Unlawful TV Licence Enforcement
Comments
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The BBC is the licensing authority (small L, small A). But there is no entity called "TV Licensing Authority". The correct BBC brand name is "TV Licensing". That distinction is important, since "TV Licensing" is neither an authority in any meaningful or actual sense, or independent of the BBC. The powers the BBC has been granted are limited to those specified in Sections 363-366 of the Communications Act, which can broadly be paraphrased as to administer the Licences of those who have them, and to use Search Warrants to enforce the licensing requirements. Nothing else, and certainly nothing else that would breach individual rights to privacy.unforeseen wrote: »The BBC is the licensing authority for TV licences hence they are the TV Licensing Authority.
By all means quote any official references to "TVLA" or "TV Licensing Authority", but I don't think you will be able to. I don't count the Wikipedia entry.
Or as TV Licensing themselves say: "'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.
The BBC is a public authority in respect of its television licensing functions and retains overall responsibility.By referring to this side of the BBC as the TVLA it stops people getting mixed up between the BBC a program provider and broadcaster and the BBC as the licencing authorities for the TV licence.
There is already something of a conflict of interest, and as per my complaint a dog's dinner of conflicting laws and dubious assertions by the BBC. Misnaming the BBC brand name "TV Licensing" as "TVLA", and potentially conferring a status it does not have only confuses matters.0 -
Cornucopia wrote: »In February this year, I wrote the most recent of a series of letters to the BBC's Head of Revenue Management - the woman who effectively runs the TV Licensing operation through an outsource arrangement with Capita. I received no response.
If you require information, perhaps you should try a freedom of information request?0 -
I live on a block of flats where there's a security buzzer to call before anyone gets to knock on my door
I'm very security conscious
When the TV licence bully knocked on my door without first using the security buzzer I told him I have privacy issues and nobody's allowed to knock on my door without using the security buzzer first
I said it's by passing my security and and invasion of privacy
If he wants to knock on my door he first has to use the buzzer and ask if I'll give him permission to knock on my front door
He said he don't need permission, walked off with the hump and never returned0 -
sevenhills wrote: »If you require information, perhaps you should try a freedom of information request?
Tried that. It was refused. I should have escalated to the ICO at the time, although I'm not sure how much good it would have done.
If I don't get anywhere with Tony Hall, I might have another go at FOI with a more loaded wording, and then go to the ICO with the Human Rights angle when the BBC decline to answer.
This is about more than just the bare information (though that would be interesting). The mere fact that the BBC has failed to publish the legal basis for TV Licence enforcement operations is both unlawful (in my opinion, and in the context of interference with privacy) and highly suspicious (suggesting that the operation lacks credible legal justification).0 -
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Television licensing authority I would guess.[/FONT]
Correct.
I've always known it as TVLA.
Anyway if you type 'TVLA' into Google, no 1 search result is http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/
Google knows.:)0 -
If many people are mistaken, it makes sense for Google to correct them. There are no official references to either "TVLA" or "TV Licensing Authority", as far as I can tell.
I've always wondered if the confusion was the result of a crossover between DVLA and TVL?0 -
I live on a block of flats where there's a security buzzer to call before anyone gets to knock on my door
I'm very security conscious
When the TV licence bully knocked on my door without first using the security buzzer I told him I have privacy issues and nobody's allowed to knock on my door without using the security buzzer first
I said it's by passing my security and and invasion of privacy
If he wants to knock on my door he first has to use the buzzer and ask if I'll give him permission to knock on my front door
He said he don't need permission, walked off with the hump and never returned
If he can get to your door and knock on it why would he bother with using a buzzer?
If somebody else wants to let them into your block then that is their right and they can then proceed to the address they wish to go to.
Unfortunately you are not in a position to dictate who enters the building and how.
He is right. Neither he nor anybody else has to play your game to knock on your door if there is another way.0 -
Because that would be polite? And they are under a standing instruction to be polite. As they themselves say: "Explain why they are visiting and be polite, courteous and fair."unforeseen wrote: »If he can get to your door and knock on it why would he bother with using a buzzer?If somebody else wants to let them into your block then that is their right and they can then proceed to the address they wish to go to.
Unfortunately you are not in a position to dictate who enters the building and how.
He is right. Neither he nor anybody else has to play your game to knock on your door if there is another way.
Yes and no. If there is a building rule that people MUST buzz the correct buzzer to be admitted, then breaking that rule could make the TVL person a trespasser in the common parts of the building. If the residents own the Freehold of the building, then it may be possible to ban TVL staff from the common areas. If they then attended anyway, they would be trespassing and would be liable to civil legal action and forced removal.
Even if that's not the case, Essex Boy can simply tell the TVL person that he believes that it's rude not to use the buzzer and refuse to speak with him for that reason, or simply not answer the door.
TVL are there by common law implied consent, and they speak with members of the public only with their consent. Consent can be removed. Easily.0 -
You really do live in cloud cuckoo land.0
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unforeseen wrote: »You really do live in cloud cuckoo land.
In what way? Be aware if/when you answer that there is a special term for people who criticise other people's factual posts but are factually incorrect themselves.
I'd also say: don't criticise those of us who've been harassed by TVL until you've tried it for yourself.0
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