Tv license fine help advice needed

riz1111

hi

I need some advice from you guys. Basically I am renting a flat, a few months ago as I JUST moved in I had a guy come in knocking on my door, I didnt have tv license then as my landlord was purchasing this on that day already. I told this to the guy and he said it was fine that even if it wasnt paid I could pay without getting fined.i HAVE just received a summons for court taking me to court. ANy ideas what I can do.
I have changed my name on deed poll and not on my passport and drivers license and gave the guy my new name not my current name which I have not changed on passport and drivers license,. However the d.o.b is the same.
I paid the tv license that day the guy came yet I am being taken to court,they must be something i can do.

Nilrem

If you have any proof that you had just moved in (such as the tenancy agreement), I beleive that should cover you if you'd got a TV licence the same day.

The important thing is to actually show up at the court on the day, otherwise they will most likely get a default guilty verdict on the case, and explain exactly what had happend, with some proof of moving in.

I suspect that someone will be long with a more detailed answer, but if it was on the day you moved in you've got a very good reason for not having it that day.

scotsbob

If your landlord was going to purchase the licence that day then I am wondering why you purchased one.
A personal visit is usually the result of numerous letters being ignored, it is seldom the first step in the process.
As Nilrem has pointed out to you, you have a summons so you have no alternative but to attend court.
You really need to have concrete proof that you only moved in that day.

Tongue

This sounds well dodgy.
On the first day of moving into a flat a guy from the TV Licensing Company turns up asking to see the licence? You are having a laugh here or trying to pull a fast one surely?
Did you turn the tv on as you were moving in?
Sounds like you've been in the flat a while and thought you'd get away without paying. Saying someone else (landlord) is paying is like driving a car with no road tax and saying to the Police when stopped that your application for road tax is in the post.
You have been caught red handed, good, accept it.
Fail to turn up at court if you dare! Being in contempt of court will bring you lots of trouble and fines!

norbet

Yup sounds well dodgy - apols OP if you're all above board etc, but....

Landlord purchasing a TV license for you?? It's up to YOU to buy a licence - not the landlord.

You buying one on the day of the visit? Maybe too late by then, but why if your landlord had bought one in your name?

The license inspectors arriving on the day of moving in? Sounds unlikely they normally issue plenty of written warnings prior to a visit. Was the flat empty for some time before moving in?

Changing your name? Not sure how relevant this is in the matter, but sounds very confusing.

As others have said - if you can demonstrate that you purchase a license on or very shortly after your move in date you should be ok - failing that, you're facing a fine (which will largely depend on the period you've failed to be licensed for and whether you've attempted to avoid payment (name changing unlikely to be of help to you here).

davidlizard

Do bear in mind that you do NOT need a licence for simply owning a television, or to use it for watching DVDs or playing computer games. You only require a licence to watch television broadcasts. If you have therefore not been watching broadcasts on television at that address before you purchased a licence, then you have not broken any law - have they any proof you were?

Theres also issues concerning TV licences in rented properties, and whether a licence the landlord holds for an address covers tennants. Suggest OP looks into that.

I had issues with the BBC/TVL Stasi when I moved to my new house a few years back - the place needed a lot of work doing before it was habitable so watching telly was the last thing on my mind. When they came knocking, I told them where to go - it was up to them to proove I was watching telly - needless to say nothing became of it. They typically rely on people self-incriminating themselves as evidence for prosecution, and use some fairly underhand approaches in doing so.

Suggest have a look at the BBC resistance forum for advice:

http://www.tvlicensing.biz/phpBB3/index.php

On the other hand, if you have been watching telly without a licence (and admitted so) then no sympathy here.