Tv licence threat

ahxcjb

Loopgames wrote: »

I got a letter to 'the occupier' from tv licence people. They mention that if we do notpay the licence they will investigate.

Reading the letter makes one want to pay even though we don't have a telly. Our telly is at my mums house as we have been moving around a lot. We dont even have broadband so what exactly will they 'investigate'?

Ignore them. Don't even bother opening them, just put them in the bin.

If the idiots turn up, tell them to remove themselves from your doorstep or you will call the police. They all work for CAPITA, so don't be fooled into thinking they in any way have law enforcement powers. They don't.

If you fancy a laugh, check out the videos that get posted to youtube when they turn up. The moment you start filming them they run a mile!

Oh, and of course, don't say ANYTHING to them other than 'please remove yourself from my doorstop otherwise I will call the police.' Then close the door.

davidlizard

ahxcjb wrote: »

Ignore them. Don't even bother opening them, just put them in the bin.

If the idiots turn up, tell them to remove themselves from your doorstep or you will call the police. They all work for CAPITA, so don't be fooled into thinking they in any way have law enforcement powers. They don't.

If you fancy a laugh, check out the videos that get posted to youtube when they turn up. The moment you start filming them they run a mile!

Oh, and of course, don't say ANYTHING to them other than 'please remove yourself from my doorstop otherwise I will call the police.' Then close the door.

... and equally importantly, do not sign ANYTHING, even if it appears quite innocent.

Signatures have a nasty habit of finding their way onto all sorts of self-incriminating documentation, as previous posters on this very forum have testified.

Cornucopia

A group of us (based around TVLicenceResistance.info) is trying to get the abuses of TVL stopped, or at least brought into line with standards of common decency.

An Open Letter has been sent to the BBC outlining where their process falls short of expectations based on HRA and PACE. There is a copy here:

http://licencefree.co.uk/campaign-openletter.html

SwimmerPete

Bear in mind that the radio licence was abolished back in 1971. Broadcast sound does not need a licence whatever the source, that includes TV sound.

You can use a non-recording set-top box to listen to digital radio and all TV channels - Freeview and satellite. Simply connect the audio "line out" socket on the STB to the "line in" sockets on your stereo system. In fact powered computer speakers can be used to listen if no stereo set-up is available. Bear in mind that the STB will still need connection to an aerial/dish otherwise there'll no audio, but this is perfectly legal.

You can connect a TV to the STB to allow the menus to be viewed for setting up but afterwards the TV must be disconnected. This comes under "set-up and/or repair" which is allowed under the law without any need for a licence.

[Deleted User]

The letter is just bullsh1t and bluster, intended to panic you into paying and/or contacting them.

I'm approaching three years unlicensed and, according to their letters, they have so far opened 6 investigations.

I am no closer to court now, than I was the day my last licence expired.

joolesw1972

They are a pain in the a***! I have an empty house (up for sale), I have told them several times that the house is empty! There is no TV, so now I ignore them - let them investigate! Not my problem! Just ignore.

Buzby

SwimmerPete wrote: »

You can connect a TV to the STB to allow the menus to be viewed for setting up but afterwards the TV must be disconnected. This comes under "set-up and/or repair" which is allowed under the law without any need for a licence.

Sorry, which law is this? The Communications Act says nothing of the sort. If you are 'equipped' to receive these broadcasts, you have the tools to commit the crime - and this leaves you exposed should your protestations of innocence are disbelieved by the judge.

System

Sorry, which law is this? The Communications Act says nothing of the sort. If you are 'equipped' to receive these broadcasts, you have the tools to commit the crime - and this leaves you exposed should your protestations of innocence are disbelieved by the judge.

Since you are allowed to use a set top box to listen to radio only then you must also be allowed the leeway to get the box set up. I doubt if anybody considered that it was worthwhile putting in a clause in an Act to specify about connecting a TV for 10 mins to set up an STB - How would they find that out?
Para 368

(3)References in this Part to using a television receiver are references to using it for receiving television programmes.

Note that Para 364 (7) allows for a variation of the requirements of the Telecommunication Act 2003

(7)A direction by the Secretary of State under this section may be given either generally in relation to all TV licences (or all TV licences of a particular description) or in relation to a particular licence.

These are the variations that you see on the TV licencing website E.G. using a TV to only watch DVDs etc

[Deleted User]

!!!!!! wrote: »

These are the variations that you see on the TV licencing website E.G. using a TV to only watch DVDs etc

Actually, they're not, because no licence is needed for activities such as watching DVDs.

You confirmed that much, when you posted this:-

(3)References in this Part to using a television receiver are references to using it for receiving television programmes.

Watching a DVD is not "receiving television programmes".

System

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Actually, they're not, because no licence is needed for activities such as watching DVDs.

You confirmed that much, when you posted this:-



Watching a DVD is not "receiving television programmes".

Sorry, bad example of a variation

Normally people look at that act and stop at 'install and use' and also miss the fact that there is an 'AND' in there so both parts must apply.