TV Licence article Discussion

[Deleted User]

Ego_Shredder wrote: »

So should I bother with the online declaration or not?

Personally, I wouldn't, and never have.

Indeed, as Cornucopia will no doubt confirm, I have not interacting with them down to a fine art.

Cornucopia

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Personally, I wouldn't, and never have.

Indeed, as Cornucopia will no doubt confirm, I have not interacting with them down to a fine art.

The thing that I respect about your approach (filming silently from an upstairs window as the TVL staff member looks up in disbelief) is it gets to so many of the fundamental issues and principles. Every aspect of law was on your side, and the TVL person was powerless as a result.

JimmyTheWig

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I've just received my 115th letter from TVL, and you've got to admire their optimism, after I've ignored the previous 114 letters. :laugh:

I wonder what they do with themselves in the afternoons?

Cornucopia

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I wonder what they do with themselves in the afternoons?

Doughnuts?

BTW, that error in the phrasing has been there for a long while.

[Deleted User]

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I wonder what they do with themselves in the afternoons?

Self gratification?

Blue_Max

I received some letters recently with their usual threats and in addition their intention to visit.
Dates were also given. But no one turned up.
With these kind of phoney threats, TVL persons ('goons' as they are often reffered to) are losing their credibleness.

Blue_Max

Cornucopia wrote: »

The bigger, more statistically valid numbers look like this:
- c. 4 million attempted "visits".
- Around 20% access rate (fairly typical) = 800,000 contacts
- Of which around half procure "evidence" = 400,000 cases
- Of which half are dropped = 200,000 cases remaining
- 200,000 cases to Court, of which around a third are subsequently withdrawn.

Any figures on the amounts collected and the cost of running the TVL collection machine?

FreeBear

Blue_Max wrote: »

Any figures on the amounts collected and the cost of running the TVL collection machine?

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-financial-information-AB19


A total of £101,000,000 was spent in the collection of TV licence fees in 2017/18. No breakdown of how much is spent on enforcement as this is a matter between the BBC and Capita (they'd probably claim "commercially sensitive information).

Blue_Max

"£101,000,000 was spent"
In just one year :eek:

Ego_Shredder

Cornucopia wrote: »

Sometimes people ask for advice on being Legally Licence-Free whilst they still have their Sky or VM Pay TV contracts in place (but unused). This is a bad idea.

In mid-2018 I rang up and removed the TV option from my Virgin Media bundle, leaving just the telephone and internet in place. So currently I have no way of viewing any TV, as it is so old it lacks Freeview capability. The VM box is unplugged and unable to be used either. That leaves the internet as the only option to view content, but I have removed all my TV related bookmarks and do not visit the sites at all.