ARGOS spying for tv licensing!!??

adouglasmhor

victoriav wrote: »

No I didn't get out of bed the wrong side ..:rotfl: just that I have something to say!!!

There is nothing to stop people giving wrong details..so how could it be effective...??It seems quite ridiculous to me....what if you were buying one to then go and emigrate to australia for instance? then the next person in your property could theoretically be logged as having one but maybe haven't.

It might even work if they are paying cash and don't want the makers guarantee, but how many people do that nowadays? And when you move into a place without a TV licence
you will get a letter soon enough anyway. It doens't need to be cost effective as they just use our money anyway.

And why is this in the techie forum?

Sput2001

Tesco made me do it about ten years ago when I bought a DVD player.

The lady there said that if I had a DVD player then it stood to reason that I must have a TV, so I had to fill out the form.

What's the point in getting stressed about it? It took about 25 seconds and I had a licence anyway.

JimmyTheWig

The holes in this policy clearly mean that it can't replace other methods like adverts and detector vans (though I don't think these detect anything).
But what's the harm in a belt-and-braces approach?

theduke88

i also got asked for my details for the tv licensing and i refused outright! , i said that they weren't having my details and i still got the freeview box.

that was over 3 years ago though at currys.

a good tip for anyone that wants to watch tv without a licence is to buy a computer and watch iplayer!/itv catch up etc , as long as it isn't a live stream then it is legal to do so without a licence.

yet iplayer is funded through licence payers money!

Leopard

Some years ago, when I was young and sharing a flat, I bought a television from a colleague who was moving to the Bahamas (where it couldn't be used). Being law-abiding and honest (and not wanting to collect a criminal record), I purchased a licence for it.

A few months later, one of my flat-mates bought a television.

One morning, a few weeks later, while I was on a night-shift rota and enjoying some much needed sleep, I was awoken by a very loud and officious hammering at the front door.

I opened it and was confronted by two men, one carrying a clipboard. He produced an identity card and waved it in front of my bleary eyes.

"Does a Mr. xxxx live here?" he demanded. "Yes." I replied.

"Does he have a television?" he demanded. "Yes". I replied.

"Our records show that he doesn't have a licence for it. Is that correct?" was his next question. "Yes." I replied, "I imagine that is correct."

At this point the two men looked at each other, smiled knowingly, and a gleam came into their eyes.

"Why not?" came their joint response, peremptorily. "Because he doesn't need one." I growled, having by then become rather annoyed.

Whereupon the man with the clipboard launched into a smug and increasingly aggressive recital of some paragraph of the Wireless & Telegraphy Act. culminating in the demand to be allowed entry to the premises, to inspect the offending piece of technology.

I told them to wait while I got dressed and I shut the front door. Still half asleep, I went back to my room, dug out my own television licence and was making my way back to the front door when the hammering on it began again. By then, I was very annoyed.

Upon opening the door, the man with the clipboard produced some official documents, announced that a criminal offence had been committed and that he intended to exercise his right to inspect the criminal item of equipment.

"This is my licence," I snarled, "for my television. And, as you have just pointed out, a premises in which a television is kept is obliged to have a licence. One licence. A single licence. That's why Mr. xxxx doesn't need to have one as well. Now, I've got a question for you and I want to know the answer: why isn't my licence on your f***ing database? Or is it, and have you just been too careless and incompetent to notice it?"

I never did get an answer to that. They looked at each other again, in a crestfallen and disappointed manner, mumbled something about having to check the database and beat a hasty retreat. They didn't come back.

Somehow I doubt that these people have got their act together, even now; so don't be too surprised if two men, one carrying a clipboard and both looking very self-important come beating on your door, sometime soon.

Fonz_2

victoriav wrote: »

I think ESPRESSO, YOU HAVE TOTALLY MISSED MY point. point BEING, WHY if shops are gathering and passing information as to whether you've bought a tv/freeview box, and do or don't have a licence, WHY then have we still got the TV detector VANS..ie What then would be their purpose...???? Do you see??? However just to please you, I will put this on the RANT board as well.......

This is possibly one of the most stupid posts in the history of the internet :rotfl:

There are 20 odd million households in the UK, do you really think its a more viable solution to put hundreds of trucks on the road to scan every house than to take 2 minutes recording information at point of sale?

Obviously not everyone buys their tv in Argos with a trackable method of payment and is honest enough to supply correct details. The detector vans catch the gap.

flashy

i brought a freeview box recently, as a present for someone, i gave them their address, no proof of ID required etc.

I had my TV delivered to work, and work now get threatening letters saying the address is unlicenced.

I use the TV solely for watching DVD's and using my media center PC (no tv tuner) so i told them to stop hassling me with silly letters.

pbfhpunk

victoriav wrote: »

No I didn't get out of bed the wrong side ..:rotfl: just that I have something to say!!!

There is nothing to stop people giving wrong details..so how could it be effective...??It seems quite ridiculous to me....what if you were buying one to then go and emigrate to australia for instance? then the next person in your property could theoretically be logged as having one but maybe haven't.

If you're not registered as having a TV licence at that address they send you a letter, it gives you all sorts of options, like to say it's the wrong address, the person isn't the one that lives there.

I know because I got one after buying our tv as the guy put that I was a Mr not a Mrs, not got round to contacting them but if they end up coming round I'll show them mine.

Sput2001

"This is my licence," I snarled, "for my television. And, as you have just pointed out, a premises in which a television is kept is obliged to have a licence. One licence. A single licence. That's why Mr. xxxx doesn't need to have one as well. Now, I've got a question for you and I want to know the answer: why isn't my licence on your f***ing database? Or is it, and have you just been too careless and incompetent to notice it?"

It depends on your tenancy agreement, which they won't necessarily know about.

If you're on a joint tenancy then one licence is fine. If, however, you're on individual contracts, then it's much more likely that each room being rented will count as a separate dwelling and will need its own licence.

Leopard

They never came back to ask!