TV Licensing - Why so difficult to renew?

MrsWenger

I wonder how much cheaper a licence would be if they had modern and efficient processes? I expected my wish to change from quarterly direct debit to annual direct debit to be a simple process but it certainly is not.

My licence renews at the end of September so I went online a month ago to try and change the DD to annual. No option to do this so I sent a message. I was told I had to call them. Phoned and was told it could not be done until the 30th September when my licence expires and they would call me. In the meantime I was to ignore the letter I would receive about being unlicensed as my licence would still be valid I have ignored all 3 including the one telling me I no longer have a licence!

They had not called by 4pm yesterday so I called them. I followed the options and the call was automatically ended as they were busy. Tried again and was told I could not renew as it needed to be done the day after the licence expired. I said I did not expect to be in today and was told they could call Monday but that I should not watch, or record live TV over the weekend! I called this morning as they had not called me and I wanted to go out, only to be told that as it is not a proper working day so they cannot help with direct debits and will call me Monday.

What a shambolic operation. I simply want to change the frequency of my direct debit from the same bank account. I am sure the process to fine me would be much more efficient if I didn't renew...

London50

The chance of any TV licence people coming around any area on a weekend is so remote it is laughable so do what you need to do during the day the relax with Strictly or any other program you enjoy and hope that on Monday all can be sorted :0)

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Why renew? This regressive tax needs to be scrapped. I have been tax free for years. The chance of them visiting is next to nil.

Don't answer their high pressure sales letters. Don't say a word to their tax collection sales agents. Remember they need a confession to take you to court. If you don't confess, they need proof a crime is being committed to get a warrant. Join tv licence resistance. Join the boycott.

Only recently they said their player needs a licence to view the programmes, yet have failed again to put a firewall in place to check on access. Now tv does this, itv doesthis Netflix does this. Ask your mp why the BBC refuse to put access technology on their service. Their [STRIKE]free[/STRIKE]view service was deliberately set up as such to keep their sales force on the streets.

Ask why no prosecution has been delivered, ever, in the use of their detector vans? Because they are fake! Because they put fear into people, fear that you pay.

SCRAP THE TV TAX

MrsWenger

London50 wrote: »

The chance of any TV licence people coming around any area on a weekend is so remote it is laughable so do what you need to do during the day the relax with Strictly or any other program you enjoy and hope that on Monday all can be sorted :0)

Hi London50, good advice, soundly followed, thank you. Come on Europe! 😀.

Interestingly, the third letter carried the threat of being referred to the Leicester section should I not renew. Only about 70 miles away!

I have no objection to paying my dues; I just don't want it to be like climbing Everest in stilletos!

MrsWenger

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

Why renew? This regressive tax needs to be scrapped. I have been tax free for years. The chance of them visiting is next to nil.

Don't answer their high pressure sales letters. Don't say a word to their tax collection sales agents. Remember they need a confession to take you to court. If you don't confess, they need proof a crime is being committed to get a warrant. Join tv licence resistance. Join the boycott.

Only recently they said their player needs a licence to view the programmes, yet have failed again to put a firewall in place to check on access. Now tv does this, itv doesthis Netflix does this. Ask your mp why the BBC refuse to put access technology on their service. Their [STRIKE]free[/STRIKE]view service was deliberately set up as such to keep their sales force on the streets.

Ask why no prosecution has been delivered, ever, in the use of their detector vans? Because they are fake! Because they put fear into people, fear that you pay.

SCRAP THE TV TAX

A good argument well presented Blackbeard. I am probably too cautious and law abiding to take the gamble to be honest. However, I strongly disapprove of incompetence and these guys have a gold medal in that!

MrsWenger

Surprise surprise, no contact from them today...

Cornucopia

Now that your Licence is cancelled, you may be able to just go online and set up one from scratch with whatever payment method you wish.

It will be backdated to 1 Oct, anyway, so their advice not to watch TV over the weekend was somewhat OTT.

pogofish

MrsWenger wrote: »

Surprise surprise, no contact from them today...

You do understand that Capita needs to make money?

MrsWenger

Cornucopia wrote: »

Now that your Licence is cancelled, you may be able to just go online and set up one from scratch with whatever payment method you wish.

It will be backdated to 1 Oct, anyway, so their advice not to watch TV over the weekend was somewhat OTT.

Thanks for this suggestion Cornucopia. I did in fact ask if I could do that when the licence expired when I spoke to them early September. They said I shouldn't do that as i already have a licence number. Does that make sense to you please?

MrsWenger

pogofish wrote: »

You do understand that Capita needs to make money?

Hi Pogofish,

I am not sure what the role of Capita is in the process but if they are the people who are meant to be calling me then they have saved the cost of a phone call today as well!

I suppose I will need to call them tomorrow when I have 20 minutes to waste; I really do hope there will not be another "tale of foxy fable" as to why it cannot be done again.

glider3560

MrsWenger wrote: »

Thanks for this suggestion Cornucopia. I did in fact ask if I could do that when the licence expired when I spoke to them early September. They said I shouldn't do that as i already have a licence number. Does that make sense to you please?

Just buy it online. You may or may not get a new licence number, but it doesn't really matter either way.

MrsWenger wrote: »

Hi Pogofish,

I am not sure what the role of Capita is in the process but if they are the people who are meant to be calling me then they have saved the cost of a phone call today as well!

The whole TV licencing operation (from sales to customer service to enforcement) is all outsourced by the BBC to Capita.