TV Licensing

Duck

Hi All,

Please don't curse at me but I used to work for TV Licensing (Capita) for about 5 months. I dealt with all queries/sales/complaints and on reading this understand completely.

Yes the letters are threatening as they are trying to scare you into getting a TV licence.

Now just for some info for all those who wish to avoid at least some of the letters (unfortunately they can't be stopped indefinitely)

1. The call handler who takes your call can put a stop on the letters for 3 months at a time, if you have a property that is empty and no tv in it, then phone and let them know when you receive a letter - tell them that it will be unoccupied for longer than 3 months. You will still need to phone in 3 months again just to get the stop put on again.

2. If you/partner have a TV licence and buy some new signal receiving equipment(tv, video, satellite etc) always make sure you give the name of the person who is on the licence otherwise you will receive a letter because your name has not been recognised on the system.

3. If you can't afford to pay the full amount to be honest it does work out better to pay by DD. What ever you do - don't take the Easy Payment scheme where you can pay at the post office because you end up paying more for your licence.


Some truths:
- You only need a licence if you receive a signal
- You don't need a licence if you are using it for CCTV
- You don't need a licence if you only use your TV for watching videos/dvds
- If you phone the TV hotline and tell them you don't have a TV, they will mark it on the system and arrange for someone to call around and check.
-An enforcement officer CAN enter your premises.

Hope this helps in some way.

I have to admit this was the worst job I have ever had! It was completely sales driven.

dangeroussports

Everyone in England has a telly. Its the medium which dictates how people think, vote, eat etc.

Duck

Hi All,

Please don't curse at me but I used to work for TV Licensing (Capita) for about 5 months. I dealt with all queries/sales/complaints and on reading this understand completely.

Yes the letters are threatening as they are trying to scare you into getting a TV licence.

Now just for some info for all those who wish to avoid at least some of the letters (unfortunately they can't be stopped indefinitely)

1. The call handler who takes your call can put a stop on the letters for 3 months at a time, if you have a property that is empty and no tv in it, then phone and let them know when you receive a letter - tell them that it will be unoccupied for longer than 3 months. You will still need to phone in 3 months again just to get the stop put on again.

2. If you/partner have a TV licence and buy some new signal receiving equipment(tv, video, satellite etc) always make sure you give the name of the person who is on the licence otherwise you will receive a letter because your name has not been recognised on the system.

3. If you can't afford to pay the full amount to be honest it does work out better to pay by DD. What ever you do - don't take the Easy Payment scheme where you can pay at the post office because you end up paying more for your licence.


Some truths:
- You only need a licence if you receive a signal
- You don't need a licence if you are using it for CCTV
- You don't need a licence if you only use your TV for watching videos/dvds
- If you phone the TV hotline and tell them you don't have a TV, they will mark it on the system and arrange for someone to call around and check.
-An enforcement officer CAN enter your premises.

Hope this helps in some way.

I have to admit this was the worst job I have ever had! It was completely sales driven.

superscaper

dangeroussports wrote: »

Everyone in England has a telly. Its the medium which dictates how people think, vote, eat etc.

A really useful hyperbolic statement. I'll just go tell the people I know who've never had a TV they have to go buy a TV licence because they're lying. :rolleyes:

moonrakerz

Duck wrote: »

Some truths:
- You only need a licence if you receive a signal
- You don't need a licence if you are using it for CCTV
- You don't need a licence if you only use your TV for watching videos/dvds
- If you phone the TV hotline and tell them you don't have a TV, they will mark it on the system and arrange for someone to call around and check.
-An enforcement officer CAN enter your premises.

Hope this helps in some way.

I have to admit this was the worst job I have ever had! It was completely sales driven.

I appreciate this post is trying to be helpful, but it isn't really accurate. Perhaps the staff are brainwashed too!

1."You only need a licence if you receive a signal" -not correct ! You need a licence to watch or record live TV broadcasts. You can have a hundred TVs in your house, all connected to an aerial, if they are not switched on, YOU DO NOT need a licence.

2. "If you phone the TV hotline and tell them you don't have a TV, they will mark it on the system and arrange for someone to call around and check."

You DO NOT have to tell anyone that you do not have a television. Don't waste your money phoning them. Why should you allow someone into your house to see that you are telling the truth ? b****y cheek !

3. "An enforcement officer CAN enter your premises." This again, is a typical 'bending' of the truth by the TVLA. These so-called 'enforcement officers' have the same right of access to your premises as your paper boy or the free newspaper deliverer.
If one turns up on your doorstep - tell him to leave. You do not have to speak to him, other than tell him that you are removing his "implied rights of access to your property".
He can, in theory, go to a magistrate to get a warrant to enter your premises, but the likelihood of a magistrate granting this purely on his say-so, are a bit less than zero. The TVLA made a written statement in Parliament that they would not victimise people who did remove their implied right of access to a property.

The TVLA's whole modus operandi is to threaten and intimidate people and to pretend that they have quasi police powers - they have none !

As for the use of their much vaunted detector vans - these have NEVER been used as evidence by Capita, probably because they know that:

1. They are classed as 'covert surveillance', and the evidence is not admissible in Court.
2. Unlike speed cameras (or similar), Capita will not disclose how these things operate (if they actually do !!), so their correct functioning cannot be challenged in Court, therefore they cannot be used as evidence.

I have been pestered by these cretins for over a year now, all sorts of threatening letters - I am just waiting for an "enforcement officer" to come to the door !

goshdarnit

Duck wrote: »

An enforcement officer CAN enter your premises.

And what law gives them that right?

valiant

goshdarnit wrote: »

And what law gives them that right?

That's the thing about these threads. It's like painting the Forth Bridge. As fast as you quash the misinformation some other rust-monger pipes up somewhere else in the thread.

Now, if only our friend Duck would answer your question................

goshdarnit

I do beleive they have the same rights as the "wallet inspectors" though.

sconhead

reading this thread got me searching and i found this site looks interesting theres a video of a licensing officer asaulting someone

http://www.tvlicensing.biz/

the site also confirms what valiant says you do not need to contact them let them in your home or tell them your name etc

dreamypuma

sconhead wrote: »

reading this thread got me searching and i found this site looks interesting theres a video of a licensing officer asaulting someone

http://www.tvlicensing.biz/

the site also confirms what valiant says you do not need to contact them let them in your home or tell them your name etc

That is unbelievable!!!!

I really hope that I get a visit. As mentioned in my first post I have a license, but keep getting threatening letters.

Despite being in the right I want to be as objectional as I can and waste there time, playing mind games.

I'm also going to post all the letters back to them (return to sender)

When I didn't have a TV, and contacted them to let them know, It never stopped them sending more letters out.

The last one really wound me up as it claimed that I had been ignoring there letters and I had never contacted them. Why would I do this? I have a license!!!

I don't know anyone who has ever been fined. Is there anyone on the board that has?