TV Licensing - Do I Need to Remove Antenna Cables from room? 9 October 2017 at 9:48AM in TV MoneySaving 155 replies 24.8K views

fooby1

I had a threatening letter from TV licensing informing me that my property is "under investigation" as I haven't applied for a TV license. I don't watch live TV and decided when they brought in the iPlayer catch up requirements that a subscription to BBC iPlayer isn't worth £147 a year.

I only watch Netflix, YouTube and very rarely 4od catchup. No antenna is plugged in to my TV, however there is a regular TV antenna and Sky satellite cable coming in through the wall. It's a rental, so I'd rather not chop the cables, but if they wanted to, could I be fined for having cables coming into my living room that could produce a live TV signal?

Owain_Moneysaver

No.

(ten characters)

mickthemikeman

To be on the safe side I would advise you to detune your TV ,if you have one, putting your TV on search for channels with no connection to an ariel will do this. Remove all aeriel cables from the room or tie them up in a bundle so they cannot reach your TV/Monitor You will get Goons from Capita claiming they want to come inside your property and check that you are legal. Dont let them in they have no authority to do so. Once you find out they are from Capita do not speak to them and for God sake dont give them your name. The Goons are on bonus schemes for getting people to court and where there is money there can be dishonesty. They give up after a couple of visits. You are now LLF (Legally Licence Free) The money you saved will pay for your Netflix/ Amazon video service

cajef

Just as important whatever you do don't sign anything at all that they ask you sign.

HWW

Never let them in, "Not today thank you I do not deal with cold callers" sign & say nothing else, & shut the door. If the scum persist, it's Harassment & you can call the police to eject them.

Cornucopia

fooby1 wrote: »

I had a threatening letter from TV licensing informing me that my property is "under investigation"...

They send these letters out in their millions. They are meaningless, and receipt of one (or more likely many of them) is nothing to be concerned about.

TV Licensing Glossary of terms:-

"This property is under investigation" - we know that you don't have a Licence, and we've ticked the box on the computer that says we know.

"The property is under official investigation" - we know that you don't have a Licence, and we've ticked the box on the computer that says we know... and we did it in our office.

"You have 10 days to get properly Licensed" - we have no right to require you to do anything, and we are not giving you 10 days not to do it.

"Your property is scheduled for a visit" - we know that you don't have a Licence, and we've ticked the box on the computer that says we know.

And so on. It is an exercise in misinformation - a national scandal.

silverwhistle

"Or, tell us you don't need one.
We may check this with a visit."

So I won't bother then..

Cornucopia

"visit" - a search of your living room for AV equipment, and subsequent examination, that you are under no obligation to allow us to do, and which is not in your best interests.

"you did not respond to our previous letters" - you don't need to respond to our letters.

"the enforcement officer will be ... polite and fair" - the salesperson is paid commission based on the outcome of their visit which mitigates against politeness or fairness, and there is little supervision to support that promise.

silverwhistle

I'm mischievously inclined to admit to them that I do watch football on television. Watch their eyes light up..

Not sure at what stage to tell them it's down The Kings Arms* where I'm a known regular for certain games..

*Not actual pub name.

Cornucopia

I'm not sure that MSE would want people to mess TVL around unnecessarily (despite the fact that they want to do that to you).

There are lots of legitimate legal strategies that can be used if you want to assert your noble & historic rights as a UK citizen.

For example: I probably mentioned before that BBC/TVL banned themselves from my address after I told them that I did not consent to being interviewed under caution using their paper form (which I asserted was not PACE-compliant).

silverwhistle

Well, the 'inclined' was probably a giveaway. I might have written 'minded' :-).

But wry amusement aside, how can an interview under caution be justified? I'm not going to allow any such nonsense anyway, but surely there must be some prior evidence? As I haven't got or watch TV on what grounds would they justify asking?