TV Licence visit? What next

Wig

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

I don't know what you're all slating them for - aprox 15 seconds it took me to find

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/gethelp/faqs.jsp#link1

You didn't see in the thread then that we have already pointed out that the answer to that question as given by the TVLA is incorrect. What they should have said was "No"

Blacksheep1979

erm what's wrong with their answer they basically say that you should inform them and that they may have to send someone to check you out?

Wig

And that is what is incorrect, you don't have to inform them, in writing or otherwise. And no one needs to visit the home, and if they did you don't have to let them in.

The answer to the question is easy, it is "No" <<< that's all they had to put there, but they chose to tell a a couple of lies instead.

EdInvestor

Bamber19 wrote: »

why bother? You've no obligation to speak to them at all. The rubbish they post on their website about havign to contact them to tell them you have a tv but don't use it to watch tv and that someone may need to come out to confirm this is exactly that, Rubbish!

If past stories are to be believed then this wouldn't help anyway as they'd continue to send you letters and threats afterwards.

Not my experience.When I moved into a new flat they wrote to me, so I rang them up and told them I didn't have a TV.They said fine, an inspector may call to check later.

Haven't heard anything since.

Their attitude was perfectly polite, certainly no threats.

Wig

EdInvestor wrote: »

Not my experience.When I moved into a new flat they wrote to me, so I rang them up and told them I didn't have a TV.They said fine, an inspector may call to check later.

Haven't heard anything since.

Their attitude was perfectly polite, certainly no threats.

First of all why should they think you were lying and have to send someone to confirm what you have said was true? Even your signed statement in written form is not good enough for them.

Why should you allow someone into your house to inspect, walk around every room in your house just because they think you were lying? This is your house! An Englishmans home is his castle and all that.

Lastly they may have left you alone for now, but they will eventually start to write to you again, just incase you have subsequently got a TV and have not bothered to get a licence. You will have to go through the process again, possible home inspection again.

How often are you happy for them to inspect the inside of your home?

I was not "happy" to let them do it even once, BUT I DID, let them in ONCE, when they wrote back and started the whole process again after one year, I resolved to never talk to them or let them in my house ever again.

To give you an idea of how often "inspectors" actually do call - it might vary from area to area, in 13 years I have had 4 visits and about 100 letters which go straight into a file sometimes unopened, sometimes I open them to see what their latest threat looks like.

The threats come in letter form (and sometimes verbal at the door) when you decide you have a right to privacy.

Example

OFFICIAL WARNING

You are hereby notified that we have authorised officers from our enforcement division to visit your home and interview you under cautio, as our records show there is still no licence at this address and as yet we have recieved n response to previous communications from you.

Your statement will be taken in compliance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, and is the first step in our action to prosecute if we find evidence that you watch or record television without a valid licence.

I feel it is my duty to inform you that if found guilty, you could recieve a maximum fine of £1000, and your name added to our enforcement database. We take this offence very seriously and last month alone we caught 29,000 people.

bla bla bla....




To the non literate and non-legalese aware that is very intimidating and has been known to cause people who don't need a licence to buy one. To people like me it is rubbish and belongs in the paper recyling, but I keep them anyway.

hollydays

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?.That official warning is disgracefully worded.After reading this thread-dont let them in.

stugib

It's great knowing the law if you want to pick a fight, and I know from the examples they're far more aggressive than they need to be and often don't take 'no' for an answer, and legally it's up to them to prove you need a licence....

But pragmatically, look at it from their point of view: what percentage of TVs are actually being used without watching broadcasts? How many people would just claim it was being used for DVDs/games if they just accepted it at face value and let people off without paying? I'd no more expect them to just assume someone with a TV but no licence was not watching broadcasts than I would the expect the benefits office (to use an example) to assume someone was not earning on the side if they were going off on holidays 3 times a year whilst claiming.

It's just their job to investigate and make sure it's enforced. If you genuinely only use it as a display device, it's the price of a stamp to declare you don't need one - I can understand why they'd want your written declaration if it turned out you were lying. If it helps get them off your back is it really worth the hassle of fighting them all the time? If they keep hassling you, then you know you've done what they asked of you and they haven't got a leg to stand on if they want to take it further.

Sometimes it's easier just to play ball than stand and fight your principles all the time!

Wig

I don't much care for the idea of having officious prats eyeballing the inside of my house annually or bi-annually for the rest of my life. I prefer to close the door in their face.

If I had a front garden, I would inform them that I have withdrawn the implied access right of way to my property.

wengole

Just thought I'd post my encounter with TV Licensing people.

My hatred of them all started when I was in halls at uni. Someone unfortunatley let an officer in one evening. This was a mistake. He then went round every room, threatening people with £1000 fines if they had a TV unless they signed up for a TV license there and then. Luckily he had a pad of sign up forms (how convenient). I think about half of all the people in halls bought a license from him there and then, just beacuse they were taken by surprise. There was no way that could ever have recieved TV signal, as the aerial on the roof didn't work and an indoor aerial in the centre of Bristol is next to useless. Most people just used their TV for playing their Playstations or watching DVDs, however the "TV Licensing guy" said that because the TV could recieve TV programmes, they needed a TV license.

Anyway, after the first Direct Debit went out of my account, I realised that in fact I didn't need a TV license as I wasn't watching TV or connected to any sort of aerial at all. So I cancelled the Direct debit and informed them that I no longer needed a license. From then on I was inundated with threatening red letters from TV licensing saying that unless I bought a TV license I was breaking the law and could face a fine of up to £1000. I ignored all these letters, and although it got a bit frustrating, nothing more came of it.

Since leaving halls I have always had a license as I have been able to watch TV, and occasionally do. However in July of this year, after graduating and moving in with my girlfriend, there was a letter waiting for us at our brand new, previously un-lived-in flat. This was a little annoying but not a big deal really, I just went on their website and signed up to pay by direct debit. My girlfriend didn't know that I'd done this and also called them and requested an application form. This arrived a week after the first direct debit payment had gone out of our account, so we ignored it thinking that obviously as we now had a license we shouldn't be bothered by them again.

How wrong I was ....

Since getting this license I have recieved no less than 4 threatening red letters, the latest of which arrived yesterday. This last one was the last straw. It was dated November 2007 and from the Bristol Enforcement Division stating that as I didn't have a license (which I do) they are going to visit my flat with the Avon and Sommerset Police and interview me to determine their next course of action. If they find that I do in fact need a license then my statement will be used as evidence in court.

I tried calling the only number on this letter (that said "if you need to buy a license call this number") only to be given a list of options regarding payment of license or notification of change of address, and no matter which option I chose, I was told that the office was closed and given opening hours. I therefore sent them an email from their site, quoting my license number and stating that unless they ceased all action and correspondance to me, and sent me a formal written apology, then I would take legal action against them for harrassment.

KILL_BILL

i dont know why people bother ringin up with the license - just bin the letters etc and dont answer the door - you have a license - i wouldnt get one in the first place myself.

they cant force there way in and they need a warrant and come with the police.

the chances of them getting a warrant is about as liekly as you wining the lottery 12 times in a row

why bothe riwth the hassle and the stress - BIN IT