TV Licence refund.....dont bother you wont get it

_Miss__Scarlet_

I have been trying to get a refund on my student sons unused portion of his Tv Licence since the middle of June.....the telephone number on the licence is the recording options saying press 1 for blah blah press 2 for blah blan blah etc well the option for refund says to write in so I did and I included the licence, they wrote back saying a payment is going through via his bank so they cant do anything until its in....I wasnt aware he had paid by quarterly direct debit and couldnt understand what they were talking about (he is backpacking and working his way around Europe during the Summer break) after talking to him i understood. I tried to call the help line and tried each option to get to talk to someone but you cant speak to anyone there is an option to leave you name and number but after they say that bit it states 'this option is not available' and cuts you off. I have also been emailing them.They finally sent me a form to fill in but they want the licence number (they have the licence) they want an offiicial letter from the university stating term dates and for my son (in Europe) to sign it. Also they state that they will only refund in 3 month blocks well he got his 1 Oct so he would be due a refund from 1Jul-30Sep but the form states that they will only refund from the date they receive the form, so he wont get a refund even though the licence was sent to them mid June. Why they cant just send out a refund form as soon as you ask for a refund I just dont know.
Why the Tv Licence people dont trust you enough when you send the licence to them saying you dont require it anymore and the reason why, we are expected to buy one when we need it the onus is on us. The wasted phone calls the wasted time all for the sake of approx £30.00. I am emaling them to keep the licence and we will use the form next year. Oh btw if you dont need a licence because you are dead they want the death certifiate !!

IvanOpinion

If it is paid by direct debit can you not go through the driect debit indemnity procedure and reclaim it that way?

ivan

Sazere

Sounds like a nightmare, but I would like to say I rang up for a refund as been paying in advance by DD for next years licence. I didnt press any options waited to speak to someone, only a minute or so, sorted out a refund within in a couple of minutes. Received cheque in the post about a week later. No problems at all.

Sometimes I think it's who answers the phone as to how you are dealt with!

Hope you get it sorted out.

figgy1978

I also managed to get a refund very quickly. No problems. Has your son given them permission for them to talk to you on his behalf?