Just got a visit from the TV Licencing people

marleyboy

Would love to know the technology these televans have considering they originally scanned for analogue receivers within a premises, now that we are all digital, I am not sure whether a televan can detect a digitally receiving appliance and single out a laptop,desktop,Dab,Mobile Phone or TV to ascertain that you are indeed watching a colour\b&w television.

Incidentally, are B&W licenses still valid, considering that Digiboxes or Cable/Sat are classed as colour receivers? There was a time having a B&W Tv hooked up to a VCR would mean having a colour license, whereas just a B&W TV meant you could just get a B&W license, which was all well during the analogue era, now we have gone digital, I am not sure there are any such B&W Digital boxes, rendering a B&W License pretty pointless.

FATBALLZ

TV licensing are full of crap, the only way you will get prosecuted is if you invite them in and ask them if they'd like to watch a live broadcast of BBC news on your TV over a cup of coffee. If you tell them to f off they can't do !!!!.

Mankysteve

preable wrote: »

If you fail to pay they will take you to court. It is the law to have a tv licence

I've never heard of The licensing people taking bank details on the door I reckon the OP has been had.

Also tenner on the act he's either a Sun or daily mail reader.

On serious note OP CONTACT YOU BANK STRAIGHT AWAY.... never give out bank details to cold callers you may very soon find you bank account empty.

Mankysteve

CWCDiver wrote: »

I do not believe that TVL(Capita) have ever been able to use evidence from their detector vans

shhhh don't tell anyone they don't nor have they actually existed it was scared tactic.

Fruitcake

CWCDiver wrote: »

I do not believe that TVL(Capita) have ever been able to use evidence from their detector vans in court... Obviously to do so would open their equipment to full scrutiny and they would have to state, legally, it's capabilities....

To detect a TV signal on private property using a detector van they need a warrant from a Judge the same way the Police need a warrant to obtain a wire tap on a telephone. To get the warrant they would have to provide reasonable evidence that they believe a crime is being committed.

In other words, to get the warrant they need the evidence from a TV detector van to get permission to use a detector van to get the evidence for a warrant...

Catch 22 innit.

CWCDiver

Fruitcake wrote: »

To detect a TV signal on private property using a detector van they need a warrant from a Judge the same way the Police need a warrant to obtain a wire tap on a telephone. To get the warrant they would have to provide reasonable evidence that they believe a crime is being committed.

In other words, to get the warrant they need the evidence from a TV detector van to get permission to use a detector van to get the evidence for a warrant...

Catch 22 innit.

No they don't, there is an amendment to RIPA (the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act) that applies to BBC/TVL, an authorisation has to come from a senior BBC manager (head of sales or head of marketing BBC) but no judge is involved.

The authorisation is "the detection of television receivers" and if they have a belief that they will be detecting an offence under section 1 or 1Af the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 orfor the purpose of assessing or collecting sums payable to the British Broadcasting Corporation under regulations made under section 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949.

(a) is carried out by means of apparatus designed or adapted for the purpose of detecting the installation or use in any residential or other premises of a television receiver (within the meaning of section 1 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949URL="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2001/20011057.htm#note3"]3[/URL), and

(b) is carried out from outside those premises exclusively for that purpose.

(Can you tell someone here spends a lot of time doing RIPA authorisations)....

OlliesDad

Mankysteve wrote: »

I've never heard of The licensing people taking bank details on the door I reckon the OP has been had.

I have known a few people to be caught out and forced to sign up on he doorstep. TVL tell the person that they will be less likely to receive any further action if they sign up on the spot.

cybergibbons

TV detector vans are interesting.

It is perfectly possible to detect that a radio receiver is operating in a house, and also work out if it is a TV receive or not. Most radio enthusiasts will have the equipment to do so.

It does this by receiving a signal that the TV "leaks" when it is working. In the last few years, massive improvements in receiver design and shielding mean that these signals have become much weaker. There is little noticeable difference between digital and analogue, only in as much as a digital receiver is likely to be more modern. The signal can be radiated by the TV or the aerial.

They can also direction find the signal, and pinpoint the area the TV is in. However, with the density of housing in many places, it is almost impossible to work out exactly which house.

There are several issues though. It isn't evidence that someone is watching TV without a license for one, and isn't used in court. It requires a van driving around, with skilled employees working the equipment.

It's much cheaper to assume that everyone has a TV and just pester everyone for a license.

There is (or was, in 2000) at least one detector van. Capita refuse to disclose how many there are, but it is suspected very few. The only real evidence that we have that they are still used is the amendment to RIPA.

Laz123

This is a windup.

jamespir

dreambirdie wrote: »

i know a woman who ended up going to court over it..still didnt pay fine etc, so they sent her to jail for 5 days. and she had kids, so no sympathetic judge there

i got 21 days in prison which was halved to 12 it wasnt at all nice