TV Licence article Discussion

Mutton_Geoff

Since I moved house 18 months ago, I didn't buy a TV licence because it was very easy to modify my viewing habits such that I didn't need one. Every month, occasionally more often, Capita would send me threatening letters with plenty of pseudo legalise and fake rubber stamps "investigation authorised" etc.

Since I'm made of sterner stuff than TVL might think, I longed for their threatened visits that never materialised. I wrote to my MP and entered into a dialogue about this intimidation that may force other constituents to buy a licence even if they didn't need one. Capita never knew my name so all correspondence addressed to "The Occupier". I had no intention of providing them with my name and their "investigation" so amateurish, they couldn't even pull that from the electoral roll.

I tried to get my MP to understand that I felt this widespread practise was not acceptable but instead he replied that he had contacted TVL to tell them to cease their letters "since I had already informed them I didn't need a licence". Of course, I had done no such thing, I saw no need to make contact in the same way I don't contact Sky, Netflix etc with my name and address to tell them I don't require their services.

A few weeks ago I received a letter from TVL addressed to me saying they acknowledge receipt of my statement that I do not require a licence and they'll hold off the intimidation for two years (but may visit to check I'm telling the truth).

I'm pretty angry that my MP didn't properly read my emails to him and that he contacted Capita and provided them with my name. I've written to him twice since asking him to confirm his actions but no reply received.

I'm seriously considering raising a complaint about my MP's conduct. Am I overreacting? 

No connection to this guy, but excellent You Tube channel for more info on the TVL topic - https://www.youtube.com/c/ChilliJonCarne

Cornucopia

In my experience, most MPs simply do not get how dysfunctional the TV Licensing regime is.  Given that many MPs are lawyers by profession, I find this disappointing.  

If you have a specific issue with TV Licensing, your MP may be able to prod them into action and get the specific issue resolved.  Anything more general than that, and they simply aren't interested (it is too big a challenge for them to get involved for the few potential votes involved, and many to lose).  

If TVL letters are being received that are addressed to "The Occupier", I would simply return them - which means writing "Return to Sender" on the front, and putting them back in a Postbox, no stamp required.   If enough people did this, TVL letters would be dead in the water because the cost of processing the returns would be prohibitive.   

TVL send c. 3m enforcement letters each month, so selecting some to return is like shooting fish in a barrel.   Even a small fraction of those being returned would begin to cause them problems.

2010

With the cost of living crisis looming I`ll be surprised if more people don`t dump the tv licence payment.

pphillips

Mutton_Geoff said:

Since I moved house 18 months ago, I didn't buy a TV licence because it was very easy to modify my viewing habits such that I didn't need one. Every month, occasionally more often, Capita would send me threatening letters with plenty of pseudo legalise and fake rubber stamps "investigation authorised" etc.

Since I'm made of sterner stuff than TVL might think, I longed for their threatened visits that never materialised. I wrote to my MP and entered into a dialogue about this intimidation that may force other constituents to buy a licence even if they didn't need one. Capita never knew my name so all correspondence addressed to "The Occupier". I had no intention of providing them with my name and their "investigation" so amateurish, they couldn't even pull that from the electoral roll.

I tried to get my MP to understand that I felt this widespread practise was not acceptable but instead he replied that he had contacted TVL to tell them to cease their letters "since I had already informed them I didn't need a licence". Of course, I had done no such thing, I saw no need to make contact in the same way I don't contact Sky, Netflix etc with my name and address to tell them I don't require their services.

A few weeks ago I received a letter from TVL addressed to me saying they acknowledge receipt of my statement that I do not require a licence and they'll hold off the intimidation for two years (but may visit to check I'm telling the truth).

I'm pretty angry that my MP didn't properly read my emails to him and that he contacted Capita and provided them with my name. I've written to him twice since asking him to confirm his actions but no reply received.

I'm seriously considering raising a complaint about my MP's conduct. Am I overreacting? 

No connection to this guy, but excellent You Tube channel for more info on the TVL topic - https://www.youtube.com/c/ChilliJonCarne

I can understand why you're angry and I think it's justified, your MP passed on your personal information to TVL without your knowledge or consent. Obviously your MP has not gotten back to you because they don't want to admit they breached data protection law. You could make a data protection complaint to the ICO due to the unauthorised disclosure of your personal information.  As well as reporting the data breach, you also have a right to claim compensation if it has caused you to suffer damage or distress.

cw18

pphillips said:

I can understand why you're angry and I think it's justified, your MP passed on your personal information to TVL without your knowledge or consent. Obviously your MP has not gotten back to you because they don't want to admit they breached data protection law. You could make a data protection complaint to the ICO due to the unauthorised disclosure of your personal information.  As well as reporting the data breach, you also have a right to claim compensation if it has caused you to suffer damage or distress.

Totally agree with this - surely it's a breach under GDPR.

And (unless the chap was someone I otherwise respected or was friendly with outside the MP / contituent relationship), then I'd definitely be reporting it.    If he passed your data on for this, just what other data about other constituents is he passing on that he shouldn't be ????

SuseOrm

cw18 said:

pphillips said:

I can understand why you're angry and I think it's justified, your MP passed on your personal information to TVL without your knowledge or consent. Obviously your MP has not gotten back to you because they don't want to admit they breached data protection law. You could make a data protection complaint to the ICO due to the unauthorised disclosure of your personal information.  As well as reporting the data breach, you also have a right to claim compensation if it has caused you to suffer damage or distress.

Totally agree with this - surely it's a breach under GDPR.

And (unless the chap was someone I otherwise respected or was friendly with outside the MP / contituent relationship), then I'd definitely be reporting it.    If he passed your data on for this, just what other data about other constituents is he passing on that he shouldn't be ????

The ICO has absolutely no teeth whatsoever 

cw18

SuseOrm said:

The ICO has absolutely no teeth whatsoever 

ICO ?   (Not an abbr I know)

Cornucopia

cw18 said:

SuseOrm said:

The ICO has absolutely no teeth whatsoever 

ICO ?   (Not an abbr I know)

Information Commissioner's Office.

Section62

cw18 said:

pphillips said:

I can understand why you're angry and I think it's justified, your MP passed on your personal information to TVL without your knowledge or consent. Obviously your MP has not gotten back to you because they don't want to admit they breached data protection law. You could make a data protection complaint to the ICO due to the unauthorised disclosure of your personal information.  As well as reporting the data breach, you also have a right to claim compensation if it has caused you to suffer damage or distress.

Totally agree with this - surely it's a breach under GDPR.

And (unless the chap was someone I otherwise respected or was friendly with outside the MP / contituent relationship), then I'd definitely be reporting it.    If he passed your data on for this, just what other data about other constituents is he passing on that he shouldn't be ????

I'm not so sure it is a breach.

It would depend particularly on the exact wording of Mutton_Geoff's correspondence with the MP.  It is normal for MP's to write to organisations on behalf of constituents as part of their casework, and in most cases mentioning some of the constituent's personal details is a prerequisite of being able to do this.

It wouldn't necessarily be a data breach to use personal information in a communication of that type.

If there were a clear request by Mutton_Geoff that he didn't want his name and address passed to TVL then there would clearly be a failing by the MP, but not necessarily a data breach (that the ICO would investigate).

Personally I'd be furious if the MP had ignored a clear request not to contact TVL with my details, but I think the correct action (if any) would be to follow the complaints process for MP's conduct (in particular the failure to respond to the follow up correspondence), rather than making it an ICO issue.

Mutton_Geoff

Thank you for your comments everyone, it is appreciated. There is a channel for complaints against MPs and I think I will follow that first since his total silence following my questioning if/why he passed on my details implies guilt.