TV Licence rip off - beware!

Llywarch_Hen

As a good and honest citizen I just (31st March) bought a years TV licence on line for my new home.
Having paid for 12 months licence, when it came through I noticed that it expires in 11 months time.
When I rang to ask why I was told that the licence starts from the beginning of the month when it is bought - so if I'd waited until tomorrow (April 1st) I would have got 12 months worth of licence. So I was expected to pay for this months TV licence for a property that I didn't own until yesterday. After spending ages on the phone and speaking to 3 'agents' all of whom asked the same 'security' questions including wanting my mobile phone number for no rational reason, I got the licence to run for 12 months from today.
TV licensing must make a LOT of money from this little scam. Anyone who takes out a new licence after the 1st of the month is being ripped off.

wapow

Wow what a bunch of cheeky b******. So what did they actually say to you in order to get it to normal? What change did they make? What a bunch of conning gits!

Llywarch_Hen

They eventually accepted that as I didn't own the property during the period they were charging for that I didn't need a licence until today. Took a while though.

JJ_Egan

Bit like road tax starts on the first day of the month purchased .

Heinz

TVL is run by the private firm Capita and they have shareholders. Need I say more?

[Deleted User]

My new licence always starts the same date that the old licence expires, (31 March). The date on which the new licence expires is already printed on the renewal slip before it's posted at the end of Feb. Each licence lasts 12 months.

donfanatico

no license for me, rip off...it's going soon anyway

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Been TV Tax free for a year now. You do not have to pay the BBC tax Collectors

honeybean

No different than road tax.

4justice

Yep had the same, your first licence never runs for a full year, but 11 and a bit months, depending on which day you take it out.
Even worse, when you cancel they only refund whole quarters, so you may lose another month or two there.
On the plus side now been legally licence free for two years, saved a bundle of TV Tax and persuaded a friend to do the same.
Now having to endure the bullying letters from BBC TVL - wonder why Watchdog never covers this!!!!!

Cornucopia

Heinz wrote: »

TVL is run by the private firm Capita and they have shareholders. Need I say more?

That isn't the reason.