TV License Warning Letter

jr1985

Hello,

I just moved into a new rented house a few weeks ago. I wasn't planning on buying a TV license, as I rarely watch live TV, but I decided to go ahead and buy one anyway, so I could watch Dr Who on iplayer live. Prior to this I hadn't watched any live TV.

Today I got letter from the TV licensing people, it was addressed to "the legal occupier", so I assumed they'd sent me my license in the post (even though I told them to email it to me). It was in fact a warning letter saying I hadn't responded to their previous letters, and what to expect if I'm summoned to court. Well I hadn't received any previous letters, so I'm guessing it was the previous tenants who were at fault. I'm not sure what to do, should I ring the licensing people and explain the situation?

Ian011

Presumably you have paperwork that proves when you moved in and where you were before...

LazyTyper

Ignore it.

We get one every month. Nothing happens.

But if you do in fact require a TV license I would look into getting one ASAP.

teddysmum

LazyTyper wrote: »

Ignore it.

We get one every month. Nothing happens.

But if you do in fact require a TV license I would look into getting one ASAP.

I think the OP has already bought a licence, over the internet.


The licensing people are probably trying to contact the previous occupant, whose name they don't know.

LazyTyper

teddysmum wrote: »

I think the OP has already bought a licence, over the internet.

So he did, misread that as "bought a TV anyway" :-)

Anyway, those threatening letters are standard and don't mean anyone is definitely being taken to court. They are one of several off-the-shelf letters they continuously send out to try and scare people into getting in touch.

JJ_Egan

( I wasn't planning on buying a TV license, as I rarely watch live TV, )

Rarely still requires a valid licence .

silverwhistle

JJ_Egan wrote: »

( I wasn't planning on buying a TV license, as I rarely watch live TV, )

Rarely still requires a valid licence .

but I decided to go ahead and buy one anyway

Is that to help everyone in general or the OP who bought a licence? :-)

kingrulzuk

jr1985 wrote: »

Hello,

I just moved into a new rented house a few weeks ago. I wasn't planning on buying a TV license, as I rarely watch live TV, but I decided to go ahead and buy one anyway, so I could watch Dr Who on iplayer live. Prior to this I hadn't watched any live TV.

Today I got letter from the TV licensing people, it was addressed to "the legal occupier", so I assumed they'd sent me my license in the post (even though I told them to email it to me). It was in fact a warning letter saying I hadn't responded to their previous letters, and what to expect if I'm summoned to court. Well I hadn't received any previous letters, so I'm guessing it was the previous tenants who were at fault. I'm not sure what to do, should I ring the licensing people and explain the situation?

I get this letter ones every 3 months and i just put it in the bin, i dont have TV, BB or anytime to waste on this TV licensing people.

So just ignore it.

JJ_Egan

silverwhistle wrote: »

Is that to help everyone in general or the OP who bought a licence? :-)

Read what the OP said .
(I wasn't planning on buying a TV license, as I rarely watch live TV, )
Rarely might be not very often but not never .
Problem is that there are a lot of people out there saying i read on a forum i don't need a licence .

Cornucopia

BBC/TVL scatters these letters around like threatening confetti (90 million in a good year).

Generally, they are not worth the paper they are written on, though if you have a Licence and still receive them, it could mean the database is either messed up, or slow responding.

Three choices -

- ignore it on the basis you have a Licence. (might want to double-check)

- contact them now to check/complain.

- contact them in 6-8 weeks to check/complain if you receive more letters. (IIUC, it can take that long for the letters to be stopped once they have gone into the monthly enforcement cycle(*)).

(*) Yes, they send letters monthly - they know no shame.

footyguy

jr1985 wrote: »

Hello,

I just moved into a new rented house a few weeks ago. I wasn't planning on buying a TV license, as I rarely watch live TV, but I decided to go ahead and buy one anyway, so I could watch Dr Who on iplayer live. Prior to this I hadn't watched any live TV.

Today I got letter from the TV licensing people, it was addressed to "the legal occupier", so I assumed they'd sent me my license in the post (even though I told them to email it to me). It was in fact a warning letter saying I hadn't responded to their previous letters, and what to expect if I'm summoned to court. Well I hadn't received any previous letters, so I'm guessing it was the previous tenants who were at fault. I'm not sure what to do, should I ring the licensing people and explain the situation?

"The legal occupier" cannot be sommoned to court; they can only issue a summons in your name.

As you now have a TV license at your address, they won't bother you again (well whilst it remains valid).

Even if you didn't have TV license, they would not summons you to court unless they had evidence of you watching TV etc for which a TV license is required.

Remember, under UK law, you are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
It is for the prosecution/claimant to prove their case, not for you to disprove it.