TV licence Threatening letters in new flat.

Cornucopia

p00hsticks said:

Aberdon100 said:

Thanks for all the replies. 
I am still a bit unsure the best way forward, should he either ignore the letters or fill out the form declaring he doesn't need a licence?

Filling out the form should  stop the letters and prevent any visit... 

Filling in the form expressly doesn't stop TVL visits - in fact part of the text you agree to says to expect a confirmation visit (or words to that effect).

elsien

gwynlas said:

Your son should not be opening letters sent to previous occupants, he can mark them as not known or gone away and put them in post box.

What he chooses to do regarding his own viewing is up to him.

I opened letters that come because I want to see what they are, if I don’t have a forwarding address. That’s  how I found out someone was using my address for mobile phone contract although they’d never lived there It’s not a problem as long as you’re not doing anything dodgy with them. 

EnPointe

Aberdon100 said:

Thanks for all the replies. 
I am still a bit unsure the best way forward, should he either ignore the letters or fill out the form declaring he doesn't need a licence?

either 

 trolls  and clout seekers on Social media 'ignore' the letters, but seem to pay  rather a lot of  attention to the existence of the letters  and publicisining that the letters exist, rather  than completing the simple declaration 

Cornucopia

EnPointe said:

Aberdon100 said:

Thanks for all the replies. 
I am still a bit unsure the best way forward, should he either ignore the letters or fill out the form declaring he doesn't need a licence?

either 

 trolls  and clout seekers on Social media 'ignore' the letters, but seem to pay  rather a lot of  attention to the existence of the letters  and publicisining that the letters exist, rather  than completing the simple declaration 

Perhaps because we know it isn't a "declaration"?

prowla

EnPointe said:

p00hsticks said:

Hedgepigs said:

michael1234 said:

Most of my viewing these days is youtube and I'm thinking about stopping the tiny amount of live tv I do watch just so that I can cancel my licence.

However, whilst when I was younger the "threat" of someone banging on my door wouldn't have bothered me at all, now it would. Assuming I'd totally disabled the source of the live TV and was completely in the clear to stop paying for the licence, it would still feel like punishment to be continually watching the door for some "enforcement officer" to knock and cause distruption.

I don't watch live TV or iPlayer, and so don't have a license. I did do the 'I don't need a license' form on their website though, and they've never bothered me.

I did the same - I know people say you shoukdn't have to, but if you prefer to not see a continual escalation of increasingly threatening letters IMO it's a small price to pay.

you must have a very  febrile and  labile defintion of  " threatening "  especially when you can shut  the letters up for  a number of years ata tiem with one piece of communication to TVL 

It's probably because they are phishing letters threatening action which are sent to houses whose residents don't have a TV licence.

saajan_12

EnPointe said:

Aberdon100 said:

Thanks for all the replies. 
I am still a bit unsure the best way forward, should he either ignore the letters or fill out the form declaring he doesn't need a licence?

either 

 trolls  and clout seekers on Social media 'ignore' the letters, but seem to pay  rather a lot of  attention to the existence of the letters  and publicisining that the letters exist, rather  than completing the simple declaration 

Completed the declaration years ago. It made no difference to the volume of letters, just that they were now seeking a confirmation visit instead of an enforcement visit. They've been "in my area next week" for the past 9 years, not actually had anyone come by. 

OP- may as well try the declaration online, but thereafter just ignore the letters, all empty threats. 

Vitor

- My wife thinks he should just pay it but I say he shouldn't as his tv is not hooked up to an aerial so he receives no live tv, he has a firestick with Netflix, movies and box sets.  - 

Not being judgmental but I doubt a lad could resist social pressure to watch a film, fitba match etc. on iPlayer or live streamed on ITV-X when uni friends are visiting, which do need a TV license. 

sheslookinhot

Vitor said:

- My wife thinks he should just pay it but I say he shouldn't as his tv is not hooked up to an aerial so he receives no live tv, he has a firestick with Netflix, movies and box sets.  - 

Not being judgmental but I doubt a lad could resist social pressure to watch a film, fitba match etc. on iPlayer or live streamed on ITV-X when uni friends are visiting, which do need a TV license. 

That is being judgemental.

sheslookinhot

saajan_12 said:

EnPointe said:

Aberdon100 said:

Thanks for all the replies. 
I am still a bit unsure the best way forward, should he either ignore the letters or fill out the form declaring he doesn't need a licence?

either 

 trolls  and clout seekers on Social media 'ignore' the letters, but seem to pay  rather a lot of  attention to the existence of the letters  and publicisining that the letters exist, rather  than completing the simple declaration 

Completed the declaration years ago. It made no difference to the volume of letters, just that they were now seeking a confirmation visit instead of an enforcement visit. They've been "in my area next week" for the past 9 years, not actually had anyone come by. 

OP- may as well try the declaration online, but thereafter just ignore the letters, all empty threats. 

A “confirmation” visit should be treated no differently from an enforcement visit. Do not let them enter your house, nor answer any questions but you may simply state you have filled in a no licence declaration and nothing has changed, followed by goodbye.

James_Poisson

Why would he pay for something he doesn't use because of silly letters not addressed to him.

The "officers" have no legal right of entry, and have to apply to the courts for a warrant to do so.