TV Licensing harassment letters

1356728

Comments

  • moonrakerz
    moonrakerz Posts: 8,650
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    He told us that as we had an intention of watching tv, that we needed to start paying.

    Are these morons on commission like traffic wardens ? Did he try and sell you a gas and electricity package as well ?

    Quote from TV Licensing website:

    "You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV."

    The important word is "use". There is no mention of intention !

    I would make a formal letter of complaint to the head office.
  • There was someone of these forums not long ago basically saying the same as post #22 - that they had been caught out by a reptile from TV Licensing fibbing to them about the nature of the form they were signing.

    It almost want them to send me another letter demanding payment so I can really go to town on them...
  • Make a complaint to the TV licensing authorities about the form you signed, and what you were told you were signing - pointing out, of course, that there appears to be a prima facie case for an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
    "You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"
  • moonrakerz
    moonrakerz Posts: 8,650
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    Further to my post, #15.

    This morning I got a letter from these reptiles (good name, Count_Dante !) saying: "we have authorised officers to interview you under the Police & Criminal Evidence Act".

    Being an honest, upright, law abiding citizen I am not that well versed in the in and outs of PACE; however a quick look at the Home Office website seems to state that PACE is to "provide the police with the powers they need" (my underlining).
    Apart from which I do not have answer questions from a Police officer anyway, let alone a TVL "reptile".

    Is there a "proper" officer out there who would care to comment on this, please.

    I have been googling this subject, and am amazed at the amount of bad press these people are getting - does the BBC, whose employs these 'contractors' not have anything to say about their tactics ?

    Passing thought - I wonder if the TVs in HM Prisons are licenced ?
  • Forgot to mention in the post, my OH's parents were there when he came, when his step-dad looked at the form he got mad, so the next day, he phoned up to complain about what we'd signed, only to get told "don't worry about" the form. So either they are on commission and the peeps at the contact centre are aware of what the guys on the street are doing to earn their money, or they really just don't give a damn and can't wait to try and take you to court. I had put it out of my mind, but thanks guys, i think a letter to head office might do some good.
    :j Ready to take control of my life! :j
  • cledor
    cledor Posts: 809
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    moonrakerz wrote:
    ....../......
    Quote from TV Licensing website:

    "You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV."

    The important word is "use". There is no mention of intention !.............../........

    I think you'll also find that there is no law against watching pre-recorded programmes or ready made DVDs without a TV licence, as long as you are not receiving the TV signal in the same premises.

    The enforcement officer would also have to be able to prove (using the sophisticated equipment) that you were receiving live TV broadcasts at the time the alleged offence took place.

    Don't sign any declarations handed to you before checking the exact wording, and if you have already signed one under false pretenses then you should complain immediately to the TVL crowd.
  • Just read all the above posts and would just like to add my comment.
    If you have anything to do with the TV Licensing people do it in WRITING keep a copy and send it recorded delivery and check on Royal Mails website that it has been delivered.
    All this ring up is absolutely useless cos you have no protection from a phone call at all.
  • BBC
    BBC Posts: 69 Forumite
    I bought a DVD recorder from Toshiba at Christmas and the TV licence company contacted me about TV licence
  • mitten_2
    mitten_2 Posts: 57 Forumite
    I don't understand why they waste so much money sending out the letters. I live in uni accommodation with 5 other people and the people who lived here before us perhaps had tvs and licences but we don't. it shows on the tv licence data base therefore that licences of this address have expired. Because we have seperate contracts for each of our bedrooms we get sepearate threatening letters. So that's 5 letter arriving once every month or so.
    If they are so good at finding people without licences then they wouldn't bother with all the letters they'd just come out to where the 'offenders' were.
  • chipfire
    chipfire Posts: 95
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    What annoys me at the moment is that there is no way ofpruchasing a partial licence - I'm emmigrating in the summer and only need about 5 months worth of licence but they cannot handle that - they say I have to buy a whole year. I'm thinking about paying quarterly and stopping it but the reptiles (yes it really fits doesn't it!) don't actually take the payments regularly, they will take it up front and I'll end up paying for 6 months when I only want 5. I also have no faith or inclination to fight for a refund from a foreign country so what can I do?
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards