TV Licence article Discussion

[Deleted User]

They have zero rights of access to the property unless they have a warrant to enter, quite literally just tell them to go away and close the door on them. There's no need to even engage with them at the end of the day.

I sent one letter back to them years ago when it was personally addressed to me with a note saying not known at this address, since then the letters come as to the legal occupier and go straight into the shredder

Cornucopia

robatwork wrote: »

I fully understand your position.

However if you are fully legally compliant and not needing a licence, there can be no disadvantage to confirming your name.

They don't need your name to flag your address as not needing a TV Licence. Personally, I wouldn't provide it on that basis alone.

Indeed if you confirm name and state you aren't watching live TV or iplayer etc, and are fully cognisant with the requirements of a licence, then politely say goodbye and close the door, you'll come across less arrogant and perhaps be removed from the "hassle" register more quickly.

If people are interested in removing themselves from hassle then there are more effective ways that I have personally tried and found to work well.

I think as a point of principle, it's a good idea to make sure that TV Licensing don't get the idea that you, personally, condone their approach (assuming that you don't).

Cornucopia

Mistral001 wrote: »

Just a word of caution. There is a forum on this site about parking charges. About five or six years ago many posters advised people to ignore parking charges. Some people took that advice and other similar advice they got from "friends" and as a result ended up having to pay out a lot of money and spend a lot of time in courts fighting cases they did not win.

Only take advice from people who you know and can 100% trust or are a professional such as a lawyer.

Note the parking charges went through the Civil Courts. TV Licence evasion goes through the Criminal Courts.

Yes, there is an amount of misinformation on the Internet about this. But what about if we take advice from the BBC/TV Licensing themselves? Okay, it may be fairly well hidden, but they do say things like this:-

TVL wrote:

You have no obligation to grant entry to an enquiry officer if you don’t wish to do so. If refused entry by the occupier, the enquiry officer will leave the property. If enquiry officers are refused access, then TV Licensing reserve the right to use other methods of detection.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-administering-the-licence-fee-AB20

They also confirm that TVL staff are bound by PACE (in England and Wales) and Scottish criminal procedure and that brings in a lot of other rights and options (for us, not for them).

They aren't above weasel words, though, so some caution is required...

TVL wrote:

Enquiry officers may interview an individual they suspect to have committed an offence under the Communications Act 2003 but only after they have cautioned that person i.e. informed them of their legal rights...

They don't inform suspects in England and Wales of ALL their legal rights, as this implies. Specifically they claim they have (old) case law that supports not telling suspects that they have a right to legal advice and assistance. I think this is now of out date, and I can't honestly see what harm it would do to make suspects fully aware of ALL their rights.

TVL wrote:

... they have the right not to answer any of the questions. This is in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 or the Scottish criminal law. An officer is obliged to make a written record of that interview and an individual has the right to refuse to sign the record or to ask for corrections to be made if they believe that it is not an accurate record of the interview.

Which supports my suggestion above of declining to be interviewed.

[Deleted User]

FreeBear wrote: »

If you want to watch cute kittens on Youtube, there is no one (or law) to stop you.

That, of course, is because Youtube isn't a Television Channel.

[Deleted User]

Nick_C wrote: »

"'TV Licensing' is a trade mark of the BBC and is used under licence by companies contracted by the BBC to administer the collection of the television licence fee and enforcement of the television licensing system."

I think the next bit is the most important:-

The BBC is a public authority in respect of its television licensing functions and retains overall responsibility.
(emphasis is mine)

[Deleted User]

staffsuk wrote: »

Given the goons arrive alone at your premises, and there is no third party to prove otherwise, what’s to stop these goons just lying to the courts / police with any ‘evidence’ they have collected? Their word against yours and no other party to counter their 'evidence'?

I use one of these.

Served me well for 10 years.

[Deleted User]

Cornucopia wrote: »

Alternatively just don't answer the door to them

Or do as I do, and use an upstairs window.

It gives you the advantage of looking down on them (which puts you in a position of dominance), and allows you to end the visit at a time of your choosing, without the option for them to put a foot in the door, or try to push past you.

[Deleted User]

Mistral001 wrote: »

About five or six years ago many posters advised people to ignore parking charges. Some people took that advice and other similar advice they got from "friends" and as a result ended up having to pay out a lot of money and spend a lot of time in courts fighting cases they did not win.

We're not suggesting ignoring summonses, just the letters and doorstep callers.

Obviously you shouldn't ignore a summons, but Threat-O-Grams (aka the monthly letters) and doorstep callers can be safely ignored.

Ego_Shredder

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I use one of these.

Served me well for 10 years.

What was the image by the way? Not showing for me / broken link or whatever.

Cornucopia

Ego_Shredder wrote: »

What was the image by the way? Not showing for me / broken link or whatever.

A video camera.

Bedsit Bob is suggesting that people film (or try to film) TVL staff when they arrive on their premises. This is totally legal and does seem to have a deterrent effect on them for reasons that are not totally clear (to me, anyway).