TV Licensing Court Summons... Whoops

Munch

Hi guys, I took out a Virgin trial on 15/01/11 for the whole package for about two weeks before cancelling it vowing never to watch TV again.

I had a TV licence guy come round on a day I had off ill (just bad luck I guess) and inspect the box (which was unplugged as I didn't want it to use my electric - and I hate TV) which I let him do as I had nothing to hide, Virgin had been cancelled and that was that. To my horror, when he connected it and turned it on, BBC came up automatically...My first instinct was that Virgin was still charging me for the TV package!

They weren't but apparently, even when it's cancelled, you can still get all the normal channels which is stupid, I haven't subscribed and Virgin just hadn't come over to pick up their box yet, but had arranged that they would.

The guy who came in just told me as I obv didn't like TV, I would get a 'warning' which I was fine with as I had no intention of watching TV again... Just wanted him out my flat as I wasn't well, so I signed the bit of paper and he left.

I received a 'court summons' through my door this morning for a date which has already past, included with it is a the paper I signed. Turns out it wasn't a warning at all.

Not sure what to do... Help?

vax2002

You signed a CONTRACT !
You will learn why you dont sign anything legal very shortly and you will learn it the HARD WAY !
It never is a warning, it is a contract admitting watching TV without a licence, you are guilty of what you signed to.
They dont "DO" warnings or excuses.
You had no duty to let him in, test your equipment or sign anything, they are allowed to deceive you in to signing the contract and now unfortunately and you do have my sympathy, time to learn what been nice and polite costs and getting caught off guard.

macman

So you thought that you didn't need a licence to watch TV for the 2 weeks 'trial' period then?
VM haven't picked up the box, but you cancelled it in January?

poppasmurf_bewdley

Yes, you hate TV, but you still have a TV with a Virgin Box still wired up to it and only needed plugging in to work ok?

Sounds just like the set-up I have now with my Sky HD Box, and the one in my sons bedroom.

You've been caught bang to rights mate.

Naf

The only possible way to avoid actually going to court (and I can't guarantee this'll avoid it) would be to pay whatever full amount they want you to: possibly even a full year's license.
I had the problem that when I changed banks, their automated system changed my address, but not my bank account details. The first I realised of it was when they sent me a summons, and they refused to accept anything but full payment to overturn it.
Otherwise you'll go to court and the best you can hope for is that you can persuade them that you only used it for those two weeks, and maybe that's all you'll be charged for. Maybe.
As pointed out above, TV licensing (whatever they try to tell you) have absolutely no right to force themselves into your property, no automatic right of entry or right to inspect your equipment. What you signed is, almost certainly, an admission that you have watched TV in your property and did not have a TV license while doing so: when and how long for are irrelevant. You should have been given a duplicate of this (pink, I believe) so check what boxes were ticked and what notes the person left on it.
Tricky situation, shoulda signed up for a license, then cancelled after cancelling Virgin.

interstellaflyer

I'm not really sure I believe the OP, about 5 years ago we were going through a rough patch financialy and didn't have a tv license, we got a visit from one of their people, a thoroughly nice man who filled in a DD form and left us some paperwork that counted as us being licensed from that day, they don't just automaticaly take you to court. @ the OP, of coarse your box could still pick up BBC, it's a freeview channel, even if you cancel your package you can still get the free channels.

Gordon_Hose

I lol'd at this thread!!

"I hate TV" isn't really a valid defence. You need to inform TV Licensing that you don't watch or record TV as it is broadcast, by signing their declaration online. This stops them sending you the standard letters they issue to unlicensed households.

dojoman

Had to chuckle at this thread:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

MackemPunk

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Yes, you hate TV, but you still have a TV with a Virgin Box still wired up to it and only needed plugging in to work ok?

Sounds just like the set-up I have now with my Sky HD Box, and the one in my sons bedroom.

You've been caught bang to rights mate.

Yu can have any set up you like, as long as your not watching tv as it's broadcast you don't need a license.

moonrakerz

The OP's tale doesn't ring quite true.

You do not need a licence to own equipment capable of receiving television - you need a licence to watch or record live TV.
She was NOT watching live TV, she was not committing an offence - it could almost be said the the man from TVL was acting as an "agent provocateur" as he connected it up and switched it on.

I have very little time for the antics of TVL - almost as little as I do for those who watch TV without a licence !

MackemPunk

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

I lol'd at this thread!!

"I hate TV" isn't really a valid defence. You need to inform TV Licensing that you don't watch or record TV as it is broadcast, by signing their declaration online. This stops them sending you the standard letters they issue to unlicensed households.

You don't need to inform TV licensing of anything, just ignore them and don't let them into your home .

OP, you've been stitched up, you shouldn't have let him into your house, and the "just sign this" is a common tactic of theirs, you could try telling the magistrate that you didn't realise what you were signing and that you don't watch T.V as it's broadcast, but unfortunatly I don't think he'll belive you.