TV Licensing Letter

Tacitus · 7 Sep 2015 at 19:35

Had one of these every year and never had a visit. Also in Scotland I notice.

Also, in the past year only 8 people have been prosecuted in Scotland for not having a TV license, and it no longer lands you with a criminal record. If you're not watching live TV you're not breaking the law, and there's nothing they can do. If they come and visit just don't let them into your house, they need a warrant to enter.

EDIT: disregard what I'd said unless you are actually in Scotland, I just saw it said "in compliance with Scottish criminal law" and assumed it was a Scotland-specific letter.

Caged · 7 Sep 2015 at 19:49

Can people who post freemen on the land crap be identified with a custom avatar as a warning to others?

fatiain · 7 Sep 2015 at 19:52

Do not invite the TV licencing man on board.

Ask him if he is acting on oath.

Tell him you do not consent.

</footle>

Werewolf · 7 Sep 2015 at 19:58

Caged said:
Can people who post freemen on the land crap be identified with a custom avatar as a warning to others?

I did debate sorting out a picture of a crowbar.

IronWarrior · 7 Sep 2015 at 20:14

matdom said:
bin it.

Best advice.

Burnsy2023 said:
Using a TV without a licence is a criminal offence which you most certainly an prosecute without a name.

You don't need a licence to own or use a TV.

Burnsy2023 · 7 Sep 2015 at 20:15

IronWarrior said:
You don't need a licence to own or use a TV.

Which is true but missing my point.

Haggisman · 7 Sep 2015 at 20:34

Might as well let them in. Make sure they've paid their £125 entry fee though

Dave · 7 Sep 2015 at 20:36

ubern00b said:
So today, I recieved this letter:

http://i.imgur.com/zKLVqzv.jpg

In a nice coincidence I received the same letter today - different postcode, of course. Went in the recycling like the rest of them

Brenn47 · 7 Sep 2015 at 20:46

Stick the letter straight in the bin. Don't let the TVL *officer* in either, he's not doing you any favours, just say you're busy and close the door.

In future probably wise not to post pictures of your letters online without redacting the reference number etc.

There's so many people who are now on Netflix that the BBC can't keep up!

OhEsEcks · 7 Sep 2015 at 20:59

Considering how much of a pain in the arse the fee chasers are, why has more not been done to address their ******** tactics? Especially considering the **** storm in the media recently about charities hounding the elderly. There's no difference between those charities hounding the elderly and getting BBC license fee crap through your door on a regular basis. It's all a bloody nuisance.

Glaucus · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:01

Because TV license is classed as a tax so very much government backed and as such are protected and it's a criminal offence to not pay when you need it, so very different legally to charitys.
Not that I agree with the harassment or the way it's collected, should just be taken from general taxation AMD be done with it, would save 10s of millions in collection, enforcement and prosecution and be far less regressive tax.

Caged · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:02

Because the big uproar about TV Licensing letters that you tend to come across online is from people who keep receiving them, and other than scanning them to upload to a blog that they waste their time with, they do nothing at all.

It's a one minute job, even if you're slow, to opt out - and you don't even need to do it over the phone any more:
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/cs/no-licence-needed/about.app

The times where I haven't needed a TV License I have opted out and never received another letter.

spoffle · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:17

Belly said:
I bought a second TV for the home but had it delivered to my works address. I got a simple letter from TV licensing. I just stated that I bought the TV for my home address and I never heard from them again.

An Officer.......... Worth a quick view

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/property-law/who-can-enter-your-house.htm

Privacy in Your Own Home:

Who can enter your home?

TV Licensing Officers

It really was a quick view wasn't it? So quick that you missed the important part;

Television licensing officers can enter if they have a search warrant.

And even then, you don't literally have to let them in if you don't want to. A warrant just gives them legal jurisdiction, not literal permission to enter your home whether you like it or not.

The police sometimes attend situations where they have a warrant, but they won't help execute it, they're just there to help keep the peace.

spoffle · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:19

Caged said:
Because the big uproar about TV Licensing letters that you tend to come across online is from people who keep receiving them, and other than scanning them to upload to a blog that they waste their time with, they do nothing at all.

It's a one minute job, even if you're slow, to opt out - and you don't even need to do it over the phone any more:
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/cs/no-licence-needed/about.app

The times where I haven't needed a TV License I have opted out and never received another letter.

People often say this, but some people do actually get harassed even when they have stated via the proper channels, that they don't require one.

I don't have one, or need one and I haven't had any harassment, but it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Burnsy2023 · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:21

spoffle said:
And even then, you don't literally have to let them in if you don't want to. A warrant just gives them legal jurisdiction, not literal permission to enter your home whether you like it or not.

The police sometimes attend situations where they have a warrant, but they won't help execute it, they're just there to help keep the peace.

If someone has a search warrant they can enter your property for the purpose specified on the warrant. The power of entry will allow for force.

So if someone walks up with a valid search warrant, they're coming in, whether your front door is in tact or not is up to you.

Randomface74 · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:22

yeah I got harassed at my last place even after letting them know.

At this place my letters are 'to the occupier' and they go straight in the bin.

a TV licensing goon cannot get a search warrant, if they claim to have one they are lying.

Burnsy2023 · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:29

billysielu said:
a TV licensing goon cannot get a search warrant, if they claim to have one they are lying.

Yes they can under s366 of the Telecommunications Act 2003. Whilst rare, they can be obtained.

Caged · 7 Sep 2015 at 21:32

spoffle said:
People often say this, but some people do actually get harassed even when they have stated via the proper channels, that they don't require one.

I don't have one, or need one and I haven't had any harassment, but it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

No doubt it does happen, but the people the most vocal about receiving the letters also tend to respond with "well why should I tell them anything" when questioned on whether they have said anything to the TV Licensing people about not needing a license.

TheVoice · 7 Sep 2015 at 22:21

At least they're not spouting nonsense about their detector vans or equipment any more.

=XDC=FluphyBunny · 7 Sep 2015 at 22:25

As Caged has said its odd that people take 5 minutes to start a thread but can't take two minutes to visit a link and opt out (not necessarily the OP but many others do).

Then there are a very small minority who have genuine problems with local pushy 'officers'. I know of no one personally who has ever had problems with TV licence authorities.

And lastly there are the morons, the small people with giant chips on their shoulders who start spouting freeman of the land nonsense.

I managed to cancel my TV licence once when swapping banks and hadn't realised for a few months. I had one polite letter asking if I still had a TV and watched live programs and started paying the licence fee again. Nothing happened !