TV Licensing

dreamypuma

Is it just me or does anyone else find the tone of the TV licensing Letters quite offensive? (the non licensed property letters)

Being a first time buyer I have spent the past year refurbishing a property that I purchased. Being in a position where I wanted every spare penny I had to go into the property I made a concious decision not to have a TV in the property. I didn't have the time for watching it, nor did I feel it justified the £135 annual fee.

I contacted the TV Licensing authorities to declare that the property was unoccupied and had no TV or any equipment capable of receiving a broadcast was present at the property.

Since then I am shocked at the number of letters I have received from them threatening this and that.

Having completed the works at my new home last month I thought that I would treat myself to a nice big new LCD TV. I immediately purchased a license (0% Credit card of course ) and thought that that would be the end of the matter.

No today I received another letter their Enforcement Division want to "visit my home and interview me under caution"

I've always been a good law abiding citizen and always pay what is due and on time. I have no debt and never have (barring the mortgage) never been in arrears on anything and pride myself on my financial stability and shrewdness.

I really do find there letters annoying and quite threatening. Why don't they just come and check my property or check there records, alternatively shut the....:mad:

The tone in the letters almost makes you out to be a liar, despite being in the right make you feel you are in the wrong. They really do not inspire me to co-operate with them at all. If anything I feel like doing everything I can to be objectional.

Can anything be done about these people? Are they some kind of superior body or something?!!!

tomstickland

Just chuck them all in the bin. I've not got a TV and for the first 6 months I received endless Red letters with various threats on them.

dreamypuma

tomstickland wrote: »

Just chuck them all in the bin. I've not got a TV and for the first 6 months I received endless Red letters with various threats on them.

That's where they all end up, but they really wind me up. They seem to think they can write whatever they want. If anything they get my back up more!!!

I feel like writing a really shirty, equally threatening letter back to them. I guess it will be like water off a ducks back.

dreamypuma

ts_aly2000 wrote: »

They've been writing to me for months. What makes it funny is that I have a licence.

This is the thing how inefficient can they be? Is this what we are funding? :mad:

I want to get my cape on and go on a crusade with these people....

valiant

The reason they do this is presumably because it works. And the reason it works is because the average IQ out there is 100.

If everyone ignored these letters and stopped paying this unenforceable (and therefore immoral) tax then the system would become unworkable and we'd either pay it through the Income Tax system......or preferably, get rid of the dumbed-down BBC altogether.

In the meantime, those of us who don't pay it are subsidised by those of you who do. It's basically a tax on stupidity, which suits me fine.

dreamypuma

valiant wrote: »

In the meantime, those of us who don't pay it are subsidised by those of you who do. It's basically a tax on stupidity, which suits me fine.

A part of me wishes I hadn't been so honest and paid. I would guess in the last month my TV has had 4 - 6 hours of viewing. most of which has been watching DVD's.

If you walked into a high street store and got accused of stealing by store security, in a similar fashion to the way that the TVLA choose to write to us, can you imagine the carnage?

"Excuse me sir, you may or may not be wearing grotts from this store, we have absolutely no evidence of any wrong doing and can't be bothered to check our cameras, however we want to interview you under caution. I would strongly suggest that you pay for some undercrackers that you may or may not have on"

What happened to innocent until proven guilty!!!

I can't think of any industry in which they would get away with writing to someone in this way. It's appalling!

Hmmm.... John Robinson, Head of TV Licensing Enforcement. I bet he drinks Horlicks!

computerwoman

the case is that the property has had a licence in the past...so they just assume that if you haven't got one now...it's because your sat in a dark cupboard with your tv trying not to get caught...also if the tvla do call they are only allowed by law to search your living room/lounge...and are not allowed by law to search anywhere else in the house/flat/bungalow...if they want to and you have nothing to hide then just tell them by law you not allowed...or just let them look...it's up to the person...if you have now bought a tv licence and they call just show them that and the receipt for the tv so that they match...as they are within there right's to charge you for last year if they suppect foul play on your part...so be warned on that...also when you buy a tv licence from the post office they send them out to the TVLA once a month so it maybe that they haven't got it yet...so are still bugging you about it...you could try calling them and tell them you now have a tv licence and a new tv and give them the licence number and that should sort it out there and then...:D

superscaper

computerwoman wrote: »

the case is that the property has had a licence in the past...so they just assume that if you haven't got one now...it's because your sat in a dark cupboard with your tv trying not to get caught...

I've wondered, nowadays how much proof do they need? I know you need a licence if you have any "receiving equipment" but now they say you also need a license for viewing UK live broadcasts over the internet. So would simply having a pc and an internet connection be enough for them to demand a licence if they saw that when searching your property?

valiant

computerwoman wrote: »

also if the tvla do call they are only allowed by law to search your living room/lounge...<rest of this twaddle snipped>

Please stop spreading urban myths! The TVLA have no rights whatsoever to enter your property unless they have a search warrant. And if, in the very unlikely scenario they were to be issued with a search warrant, the terms of that search warrant would indicate what they could do.

I don't mean to be rude but this stuff about "living room/lounge" is COMPLETE twaddle that's presumably a product of your fertile imagination. If I'm wrong then please quote the relevant act/section of the law that you're referring to.

This kind of misinformation REALLY gets my goat!



PS: Incidentally and interestingly, I have never heard of anyone having their house searched under the provisions of a search warrant from the TVLA (Capita). That doesn't mean that search warrants have never been issued but I challenge anyone to find any reports anywhere that they have been. The very least that can be said is that search warrants are VERY VERY rarely issued.

dangeroussports

valiant wrote: »

The reason they do this is presumably because it works. And the reason it works is because the average IQ out there is 100.

If everyone ignored these letters and stopped paying this unenforceable (and therefore immoral) tax then the system would become unworkable and we'd either pay it through the Income Tax system......or preferably, get rid of the dumbed-down BBC altogether.

In the meantime, those of us who don't pay it are subsidised by those of you who do. It's basically a tax on stupidity, which suits me fine.

You sound like a popular person. I bet your wit and charm at social gatherings is unmatched.

smcaul

We keep getting the threatening letters as well, all because my other half got a Freeview box in her name and the tv licence is in my name. She now gets monthly letters from TVLA telling her to register or they will pay us a visit - or we can phone them on an 0870 number at our expense and time t tell them something they already know - that we do actually have a licence!!! Muppets the lot of them.