TV Licence article Discussion
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You can legally listen to the Radio using the Freeview Radio channels, but if at all possible I would suggest finding an alternative that doesn't involve connecting an aerial to your TV. If there really is no other option, then make sure that there are no TV channels tuned in on the TV.Sorry for all the questions and thanks for your help! Can I attach an aerial to my telly just to listen to radio stations as long as I don't watch live television? Or will having an aerial connected, regardless of whether I watch live television or not, be an offence?
TV Licensing no longer have a legal power to collect data on TV sales from retailers. This was abolished in 2013.I suffer from severe anxiety and severe depression so I'm getting a bit stressed out by this. The TV Licence people must have my name and address now because I had my television delivered so I'm getting a bit worried by it all now.
They buy general name and address data from commercial agencies, so it is possible that you will receive letters from them addressed to you by name at some point.
Even if they begin communicating to you by name, this has no bearing on their "investigation", because having a name for your address is of no use to them without some form of accompanying evidence of evasion. That can only be obtained by talking to you. If you never talk to them, and never let them in, they cannot obtain that evidence. They do not and cannot issue summonses based purely on "paper trail" evidence.
There are various legal letters that you can write to them to ward them off in advance of any visit (which could bring you peace of mind). If you are interested in that, we can discuss what is possible.
One of the features of this topic is the sheer amount of misinformation and misconception that exists around it. The irony is that in some areas the truth is much more mundane than BBC/TVL make it sound, and in other areas there is good evidence of misdeeds by TVL and some of their staff that the BBC try to gloss over. As a consequence of that, I'd suggest thinking carefully about what you know and if there are any elements of that which cause you undue fear, please ask for more information about them.0 -
Thanks ever so much for your help, you've really put my mind at rest. Ta!0
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To save getting stressed out by the threatening TVL letters, do what I do - Anything with a Darlington DL98 1AT postcode simply gets thrown on a (growing) pile unopened.
If a TVL "representative" should ever make the mistake of banging on my door, he (or she) will be handed the afore mentioned pile and told exactly where to go.:p
A map can be provided if verbal directions are insufficient.Her courage will change the world.
Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.0 -
Just one more thing. Due to me being caught off guard, when I was on the phone to Virgin Media a couple of years ago I replied 'yes' when they asked me if my telly was connected to the internet. In the past I've always told them that I don't have one, because I don't watch live television my telly is basically a PC monitor. So for the last couple of years I've had letters from the TVL people with my name on it.
One thing going in my favour is that Virgin Media have my address as just the house number rather than the house number and the flat letter inside this house that's been converted to four studio flats. So if I get problems and they go for a search warrant then the address would be wrong, giving them access to the front door downstairs and the communal hallways only.
But is there any way to stop them from using my name and go back to 'The Occupier' that it always used to be before I slipped up? I keep on writing 'Return To Sender - Unknown At This Address' but they still keep coming with my name on. Or is it the case that now that they know my name they'll just continue to send me these threatograms with my name on forever?
Would phoning Virgin Media and telling them to adjust their records to show that I don't own a telly make any difference?0 -
^^ They should go back to "The Legal Occupier" eventually.0
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Whilst it's conceivable that Virgin, Sky and the other pay TV providers (not streaming services) could supply TVL with details of TV subscribers, they would not be passing details of Broadband only subscribers (as that would be a breach of DPA principles and would waste TVL's time). I'm assuming that you do not have TV contract with VM, as this would be a bad idea if you do not have a TV Licence (even if you never use the TV part of the service).Just one more thing. Due to me being caught off guard, when I was on the phone to Virgin Media a couple of years ago I replied 'yes' when they asked me if my telly was connected to the internet. In the past I've always told them that I don't have one, because I don't watch live television my telly is basically a PC monitor. So for the last couple of years I've had letters from the TVL people with my name on it.
I don't think that anything you've done has provoked TVL to start using your name. This simply happens, randomly, as TVL acquire new databases and it is completely unrelated to any other aspect of their "work".
TVL Warrants are incredibly rare, and I don't think you fit the profile of people who receive them (assuming that you do not have a Pay TV contract).One thing going in my favour is that Virgin Media have my address as just the house number rather than the house number and the flat letter inside this house that's been converted to four studio flats. So if I get problems and they go for a search warrant then the address would be wrong, giving them access to the front door downstairs and the communal hallways only.
As LeeUK said, they will revert eventually (after a few months).But is there any way to stop them from using my name and go back to 'The Occupier' that it always used to be before I slipped up? I keep on writing 'Return To Sender - Unknown At This Address' but they still keep coming with my name on. Or is it the case that now that they know my name they'll just continue to send me these threatograms with my name on forever?
Have you completed the TVL "No Licence Needed" form - either online, or having told TVL by phone that you do not need a Licence? They say that that should stop the letters, at least for 2 years, so if you have completed it and the letters have not stopped, then you have cause for complaint which should sort things out. Having said that, one of the things that confuses them is minor errors and variations in addresses.
If you haven't completed the form (and you do not have to), and you want the letters to stop then you can use one of the legal letters I referred to which have the side-effect of stopping TVL letters as well as visits.
Or, you could ask TVL to stop processing your data under the Data Protection Act, but I don't think anyone has ever tried that, and I think they would put up a fight over it.
No.Would phoning Virgin Media and telling them to adjust their records to show that I don't own a telly make any difference?
I suspect that their only reason for asking the question is to better tailor their marketing to you: no need to pester you with offers for their TV service if you have no TV.0 -
Okay, thanks. I'll just continue to send them back I guess. I don't want to bother telling them I don't need a licence because that will just confirm that I'm living at my flat number address and give them a correct name and address for them to reference.
I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting anyone anyway so I'm not going to be bothered by them apart from these threatograms which I can quite happily ignore and send back. Ta!0 -
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I wouldn't be surprised if they get names and addresses from the edited version of the voters register. Another reason to make sure you opt out of the edited version.0
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Bedsit_Bob wrote: »Or, an anatomical diagram can be supplied, indicating where to insert the letters.
With the resulting video uploaded to pornhub :eek:Her courage will change the world.
Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.0
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