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ARGOS SPYING FOR tv licensing...

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ARGOS spying for tv licensing!!??
Well!! I have to say I'm a tad outraged...I went to buy an extra freeview box yesterday from argos. Whilst purchasing I was asked name address postcode,etc, 'for the purposes of tv licensing people'..:confused:

Well I do have a tv license, this property has done for at least over 60 years..but if now argos need to know your details to pass to tv licensing, then what is the function of the tv detector van, and those horrible ads??

What's to stop anybody giving false details, especially in a queue of people who can hear everything, and if you refused then would argos say "ok then I am unable to sell you the freeview box if you don't submit your details"... Has anybody else found this, last time i bought one (last year) this did not happen..

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Comments

  • Sarahsaver
    Sarahsaver Posts: 8,390 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    thats been standard practice for years;)
    Member no.1 of the 'I'm not in a clique' group :rotfl:
    I have done reading too!
    To avoid all evil, to do good,
    to purify the mind- that is the
    teaching of the Buddhas.
  • stugib
    stugib Posts: 2,602 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    victoriav wrote: »
    ARGOS spying for tv licensing!!??
    Well!! I have to say I'm a tad outraged...I went to buy an extra freeview box yesterday from argos. Whilst purchasing I was asked name address postcode,etc, 'for the purposes of tv licensing people'..:confused:
    Every retailer selling relevant equipment has to.
    victoriav wrote: »
    what is the function of the tv detector van, and those horrible ads??
    Respectively: myth, and to scare people who don't pay, or in some cases those who don't need to but are being chased by TVL, into paying.
    victoriav wrote: »
    What's to stop anybody giving false details,
    Nothing. Sure Argos don't really want the hassle but they have to.
    victoriav wrote: »
    and if you refused then would argos say "ok then I am unable to sell you the freeview box if you don't submit your details"...
    Yes, probably.
    victoriav wrote: »
    Has anybody else found this, last time i bought one (last year) this did not happen..
    They should have.
  • Helix
    Helix Posts: 2,381 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    For every TV or Freeview Box you buy from any store you should be asked to complete a TV licencing form. Its not exclusive to Argos, if you wern't asked last time then the store was wrong as you should have been.
  • Tre-beam
    Tre-beam Posts: 139 Forumite
    Hi,
    yes, unfortunately, this has happened to me every time I have bought something like that. In the past, among other things, I have bought a VCR from Asda, a freeview box from Comet and a dvd player from Argos. After each purchase I have then received a letter from TVL enquiring as to whether I have a licence! (they should check their records and see that I do!)

    I have been tempted to give a false address just to avoid all the letters! :rolleyes:

    TB
  • peediedj
    peediedj Posts: 1,267 Forumite
    last time i bought a tv from tesco,s i had to fill in the form,standard practice
    Live in my shoes for a week,then tell me your lifes hard!
  • robt_2
    robt_2 Posts: 3,401 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    The OP made the same post on the Techie board and got the same replies.

    Like I said there, think the OP got out of bed on the wrong side this morning!
  • Kavanne
    Kavanne Posts: 5,093 Forumite
    When I got my TV from argos and my freeview box I had to give them my address details both times....
    Kavanne
    Nuns! Nuns! Reverse!

    'I do my job, do you do yours?'

  • vikingaero
    vikingaero Posts: 10,920 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I give this name and address when I buy TVs:

    Stevie Li-Sensing
    St Pauls
    Bristol
    BS98 1TL

    :D
    The man without a signature.
  • djb215
    djb215 Posts: 412 Forumite
    In particular for Argos if the customer refuses to give TV Licence details then we obviously refuse, however the till system won't let us put the item through unless we put the details in - it even does it on the quick pay kiosks! There's no way to override it.


    In addition, when I am serving customers I tell them that the name of the person we take HAS to be the EXACT name of the license holder, so if Mrs Jane Smith bought a TV and put her name down, but the license is under Mr John Smith I've been told they (TV Licensing) will write to you!
    [DISCLAIMER: Any posts made by myself are my opinions and do not represent my employer]

    God put me on Earth to acomplish a certain number of things.
    Right now I am so far behind I will probably never be allowed to die!
  • djb215 - I've heard that people with different surnames at the same address can get a letter from TVL. One reason is some landlords divide properties up into "bedsits" where each tenant has a seperate contact (as opposed to a joint tenancy) so each person apparently needs their own license.

    If surnames match then there shouldn't be a problem and to be honest I've never heard of anyone having a problem.
    "One thing that is different, and has changed here, is the self-absorption, not just greed. Everybody is in a hurry now and there is a 'the rules don't apply to me' sort of thing." - Bill Bryson
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