TV licences: 400,000 don't have one, but do you know the law?

Gaz59

I've had MY day in Court,3 of em in fact :-) and I was SHOCKED at the way they (the Court) carry on,hand in Glove with TV licensing.

Even BEFORE you get to Court,you are sent a form to fill out,to detail you financial situation.Cash in the bank,in-come,outgoings,CAR DETAILS,SO to me,the message was clear..."We are going to take you to Court,but you WILL be found guilty,and so that we can save time,and work out how you will pay the fine,tell us what yer got NOW"

In your dreams,I thought,and ignored it.

SO...WATFORD MAGISTRATES COURT,some weeks later.
1st Cout Hearing

I sign-in,and am given that form...AGAIN,this time by a COURT official (Hand in Glove) and again,I ignore it.At the same time,by the same Court official,I'm told the PROSECUTOR will be along shortly,to "talk to me" and he did,one on one,in a private room,to ask the kind of questions you would expect him to do IN COURT,but I guess he just wanted to be sure he had me cold?,and remember...it's ALL done WITH the blessings of the Court.

IN THE DOCK
I put my side "I don't need a licence,as I don't watch TV,AS IT IS BEING BROADCAST,and they listened (3 of them) went out to think about it,returned and Adjourned the case.

2nd Hearing,Same Court,4 weeks later

Different Magistrates (the A Team) and not looking to take any prisoners,THIS Magistrate (the other 2,1 either side,kept quiet) was not a happy Bunny,and we had words.They refered to a Law book about a foot thick,and said...if yer got a TV,YER GOTTA HAVE a LICENCE,so long story short,after the Guilty verdict,I lodged my appeal.

3rd Court Hearing (Appeal) St Albans

Now THIS is serious.The Judge (Wig,Gown,the works) was not impressed...by the way the case had been handled to date.He thought I'd failed to go to Court in the first place,but I cleared that up.I then told him of the screw-up with my initial appeal request,and how a Recorded delivery letter I sent,was "lost" by the Magistrates Court,and how there reply to my hand delivered appeal,was to refer to my Case as being with "First Capital Connect"...DON'T ASK

And to top it all off,TV licence DIDN'T turn up,so (and he was clear on this point) he upheld my appeal :j but said TV licence could start the process up all over again.

AS IT STANDS

I've had over a dozen "reminder" letters.and the odd "we called to see you,but you were out" letter (delivered by postie) all addressed to the occupier,so they LIE (didn't call round),and attempt to intimidate (the point of the "we called when you were out " letters) and can't even remember my NAME... MUPPETS

zebbedee

Gaz59 wrote: »

I've had MY day in Court,3 of em in fact :-) and I was SHOCKED at the way they (the Court) carry on,hand in Glove with TV licensing.

Hi,
You may want to pop over to tvlicenceresistance
CountryBoy would like to blog about your story (tv licensing blog spot, I can't post links

Halifax81

13 more days and my TV licence is gone for good, will be glad to see the back of it after years of paying

callistris

Best thing I ever did was get rid of mine, been without one now for nearly 12 months.

System

Gaz59 wrote: »

3rd Court Hearing (Appeal) St Albans

Now THIS is serious.The Judge (Wig,Gown,the works) was not impressed...by the way the case had been handled to date.He thought I'd failed to go to Court in the first place,but I cleared that up.I then told him of the screw-up with my initial appeal request,and how a Recorded delivery letter I sent,was "lost" by the Magistrates Court,and how there reply to my hand delivered appeal,was to refer to my Case as being with "First Capital Connect"...DON'T ASK

The BBC has our Magistrate Courts in their back pockets. They give them Magazines to help brainwash the Magistrates and their staff and offer free training courses which are obviously bent to the BBCs point of view rather than the law.

http://thejusticeofthepeace.blog.co.uk/2010/07/05/t-v-license-evasion-should-be-a-civil-matter-8917052/

The Crown Court on the other hand followers the law which is why the BBC tries its hardest to stop cases getting there. I've heard from one guy who told me they kept saying the costs would go up and he'd have to pay this and that etc etc................basically the BBC knows they can't control a Judge like they can a Magistrate who they know on a first name basis.


The BBC are corrupt to the core

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Now 4 months of legal non payment
2 letters
No visit

calicocat

I wanted to post a question if that ok, as didn't want to start a whole thread about it.

I do have a license, but have just moved house and am assuming previous owner hasn't had one for years if at all due to the letter I have received. The last one is addressed to the 'legal occupier' and is spouting off about how someone is 'coming soon', can come anytime day or evening, and that they may well have a warrant to enter my property. I have changed my address online around 2 weeks ago, do these goons not check on theses things? Can they just enter my property without a final check as to who lives there now? And can these idiots effectively break into my place and naff off with my tvs whilst i'm out?

I have tried phoning the number to speak to someone but just get automated questions unrelated to what I want to talk about or cut off each time.

If they do enter, can I sue them for wrongful 'something or other' ?

Thanks.

Cornucopia

calicocat wrote: »

I do have a license, but have just moved house and am assuming previous owner hasn't had one for years if at all due to the letter I have received. The last one is addressed to the 'legal occupier' and is spouting off about how someone is 'coming soon', can come anytime day or evening, and that they may well have a warrant to enter my property.

The letters are standard. When someone is unlicensed (whether that is legitimate or not) and they do not comply with the BBC's process, the BBC/TVL send them a letter every month with a variety of hollow threats incorporated.

I have changed my address online around 2 weeks ago, do these goons not check on theses things?

I understand that it takes 6-8 weeks for the BBC's database to be fully updated so that letters are stopped.

Can they just enter my property....

No. They require your consent. If you tell them you have a licence or are able to produce it, they will probably go away without asking for entry, anyway. There are cases where TVL people have used a variety of deceptions to gain entry - this is illegal.

And can these idiots effectively break into my place and naff off with my tvs whilst i'm out?

They do not do either of those things.

If they do enter, can I sue them for wrongful 'something or other' ?

Thanks.

They cannot enter without your consent or a search warrant (these are very, very rare). In all cases, they would be liable for any damage. If you wanted to pursue them with regards to your right to privacy, you'd need to find a human rights lawyer and a suitable amount of funding for the case.

If you want to do something positive about this, write to the BBC's Head of Revenue Management and let her know how you feel. Maybe copy your MP?

calicocat

/\/\/\....good to know, letter did say something about a warrant, and numerous letters being ignored. If it's not a problem for me though that's fine. Thanks for reply....the way they go on it almost makes me want to not pay for one, and the phoneline is a load of rubbish.

I'll look forward to their visit then assuming i'm in when/if they call.

Battleaxe44

I got caught not having a TV Licence. Where I come from never needed one, it was aboloshied eons ago, so naively wnet ahead and enjoyed my TV viewing for several years. letters did arrive, but as I planning at the time to leave the country I was bothering to buy something I would not be using and then wait for a refund.

Got home from shopping oe Saturday afternoon to be met by a very nice gentleman who introduced himself as the dreaded License Inspector. i invited him in, sta him down, made him a cuppa and we chatted. i esplained the circumstances why i didn't have that piece of paper. he duly wrote everything down and asked could I pay for the license for the year and I told him no, and I woud not set up a DD either. he went away and I didn't hearanother thing. irony of this was, he said if we had retuned five minutes later he would have been gone.

Fate steps in husband at time becomes ill and then dies.. Eventually I meet new husband, and he moves in with his TV License.. so by default I am now lawful. In four years time he is 75, so I guess than we wont be paying that fee.

I do object to the fee, simply because it is something from the ark. Now we are into the silly season of viweing and most of the stuff viewed is replays and how many times can you see The Great Escape? I would not object of things were of quality, no repeats of repeats and as we pay a Sky subscription (well I have honed that package down) and it will be gone next month, I do object to the License. if all the TV channels got a piece of the pot, then it would be share of the spoils...

The License should be done away with and let the BBC be put on a commercial footing with the other channels.

If I had not remarried, I would not have a license.