty of other countries.

Don't be a plonker, sort it out before it gets to court.

Schwade

OP, just write a letter to the TV Licensing explaining the situation. It was because you didn't realise it after talking to the landlord. Do it quickly so you have a record of this. And then make a payment. Bring your witnesses, etc. The TV guy wasn't even authorised to come into your house anyways. He was trepassing as you have asked him to leave.

Then if they STILL don't drop the summons after you have done this two things, just tell the Judge the FULL honest facts AND they them that TV Licensing is wasting his time in looking at this summons since you have already paid and it was only a week (which was due to mistaken belief). You even wrote a letter to them.

captain_planet

meester wrote: »

Here's the law:
.

Don't be a plonker, sort it out before it gets to court.

I have been trying my best to sort it out before it goes to court, after calling repeatedly with no answer I eventually got through to someone who said he would speak to his boss and call me back, he didn't. I managed to get through the next day and spoke to him, he said he would call back,when he did he said it had already gone off to court so to just write as much as I could in my statement.
I know that they can still withdraw it, but it is just a case of me being able to get through to the right person to have a conversation with them I have now paid for a licence.
After the man came round I was expecting a letter telling me I had to pay or they would take me to court etc, to which I was going to repond and state I did not have a TV reception and that the inspector could come round and confirm this. I did not expect it to go to court so quickly, and my time is running out to get it stopped.:(

Schwade

captain_planet wrote: »

I have been trying my best to sort it out before it goes to court, after calling repeatedly with no answer I eventually got through to someone who said he would speak to his boss and call me back, he didn't. I managed to get through the next day and spoke to him, he said he would call back,when he did he said it had already gone off to court so to just write as much as I could in my statement.
I know that they can still withdraw it, but it is just a case of me being able to get through to the right person to have a conversation with them I have now paid for a licence.
After the man came round I was expecting a letter telling me I had to pay or they would take me to court etc, to which I was going to repond and state I did not have a TV reception and that the inspector could come round and confirm this. I did not expect it to go to court so quickly, and my time is running out to get it stopped.:(

Rather than calling, you should write a letter to put in all on record.

captain_planet

Schwade wrote: »

Rather than calling, you should write a letter to put in all on record.

I think I'll do both and cross my fingers!