TV Licence article Discussion

Cornucopia

Without more information about the sequence of events, it's slightly difficult to understand exactly how the situation has arisen.

But it sounds like you could use help in resolving it. I'd suggest the CAB, Debt Advice, your MP, or the BBC's Head of Revenue Management.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/making-a-complaint-AB7

oldernonethewiser

Yet another letter today. Big heading "Will you be in on xx date?"


I might be and I might not, but it is no concern of theirs. I assume this is meant to scare me into doing something before this date? Not that any visit will necessarily be on this date according to the letter.



I like the fact that this letter has a pretend stamp and signature on it "approving" the visit of an enforcement officer.



Also the fact that the letter arrives in a brown envelope similar to, but not the same as, ones used for official government business is obviously another part of the tactics to scare people.



I was nice to the gentleman from TVL who called before as he seemed a pleasant enough chap, next time I expect I shall be a little more curt.

cw18

I'm currently caught up in a circuit of letters.....

first a "you need a licence if you do any of these things, but we can't find one for your address"
then a "you didn't respond so we've authorised an investigation"
and then a "will you be in on"

then a pause before they start from the beginning again

This has been on-going for about 15 months now - though I have had one or two slightly different letters thrown into the mix, which I can only assume is to try and confuse me

I know someone called in the early days, as I came home from work to find a business card in my mailbox. No sign of anyone having called since.


They must waste a lot of money sending out these letters - especially as so many people (especially youngsters) now watch TV in a way that doesn't require a licence. When my older son moved back in with me for a few years he initially moaned I didn't have one (so he couldn't watch unless he paid for one), but when he moved back out he opted to be legally licence free as he'd discovered he didn't miss the BBC at all (nor any other live TV) and could find plenty on Netflix to keep himself entertained. My daughter was running through the options with me a couple of weeks ago as she was thinking of cancelling hers - but at the moment the few times she watches Neighbours and the annual viewing of Children in Need is holding her back. My fella says he only keeps his for Dr Who and Children in Need, and would love the BBC to put their channels behind a subscription wall so he can just pay for the few months a year he wants it. He'd have to make other changes though, as he currently records from Sky to watch later - so he'd probably have to switch over to NowTV instead, and I'm not 100% sure that gives all the channels he watches.

hareng

Theres some real good videos on youtube about it.
BBC are employing more and more often act agressively and or incorrectly check above out.

Cornucopia

cw18 wrote: »

I'm currently caught up in a circuit of letters.....

In a normal year (one in which the Licence Fee isn't frozen) TV Licensing send out 85-90 million letters. To 27 million households.

A reasonable estimate would be that about half of those are genuine admin letters that indicate DD details, confirm Licences, etc.

The other half are the routinely threatening, deceptive letters that you and Oldernonethewiser have referred to. The letters are peppered with half-truths that would make our politicians blush.

Mutton_Geoff

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

There can be no evidence to support a backdated claim. It would have been possible for your girlfriend to have gone back there and watched TV. If an officer came and checked she would have had a valid TV licence and so all fine. If they allowed backdated claims with no evidence then anyone who hasn't had an inspection (i.e. most people) could claim a refund.
As far as I am aware, you can only get a refund from the date you tell them about it.

She escalated it to a complaint and they promptly refunded the licence fee wef 1st September. This was after she had first told them but before the date they originally refused to cancel and refund.

[Deleted User]

cw18 wrote: »

This has been on-going for about 15 months now

Same here, but substitute "about 10 years", for "about 15 months".

[Deleted User]

hareng wrote: »

BBC are employing more and more often act aggressively and or incorrectly check above out.

Utter and total silence defeats even the most persistent goon.

[Deleted User]

I don't even open the letters anymore. I just rip them straight up and put them in the bin. I know what they are as they are always addressed to the legal occupier and have the Darlington return address on the back.

mrpotatohead2019

HI all just looking for some clarification.

I have a bbc iplayer account, i've had it for at least 3 years and signed up when i was living in my old house where I had a license. I've since moved and only watch netflix here, I'm hardly even in anyway I spent my evenings and weekends at my partners house and just go home to sleep, so I didn't bother getting a license.

Anyway 6 months ago my partner bought a smart tv and wanted to watch something on Iplayer so rather than faff around creating a new account i just signed in with mine assuming that the license at my partners house would cover it.

We were watching something last night on iplayer and today I have had an email saying we know you've been watching Iplayer and you told us you didn't need a license at your address so you now need to buy one.

My email address for iplayer is the same email address as the one i used to tell them i don't need a license. Am i right in thinking they have assumed that because ive signed into it and watched stuff that im watching it at my house? Can't they tell from IP addresses that im NOT watching it at my house?

Shall i just shutdown my account and create a new one or is it too late and im going to get a fine now?