BBC - Themis debt collectors

mta999

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/bbc-brings-in-debt-collectors-to-police-licence-fee/

The BBC has enlisted debt collectors previously linked to pursuing fraud victims to help enforce the licence fee.

The broadcaster has contracted Themis Recoveries to help the broadcaster recoup money by clawing back declining revenues.

Themis Recoveries is responsible for sending out enforcement letters to households suspected of evading the licence fee, which rose to £180 for the first time this year, and will work alongside Capita, which is already contracted as an enforcer – including visiting people at their homes.

Consumers online have already complained about being sent letters urging them to pay, despite claiming they do not watch live television or BBC programmes.

It comes after a Commons public accounts committee report last year found the BBC was losing as much as £550m a year to fee evasion.

Themis, also known as Themis Global, keeps a relatively low profile, describing itself as Britain’s “leading customer engagement, retention and arrears management specialist”.

mta999

David Elstein, a former BBC producer, director of programmes at Thames Television and chief executive of Channel 5, said that “until recently, the BBC’s attitude towards a surge in explicit licence fee cancellations, and in the failure to renew licences, had been surprisingly complacent”.

“Non-renewal is categorised as illegal ‘evasion’, even though many thousands of the new non-payers have simply given up television,” he said.

He said non-payment was accelerating because of a combination of weakening enforcement, which was temporarily impacted by the pandemic, as well as homes moving to streaming, and a “measurable level of dissatisfaction with BBC output”.

Brie

Well they can hire all the enforcers they like but that doesn't mean that any of us need to let them into our homes.

Frankly I think the BBC should give up and start having ads to pay for their service. Unless they want to go down the charity donation road as is used by PBS and other overseas networks.

LightFlare

in my opinion:

if you require a licence - buy one

if not - dont

Anything else is just annoying noise

Cornucopia

The BBC's explanation…

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/themis

It sounds like they are just sending more letters with a different brand name.

mta999

in that link it says:

These reminders go to homes where the licence has expired and was previously paid by instalments.

So maybe not everyone who has no licence?

Cornucopia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82011269#Comment_82011269

Reading the BBC explanation, it says they will pass a person's name to Themis amongst other details. That implies that no longer than 6 months has passed since the Licence was stopped.

Since no debt exists and none is being collected, I'm going to suggest that the term "debt collectors" might be somewhat misplaced.

Other than that, we probably need to see what one of the Themis letters looks like before drawing conclusions (yes, I know BBC/TVL has a long and storied history of bad letter writing).

mta999

I agree with you although this is the heading of the article in the Telegraph ....

BBC brings in debt collectors to police licence fee

Themis are debt collectors I believe.

sheslookinhot

" You’ll first get a TV Licensing letter introducing Themis. After this, you may receive reminder letters followed by a Themis Entry Warning Letter".

My goodness, there is no legal means of entry to your home/house. This is provocative.

mta999

this was on the internet

Emmia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82011199#Comment_82011199

I prefer watching/listening to the BBC simply because I cannot stand the ads. I'd happily pay more for an ad free service if it comes to it.