Aggro from TV Licence people!

tomstickland

I used to live with a woman who didn't have a TV in the house. They sent a few letters so I phoned them up and they told me that I had to write to them. The way I saw it, it was up to them to do the work, not for me to bother writing to them. So I didn't bother. TBH I just knew that I was on the receiving end of an automated system and that they struggled to understand that anyone could live without a television. So it wasn't very threatening or unpleasant.

Stonk

zakony wrote:

if you are over 74, you can apply for a Short Term Licence

It always amuses me when I read that. I know the real reason why, but the morbid side of my brain always has a sly little chuckle anyway.

Zziggi

My TV licence is due for renewal at the end of september. Since i hardly ever watch telly i am seriously considering not renewing the licence and just not watching TV. Problem is a really can;t be doing with the stress of getting threatening letters and/or knocks on the door. I would refuse to let anyone in, but i have heard that that fact alone can alert them to feel suspicious and they can get a warrant to break in to check.

Does anyone know if you don't have a licence can you still technically have a TV in the property but not plugged in and not plugged in to an areial? I was thnking of just packing the TV up in the spare room but then wondered whther you were just not allowed to have on in the house full stop? ALso heard the if you detune the TV that will act as further proof that you don;t watch it (not that they'd come over the threshold).

Just a thought... if their TV detection equipment is so damn good - then why do they need to even come into the property? Surely they can just sit in their van and find out who is watching TV and what channel they are watching - as the adverts say they can.....

JohalaReewi

Zziggi wrote:

Does anyone know if you don't have a licence can you still technically have a TV in the property but not plugged in and not plugged in to an areial? I was thnking of just packing the TV up in the spare room but then wondered whther you were just not allowed to have on in the house full stop? ALso heard the if you detune the TV that will act as further proof that you don't watch it (not that they'd come over the threshold).

You do not need a TV licence to own a TV (or TV receiving equipment). The licence is needed to use it (to receive TV broadcasts). So just leave it unplugged in the corner and covered in dust. Checkout the information here http://www.tvlicensing.biz/info_on_tvlicensing/index.htm

Just a thought... if their TV detection equipment is so damn good - then why do they need to even come into the property? Surely they can just sit in their van and find out who is watching TV and what channel they are watching - as the adverts say they can.....

Answers on a postcard to http://www.tvlicensing.biz/detection/index.htm

Keldin

Just thought I'd bump this thread up a bit as I've been getting loads of letters from them recently.
I've not had a TV for over 3 years now. When my GF and I moved to a flat of our own it didn't have a TV and we just couldn't be bothered to get one. We get letters around once a month from them with occasional lapses on their part but I can't see why I should have to tell them I don't have a TV. We tried that once and all we got was another form letter which when you read between the lines said 'thank you telling us you don't have a tv. we think you are lying, thieving scumbags and so we are still going to pester you and send an inspector round to check'.
After that they would only wait 2 years before starting the whole charade again.
Now we don't respond at all. All letters to us are 'to the occupant' as they don't know who lives there and I've had an 'inspector' come round twice - once at our old place and once and my new address. I politely tell them to !!!!!! and stop bothering me. If I'm in a good mood I add that I don't require a license (note I don't say I don't have a TV or anything else of the sort just basically that I don't require their services).
They then try a mix of the following tactics:
1) If you let us come in and inspect your house because we don't belive you and we want to come traipse through every room in your house and treat you like a criminal we will stop botheirng you
2) After I tell them go away they threaten to get a search warrant and I'll be forced to let them in
3)They'll take me to court and I'll end up with a criminal record

Now 1 is a waste since after a year or so they'll start again and 2 is doubtful since they have no evidence against me as I don't have a TV so it's not like they can say they saw one through the window 3 is even more preposterous since well...I don't have a TV

They've even tried conning my GF that they have a search warrant the first time they came round.

I've actually come to enjoy their visits now and I'm starting to fell a bit disappointed that it's been a year and I haven't had a visit even after they sent a letter saying they were in my area checking on pople and woud be around soon.

Basically if you don't have a TV treat the post from them as junk mail and bin it. TV Licensing is a private comapany sending private citizens playing at inspectors round to my house for my amusement.
They can't come in without a search warrant and even then I wouldn't let them in without a copper with them and just think of all their money they're wasting. Over 3 years and they haven't even got a foot in the door.

Come on TV Licensing where are you? I miss you all is forgiven. Come and visit soon.

K

webmasterpolo

LOL @ the sport of TV licence inspectors.

webmasterpolo

Oh btw, I complained to them about sending me letters saying I didn't have a licence and threatening me with court action, after I was and had been for years paying them via DD.

They sent me a £5 cheque as an apology. LOL

-Web

Wig

chloe99 wrote:

HI - we haven't had a tv for years either. You have to make sure tv licensing know that you really haven't got one by phoning them up (and writing as well would be better) and make sure they amend their records to show that you have stated that you haven't got a tv (ie as opposed to someone who has but is just dodging a licence - and I'm sure there must be 1000s who do this)..

When you say "you Have to" that is just a figure of speech. There is no requirement under law for you to tell them anything or to talk to them at your door. If you have a garden to your front door you can tell them to leave your property and if you want to you can take out an injunction against them ever again entering your property to knock on your door.

I only wish I had a garden or path to my front door as I would do this. One of my little quests is to find out if I can injunct them against ever knocking on my door, I don't see why I shouldn't be able to do this, as the act of knocking on my door is something which will directly affect me and is "using" my property.

Wig

Bogof_Babe wrote:

Sorry to perhaps pour cold water on all your TV-less statuses, but I understand that if you have a computer capable of receiving broadcasts, then you still need the licence.I have no further info on this, but I do know that many BBC programmes are available as video via the PC (I often watch them myself) so perhaps it is not as cut and dried as would first appear.

It does not apply to interweb video clips. Only applies if you have a TV card on your PC plugged into an aerial or cable box to recieve live broadcasts.

Wig

humph wrote:

According to the TV Licensing webpage this only applies if your PC / Laptop has a dedicated broadcast card that basically turns you compuer into a TV via an arial socket and its software / hardware. Its a good point though and some people may be unaware that they require a license.

Correct, and theoretically only then if you use it for the purpose.