TV Licence intimidation

LimeGreenPine

I have a family member who is getting hassle from the TV licence people. They cancelled thier TV licence because they dont watch any live TV on any device and have never used iplayer. They went the right route and even got a refund and has a copy of the email when they cancelled. Now they said they are sending enforcement officers to thier home. They were recently hospitalised because of stress. How can we make this stop?

Cornucopia

If you make a formal complaint, they will likely stop.

Or you can use "Cease and Desist"

Or contact your MP.

yksi

If you are talking about those stupid red text letters in the brown envelope, it's a lie designed to scare you into paying.
Put them straight in the bin. I've never had a visitor in the past five years and I've never had a license OR told them I don't need one.

Assure your relative that nobody is allowed to enter their home without a warrant, which requires a court order, so if someone did turn up you just politely ask for the warrant.

I think it's disgusting the way that TV licensing lie like this. I just did a long market research study with them - they specifically wanted people who do not pay for their licence - and everything they asked about seems to suggest they are planning an overhaul with much less aggressive wording. Let us hope.

Uxb1

I get these letters saying we are going to come and visit you monthly - and have done for TWENTY YEARS
Just bin 'em.

emmajones1976

Just dont answer the door. They have no right of entry.

Cornucopia

The letters are designed to threaten and intimidate.    They are also fundamentally untrue - indeed the basic principle upon which the whole of TV Licensing is based is an untruth:  that people with no need of a Licence are answerable to TV Licensing.   They aren't, and every single instance where TV Licensing says otherwise is a deception that is unworthy of the BBC.

400ixl

Have they followed the process to inform them officially they do not need a license? Just cancelling and getting a refund results in what they are seeing if they don't do the follow up part.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/easy-read/what-to-do-if-you-dont-need-a-TV-Licence

Cornucopia

400ixl said:

Have they followed the process to inform them officially they do not need a license? Just cancelling and getting a refund results in what they are seeing if they don't do the follow up part.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/easy-read/what-to-do-if-you-dont-need-a-TV-Licence

If they have successfully received a refund, then that should be equivalent to completing the "No Licence Needed" form.

Not that it's necessary to complete the NLN form, if you don't want to.

400ixl

It's not necessary but can often put a stop to correspondence for a while so worthwhile trying.

prowla

emmajones1976 said:

Just dont answer the door. They have no right of entry.

^^^^ That - just say no!

Cornucopia

400ixl said:

It's not necessary but can often put a stop to correspondence for a while so worthwhile trying.

Three other ways in post #2 that don't have any downsides.  

Just sayin'

The completion of the "No Licence Needed" form has various pros and cons. The main con is that in a subsequent prosecution, the policy is to treat people more harshly if they have completed NLN than not. The main pro is that it adds to the Unlicensed households figure reported by the BBC. The higher this figure gets in the run-up to 2027, the less politically palatable it will be to impose mandatory payment to replace the Licence.