Question about TV licence

acc

You can also make a complaint to the BBC to stop the harassment.

A few years back, the TV Licensing people were harassing me when I did not need a licence.

I wrote to Tony Hall to make a complaint and to withdraw the right to access my property from TV Licensing.

Tony Hall passed the complaint to Pipa Doubtfire, who investigated the complaint, admitted and paid compensation for the poor service, and acknowledged the withdrawal of right of access to TV Licensing (for 2 years).

Doom_and_Gloom

Will do if they come again as another visit when we have a deceleration is just out of order.

esuhl

Houbara wrote: »

... you will never convince me in a million years that 99% of the ones "claiming " to never watch any live scheduled broadcasts or any BBC all never watched the live broadcasts of the World Cup with England actually getting to the semi finals. They will claim to have watched it in a pub I reckon.

With church numbers falling, I can't believe anyone who says they don't watch Songs of Praise. They'll claim to have gone to church, I reckon.


But no one's going to want to watch some grown men kick a ball around! That's just silly.


:rotfl:

Doom_and_Gloom

The guy that came earlier actually had the nerve to post a 'as you were not in, we're scheduling another visit to your property' notice in our flat letterbox. Grr. If they do come back my husband or I are going to tell them what for.

Cornucopia

Let's not turn this thread into another squabble over TV Licence issues.

The facts are pretty simple. BBC-TV Licensing makes various demands of people who are legitimately unlicensed. It rarely makes the true, weak legal status of those demands clear - and almost never at the point that the demands are made.

There are several possible things they may demand, and this is their true legal status:-

- They may ask you to complete the "No Licence Needed Declaration". This has no real legal standing, but there is no significant harm in completing it. It *may* give up to 2 years peace from them (or it may not). There is no legal requirement to complete it, so do not feel compelled to do so if you do not want to.

- They may attend your doorstep and ask for admission to "just check" whether you are receiving TV broadcasts. There is no legal obligation to comply with this request, and the best advice is not to do so. Once they have gained entry they may start to claim that whatever equipment you have "needs a Licence", when that is not true. They may also proceed to interview under caution without meeting the legal prerequisite of having identified an offence. They may try to coerce you to gain entry, saying things like "the declaration cannot be confirmed unless you let them in" or they "will get a warrant". Neither of those statements is legally sound, and the latter is a breach of their policies.

- They may tell you that they are going to interview you under caution. This could happen on the doorstep, in your home or after a search warrant execution. You have a legal right to decline to be interviewed in all three of those situations. You also have the right to silence and to consult a solicitor. Exercising the right to decline to be interviewed does NOT imply guilt, and it can be done without any prejudice to the overall situation. If you believe you are innocent of the offence, then I cannot recommend strongly enough that you decline to be interviewed. TVL interviews are recorded on a paper form that is both prejudicial in structure, and open to manipulation during and after interview.

My view is that TVL demanding access to premises is unlawful (a breach of the Human Rights Act), because they do not have any empowering legislation. I also believe that their approach to interviews under caution lacks compliance with PACE.

It's unfortunate that this level of legal knowledge is required in order to set the BBC's demands into their true legal context, but that is where we are with it. Caution is advised, but it is possible to use one's legal rights against them, and to prevent any kind of harassing behaviour on their part.

[Deleted User]

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

Point is that even if you have done the declaration they still often feel the need to send letters and/or come by.

I agree we shouldn't have to give our personally information just because the majority of people apparently feel the need to watch TV in a way that needs a licence. We should have got rid of it ages ago. We talked about it for more than a year before we did so! So much wasted money...

They will of course continue to make contact because if someone decides to try another form of televisual viewing from a foreign countries network for a while it is not necessarily a lifetime decision and you may well return to the fold and view TV programs made by your own country in the UK. . I m afraid that TVL will continue to occasionally revisit you or send you licence reminders
Whatever your views on the licence fee payment you must admit that the BBC have always made the most popular TV programs in the UK as the viewing figures will show. They are designed for the British taste.
I m still laughing at Dads Army even though I have seen the episodes many times. Its the British way !
Americans only have the English language in common with us in the UK and they are just as odd in their ways as the Japanese . Personally I am a gentle fellow who loves walking the dogs and find American violence in most of their shows distasteful . Its an extremely violent country and their TV programs reflect it...not for me thanks.
Last week I read an article by Jeremy Corbyn who mentioned some sort of "digital licence " model paid for by all with either a reduction or no payment by those least able to afford it. That seems like a good idea, may even get me giving Labour my vote next election if that is taken up.
The present method of an "honesty " payment is nt working and its not fair to all those who pay for the licence to be subsidising those who decide they can get by without paying the fee

esuhl

Houbara wrote: »

They will of course continue to make contact because if someone decides to try another form of televisual viewing from a foreign countries network for a while it is not necessarily a lifetime decision and you may well return to the fold and view TV programs made by your own country in the UK. . I m afraid that TVL will continue to occasionally revisit you or send you licence reminders
Whatever your views on the licence fee payment you must admit that the BBC have always made the most popular TV programs in the UK as the viewing figures will show. They are designed for the British taste.
I m still laughing at Dads Army even though I have seen the episodes many times. Its the British way !
Americans only have the English language in common with us in the UK and they are just as odd in their ways as the Japanese . Personally I am a gentle fellow who loves walking the dogs and find American violence in most of their shows distasteful . Its an extremely violent country and their TV programs reflect it...not for me thanks.
Last week I read an article by Jeremy Corbyn who mentioned some sort of "digital licence " model paid for by all with either a reduction or no payment by those least able to afford it. That seems like a good idea, may even get me giving Labour my vote next election if that is taken up.
The present method of an "honesty " payment is nt working and its not fair to all those who pay for the licence to be subsidising those who decide they can get by without paying the fee

So, to summarise, your argument is:


1. BBC TV has the most popular programmes in the UK.
2. "Most popular" means the same as "best".
3. Everyone wants the best.
4. Therefore everyone watches BBC TV.

Have you ever considered the possibility that not everyone has the same tastes as you?

Maybe this will help:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind

Cornucopia

There's a small issue with the BBC vs. US TV argument, which is that in one of the BBC's golden eras, it had significant American content, much of which played out in prime slots on BBC1.

FWIW, I don't buy any of the arguments around US content, other than the very high level ones about ensuring that we maintain our own vibrant media industry in the face of international competition. (And I don't really believe that there is a significant threat in that direction).

Most people are sophisticated consumers of content, and are more than capable of understanding many of the cultural references in US content, and understanding where they are not relevant (or are less relevant) to life in the UK.

Doom_and_Gloom

Again a certain poster feels the need to state about American shows even though I stated most shows that I watch are not even in English. They must have also gone through my posting history also as they say Japanese people are also odd. The English can learn a lot from the way they are polite and do their best not to be inconsiderate etc.
Sorry but I get enough English of old shows when I visit my parents. Nice for a time but meh. Those shows I did adore I have on DVD such as Red Dwarf and Blackadder but they just don't make shows like that anymore.

I doubt we'll go back to the fold as you put it as it just isn't worth it. I also believe it is abhorrent that one company can hold such power over a whole industry. BBC is but a few channels yet you are held to ransom if you want to not watch them but other live channels. No we don't watch any live TV and haven't done so for months and I feel our lives are more enriched for it.

We may be odd but it gives us more time for other more worthy activities. There is more to life than live TV.

Cornucopia

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

...Red Dwarf and Blackadder...

Red Dwarf has been revived by Dave. There have been two series so far with the original cast. Series 11 wasn't great, but series 12 was much truer to the original. A series 13 is in the pipeline for broadcast in 2019.

If you liked Blackadder, then there isn't much these days that is remotely similar. However, some of the C4 comedies capture that combination of comedy plots + silliness. to an extent.