TV licenses for Home with a self employed person

SideKick

PlutoinCapricorn wrote: »

Are you a sole trader or do you operate though a limited company?

Is your address widely publicised? How long have you been trading? Is there any reason for their suddenly picking your address up?

I am sure that they have no case, unless you have a waiting room where clients can watch your second TV!

Sole trader, been trading since March 2003. I may have received a letter from them before and ditched it, I don't recall. I thought I better check with them today though.

Hopefully this is the last I shall hear of this.

SideKick

Thanks all, I going for a coffee to calm down after all this unneccessary strain.

PlutoinCapricorn

There is a lot of information on MSE for people who have no TV licence, and don't need one but keep being asked for one. Some of it may apply to your case: they have no right to come in and middleman collection companies have no real authority.

SideKick

I have no intention of letting any third party in to the house.

My business 'rents' part of a room as far as the taxman is concerned. I don't have a TV in it, but I do have a computer - which although it can receive live TV, I wouldn't ever use it for such a thing when I am working for my business, because the boss would sack me. (I am the boss).

Kurtis_Blue

It will be these guys next, http://www.prsformusic.com/users/businessesandliveevents/musicforbusinesses/Pages/becomelicensed.aspx

SideKick

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

It will be these guys next, http://www.prsformusic.com/users/businessesandliveevents/musicforbusinesses/Pages/becomelicensed.aspx

Cancel the coffee, I am going to need something stronger in a minute. Maybe the Greeks have got the right ideas after all. LOL

Nilrem

The BBC doesn't set the law, nor the definitions of a residence or business premesis - iirc the government does that.
All the BBC does is enforce the law (in a manner that the government has agreed with) in regards to organising the collection of the TVL.


Op, as has been said just inform them you do not have any equipment for receiving live TV in the room you use as your office.
Chances are that will be it, the problem possibly comes in that some people do use their mobile/PC etc to watch TV, but don't think of that requiring a license as it seems a common misconception that a licence is required just for owning a TV, and only a TV, when it's almost anything used for watching live TV.

P.S.
IIRC the PRS only applies to premisis where the public have access, or where the music is able to be heard by more than a set number of people (a relative used to have to take a radio with headphones to listen to the radio at work, as they didn't have a PRS license so it had to be limited in who could hear his radio).

JabezClegg

The BBC doesn't set the law, nor the definitions of a residence or business premesis - iirc the government does that.
All the BBC does is enforce the law (in a manner that the government has agreed with) in regards to organising the collection of the TVL.

I never thought any government would allow a private company to send thugs round to visit honest people at home and let them lie and threaten them, But the company who comes round to collect this tax gets away it on a daily basis.

Best to have no contact with the BBC and as someone has already posted NEVER ever sign anything. If you do get a form shoved under your nose put two lines through all the spaces so the thug can't add anything at a later date. These forms have a habit of having extra words added on at a later date.

The_Safordian

Nilrem wrote: »

The BBC doesn't set the law, nor the definitions of a residence or business premesis - iirc the government does that.

No but we all know they push for the changes when needed and always ask for more than they need...............the billions they get never being enough for them.

Nilrem wrote: »

All the BBC does is enforce the law (in a manner that the government has agreed with) in regards to organising the collection of the TVL.

The BBC has broke that charter countless times like their support for the climate zealots. The BBC breaks its charter and goes against the public interest by refusing to cover the scientific arguments and evidence against evolution theory.

Nilrem wrote: »

Op, as has been said just inform them you do not have any equipment for receiving live TV in the room you use as your office.
Chances are that will be it, the problem possibly comes in that some people do use their mobile/PC etc to watch TV

Your existing home TV Licence would cover that as TVcatchups legal team has got TV Licensing to admit.

http://www.tvlicenceresistance.info/forum/advice-centre/be-prepared-for-this-invest-to-lead-to-court/msg34654/#msg34654

Nilrem wrote: »

IIRC the PRS only applies to premisis where the public have access, or where the music is able to be heard by more than a set number of people (a relative used to have to take a radio with headphones to listen to the radio at work, as they didn't have a PRS license so it had to be limited in who could hear his radio).

Very well informed aren't you

Hieronymous

SideKick wrote: »

I am self employed and do some of my work from home. (IT Support ). My "business address" for tax and correspondence is my home address.

I have a valid residential TV license for my home. Today I got a letter from the TV licensing lot addressed to the manager of this address claiming that I don't have a business TV license.

They are trying to tell me that I require 2 TV licenses for the same property and TV as it is a "business address".

I don't have customers coming here, watching a TV, in fact I don't normally allow customers anywhere near my property. I visit them.

Anyone have any insight into this? - Surely they can't be serious.

Don't have the facts as I haven't done the research but I have to say that this can't be right.

I'm guessing it's down to incompetence (i.e. business address vs. residential address) but don't forget Capita's remit is to "maximise revenue for the BBC".

Ordinarily I'd advise against contacting them but I'm inclined to think that, in this case, they are looking at two, er, different addresses. One residential, one business.

To be honest, I'm torn. Contact usually results in you being targetted all the more.

On reflection, since you have a 'residential' licence I'd ignore them. Otherwise you're only inviting hassle. You're doing nothing wrong, the onus is on them to prove otherwise. Be aware, though, of dodgy doings!!