I need help with TV Licensing

Nemesis9

I’ve been getting threatening letters from TV Licensing. The latest is threatening me with enforcement officers.

In 2016 I decided to pay my licence in one lump sum. Previous to that I’d had a payment card and had paid in small amounts instead. When the licence came in the following year I did the same - paid in full and I continued to do this until 2021. My licence ran out 30th Nov 2021. I thought about it long and hard and knowing the cost of everything was going up I decided to go back to making a monthly payment.
That’s when the threatening letters started. I’ve tried ringing them to discuss it twice now but all they do is repeat I have to pay the full amount. They don’t want to acknowledge the fact I can afford it nor the fact I am trying to pay!
So far I have contacted my M.P (waste of time) I have written to the signee of the threatening letters asking them to stop and tried to explain my situation. I have also now made a formal complaint to the director of revenue management.
I’m a single, disabled lady who also has PTSD. These letters are triggering for me. I’m struggling to sleep and I don’t know what to do.
I tried emailing this website but had a response saying they can’t deal with it.
Can anyone on the forum offer me some advice? Thanks in advance 

Brie

I think the problem may be that they think you want to start paying from March 2022 rather than have it back dated to Nov 21 when the license ran out.  

There should be an option online to pay monthly by direct debit.  You will need to pay double the monthly amount for the first 6 months and then the amount reduces to the correct monthly amount for which you are paying 6 months in advance.  So if you were starting from January you would pay double in January to June which would have the entire year paid.  You would then pay a normal monthly amount from July onwards which is actually your payment for the following January etc.  

But at this point you are nearly 6 months into your license year which is why they are likely suggesting you pay the full amount.  

BTW - you say you are disabled.  Are you entitled to any exemption for paying for the license?  It may be age dependent.

Nemesis9

Hi and thanks. I have made a payment of £13.25 30th December, 30th Jan and 30th Feb. It’s all I can afford right now. I’m doing my best like everyone currently. They keep going on about a payment scheme I’m supposed to be on. I don’t understand it but I’m guessing it might be connected to the card but that’s hasn’t been used for at least 10 years. I’m confused. 

I’m considering making a payment of £40 on my credit card next week so see if that gets them off my back.
I don’t get any concessions as I’m only 49 years old and I’m not blind. I’m physically disabled 

Cornucopia

I agree with the explanation above that they are expecting you to comply with the normal monthly payment schedule, which would be 6 x £26.50 followed by ongoing payments of £13.25.   These figures are set by the Government and are intended to build up 6 months of credit which then carries on throughout the time you are on the scheme.

Both the Monthly DD and the Cash Payment plan work on this 6 month credit basis.    

They do have a trial scheme that does not involve building up this credit, but I'm not sure what the criteria are.   It's called the "Simple Payment Plan", if you want to ask them about it.

BBC TV Licensing can be hard work to deal with, and they will (eventually) use Capita's Debt Recovery company (Akinika).    

I think if it were me, I would cancel the Licence for individual months to build up some credit.   You can still watch commercial catch-up TV (and certain other things) without needing a Licence, if you want to.   You are not legally required to answer TVL's letters or to speak with anyone they send to your door.

ETA:  If you make an additional payment of £39.25, that would cover the double payments for 3 months.

Nemesis9

Thank you, so if I have understood you correctly I need to pay that £40 next week and hopefully all the letters stop. 

£40 is manageable if I’m careful with food shopping. Thanks for explaining it.

Brie

Before you make an additional payment of £39.25 you need to pay to catch up check out as @Cornucopia has said and ask them about the Simple Payment Plan.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ305

It sounds exactly what you are trying to do and all it would take is for you to be referred by Citizen's Advice or Step Change or similar.

Nemesis9

Thanks. I’m going to try ringing them again on Monday 

cx6

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ305

vivaespana

Nemesis9 said:

Thanks. I’m going to try ringing them again on Monday 

I have just been accepted onto the Simple Payment Plan (SPP). I did it online but if you contact somebody like Step change or similar, they can refer you. You can then pay in much smaller amounts either every two weeks or monthly and you are not paying in advance.  Something to be aware of though, I set up a Continuous Payment Authority from my credit card and after my first payment last week my credit card company (Tesco) charged me a cash transaction fee which would then have been subject to interest. There is NO mention of this possible extra fee for using a CPA on a credit card when you make your selection of how to pay on you SPP because I purposely checked and TV licencing did not seem to be aware of this. I have now changed this to my debit card. Definitely call either TV licencing or one of the charities about getting on the plan. 

Nemesis9

Hi, I have an update!
I currently have a cheque for £79.50 from tv licensing and an instruction to pay £6.50 a week.
It makes no sense what so ever to my logical thinking brain! 

Just to re-cap - My licence ran out 30th November 2121. By 15th March 2022 I had paid them £79.50. On the 31st March they cancelled my licence without my knowledge. It was only when I went to log into my account on April 4th to pay them some more money that I discovered my licence was cancelled. 

I called them up, desperately trying to contain my utter fury, and then they said I could pay £13.50 today and £6.50 weekly until the end of May and then it would be £6.00 a week.

I don’t get it! Why return £79.50 and ask for less?! It’s not even sensible! 

Someone told me years ago that it is impossible to reason with an idiot. TVL have proved this to be true lol 😂 

I just thought I would pass on this update in case it helps anyone else trying to get any kind of rhyme nor reason out of TVL