TV Licence Final Warning Letter

cowboy

I've just moved to a new flat (each room are rented out separately) and I recently received a warning letter from TV Licensing. Normally, I'll just ignore such letter because I know they are randomly sending letters to every property but today, I just open up and read the letter out of curiousity.

The letter says that the TV Licensing Enforcement Division will be proceeding with a full investigation at my property because there is no record of TV Licence despite previous letters.
T
They also provide a number to call if I don't have any TV equipment, so I decided to call them because I don't want any enforcement officer coming in and ransack my room - only to be told that I will be sent another letter and the officer will still come and check to make sure I don't have any equipment. They also warned me that I will be fined £1000 if they do find out anything.

It makes me wonder what difference does it make for me to call them at the first place. =/

Now, to explain my situation...I don't have any TV, but I do have broadband and they have such a thing as IPTV service. There's a free trial period so I tried to watch TV using that service but it never worked, so I've since uninstalled the program. Will the TV Licence Officer check that and prosecute me? Also, what other things to be aware off? Will they actually search my entire computer and hard drive for any evidence?

Thanks for reading and please advise esp if you have any experience with the Enforcement Officer. To be honest, I'm really worried now...£1000 is a huge sum and I don't have that much money at the moment.

vikingaero

First off don't worry.

There are plenty of threads on here about the TV Licensing people and their scam/sham tricks.

If an officer does visit and you answer the door then don't let him in - he has no rights of entry unless he has a magistrates warrant. If he asks for your name then make up something believable - the officer has no right to demand ID.

Don't phone their enquiry line - you've just paid them on a 0870 number.

Just tell them that you have no equipment capable of receiving live TV broadcasts and that you want your name and address removed from their database.

Please read the other threads and don't let this worry you.

cowboy

Thanks, vikingaero.

I've tried the search forum function for "TV licence" but couldn't find any relevant threads. Could you point me to the thread you're referring to?

I know I shouldn't have called them (yes, it's 0870 number) but I'm not feeling very well today and I have no idea why I even open up that letter (I've got tons of this before and normally just bin them).

So, what should I say to them when they arrive? Also, they have probably recorded my call to them, agreeing to have the officer to my property for inspection. Will that be taken as a consent for them to enter and check my property?

vikingaero

You're right. I can't find the threads either!

Have a browse of Jonathon Millers Forum:

http://www.tvlicensing.biz/phpBB2/index.php

He's the guy that campaigns for the TV Licence to be abolished and has some very good threads.

If a guy visits just tell him that you are now withdrawing your implied right for him to visit and shut the door on him/her.

custardy

those letters just keep coming and coming.
trust me i deliver the same letters ot the same people over nad over again

Horace

I had a problem when I moved into my flat - lots of threatening letters from the TV licensing people so I too rang them. I told them that I did not have a TV (well, I didn't at the time) but had an aerial socket, I explained that I didn't realise that it was illegal for me to have a socket and no TV and said that I would be prepared to buy a licence if that was the case. I was advised not to be so stupid, I told them that when and if I get a TV then I would buy a licence and that I didn't appreciate them trying to treat me like a criminal. I noticed too that the folks on the end of the phone don't like giving out their names either and I was told that this is because they don't want people finding out where they live - blimey anyone would think I was 007!

I signed up to Virgin Media and got a phone line, broadband and cable TV but as I had no TV at the time, I didn't bother with a licence. My chap decided to buy me a TV for my birthday along with a TV licence in my name. That's when more letters started to arrive addressed him demanding that he produce proof that he had a licence as no licence was listed in his name at my address (there wouldn't be as he doesn't live here). Since then, I haven't heard a thing - no visits no nothing, guess they must have checked the address and realised that it had a licence. Personally, I'd just ignore the f*ckers.

paddy's_mum

We received a very threatening 'final warning' letter from TV Licencing in early 2005. I wrote back saying we did not need a licence as we were living elsewhere at the time, in rented accommodation, and the rented property had a licence in place.

They ignored this letter and sent an even stiffer one, telling me that an inspector was going to call to check our home premises.

My reply was something along these lines. "Dear TV People, you are more than welcome to visit the property xyz, at any time. I hereby give you blanket permission to send as many inspectors as you wish. You will find nobody living there, no furniture in the property, no power supplies of any kind in existence.

My attendance as keyholder will not be needed and your inspectors will be able to walk in without difficulty - there are no doors nor windows in place.

I hope this answers any queries you may have. Yours sincerely etc

PS
Oh, and by the way, the house in question burnt down six months ago and there is currently no roof either. When the house is rebuilt and we return to live there with our television, we will of course be buying the appropriate licence.


We never heard from them again!

JohalaReewi

cowboy wrote: »

I've tried the search forum function for "TV licence" but couldn't find any relevant threads. Could you point me to the thread you're referring to?

Try

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=534789
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=550062
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=503118
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=441322
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=449041

TVL letters are designed to sound legal and official and scare you into action. If a TVL agent should visit, they have no special right of entry. Don't answer their questions, don't sign anything, don't let them in, tell them to go away.

JohalaReewi

cowboy wrote: »

... Will the TV Licence Officer check that and prosecute me? Also, what other things to be aware off? Will they actually search my entire computer and hard drive for any evidence?

Very unlikely, because you won't let the TVL agent in. If you do, they will see a normal PC / laptop and no TV. They may ask you questions and may try to get you to sign a form saying they have visited but best not to sign anything. You could be unwittingly signing a confession which they will use against you.

Plenty of stories on this forum (and elsewhere on the net).

debjam

I had some of these letters when I bought a video machine from Currys, they asked for my name and address and then I get a letter from licensing saying they had been notified of my purchase and could find no record of a licence.

The licence was still in my maiden name and I was recently married, if they had bothered to check the address they would have found the address had a licence, but I suppose they did not know how many people may have lived at the address as separate entities.

But it is annoying.

derrick

Don't use the 0870 number IF you decide to ring them, there are plenty of freephone numbers on the SAYNOTO0870 site;-

http://www.saynoto0870.com/search.php

Just type "tv licensing" into the search box, (without the quote marks).