TV Licence article Discussion

Nick_C

jamesrcmd said:

This is how to avoid giving TV Licensing your details:
I recently received two letters from TV Licensing addressed to “The Occupier.” To avoid giving them my personal details, I wrote on the letters stating that I don’t need a TV licence and sent them back by second-class post. I then received a letter confirming that my address has been added to the No TV Licence database.

I phoned them a few years ago, withholding my number, and told them no licence was needed.  I get follow up letter every couple of years, and again phone to confirm.  

Don't fill in the on line form.  You have to give them personal data, which they do not have a right to collect.  You also have to make false statements, because the form is worded badly. 

PRAISETHESUN

Nick_C said:

jamesrcmd said:

This is how to avoid giving TV Licensing your details:
I recently received two letters from TV Licensing addressed to “The Occupier.” To avoid giving them my personal details, I wrote on the letters stating that I don’t need a TV licence and sent them back by second-class post. I then received a letter confirming that my address has been added to the No TV Licence database.

I phoned them a few years ago, withholding my number, and told them no licence was needed.  I get follow up letter every couple of years, and again phone to confirm.  

Don't fill in the on line form.  You have to give them personal data, which they do not have a right to collect.  You also have to make false statements, because the form is worded badly. 

I get generic "to the legal occupier" letters every so often asking to re-confirm my status which I ignore. There's no legal requirement to tell them you don't need a licence. IMO the safest method is to not engage with them. Don't fill out a declaration, don't phone/mail them, and politely close the door if they ever make an appearance at your home. They have no right to force you to say/do anything without a warrant, and even with one if you don't need a licence then there's nothing they can actually do about it.

pphillips

WillowLeaf said:

I found the questions to be a bit presumptive in the preamble, often starting with a sentiment along the lines of 'the BBC is great...'

The news headlines regarding alternative funding such as adverts or subscription were a bit misleading to me. These options are in addition to the licence fee, not replacing it. There is no option to select abolishing the fee.

There is an opportunity at the end of chapter 4 to add your comments about funding the BBC. I wrote my opinion here that the BBC should be funded by subscriptions

Cornucopia

I filled in my response yesterday.   I agree that it's far from being a balanced public consultation exercise, but there are several areas for free-form comments, which can be used to put forward whatever views respondents wish to.

It takes around 20 minutes to complete overall, and its relentless pro-BBC stance can be off-putting.   OTOH, getting a chance to voice one's views on the BBC is a relatively rare thing.

WillowLeaf

pphillips said:

There is an opportunity at the end of chapter 4 to add your comments about funding the BBC. I wrote my opinion here that the BBC should be funded by subscriptions

Funny you say that as it kept telling me I was over 200 words, i was at 186. I dropped it down to 1 word and it still said I was over 200 words. I figured it was either a technical issue at my end or theirs, or a conspiracy to stop me saying what I was saying.

silverwhistle

I'm far keener on the male chicken-up rather than the conspiracy theory of life..

Edit: didn't like the usual term for a male chicken...

Nick_C

silverwhistle said:

I'm far keener on the male chicken-up rather than the conspiracy theory of life..

Edit: didn't like the usual term for a male chicken...

You mean a fowl up?

Cornucopia

Coq-o-van?

silverwhistle

Nick_C said:

silverwhistle said:

I'm far keener on the male chicken-up rather than the conspiracy theory of life..

Edit: didn't like the usual term for a male chicken...

You mean a fowl up?

Very good, but I do like alliteration..