TV Licence Super Thread

Soldato
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I got another nasty letter today from them saying I will be fined £1000, they don't even know my name. The legal occupier script. :rolleyes:

How can they fine me if they don't know my name. lol:p
 
Commissario
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Yes I also found out today that you can only go back 30 days for most shows. If I want to watch the GW programmes from March this year I have to look to YouTube or DailyMotion. Which are basically hosting these shows illegally.

Tbh I can't see a future in which I pay my TV License. The BBC does not seem to represent the kind of programming that I want to see, and I'll be damned if my hard-earned goes to fund "commercially viable" programming like the other **** they churn out. They seem to want to be a broadcaster that sells shows to Dave for a living.


Google. Whilst looking for the earlier GW shows from March this year. Dated around May 2018.
30 days is because that's the agreement the BBC have with the show's production team and rights owners, which is pretty normal (unless they own it completely and have paid for the performance rights in perpetuity*).

Of course if the BBC didn't care about the legalities of it they could have it up for years as well, but that would be problematic for them to say the least ;) (not only from the legal point of view, but because if they did that they'd have a very very short list of people willing to work for them).

I think you might have the definition of "Public Service" a little too tightly defined. One of the BBC's remits is entertainment, which is where Strictly would fall under, as is culture, which it would also fall under. Providing entertainment to millions every week ("chasing ratings") is part of the BBC's job.

Strictly is something like 15 years old, is that really "new format"?

Aye "inform, educate and entertain" is I believe the remit in 4 words, and there is also a strong push/requirement for them to try and provide content that other broadcasters may not try because it's not thought to be commercially viable, which is part of the reason they'll do Strictly (no one else thought it would work), took on The Great British Bake Off and gave it's production team support/assistance to make it viable when IIRC other broadcasters had refused it, and why the BBC is pretty much the only broadcaster that invests in kids TV produced in the UK to any degree.


*Which tends to be quite rare because it costs a fortune to bypass the agreements the BBC (and other broadcasters) have with the likes of the actors, writers, musicians unions etc and their copyrights.
 
Caporegime
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30 days is because that's the agreement the BBC have with the show's production team and rights owners, which is pretty normal (unless they own it completely and have paid for the performance rights in perpetuity*).

Of course if the BBC didn't care about the legalities of it they could have it up for years as well, but that would be problematic for them to say the least ;) (not only from the legal point of view, but because if they did that they'd have a very very short list of people willing to work for them).
Specifically GW - this show is created/produced by BBC Studios (I'm aware of legal issues with shows such as MotD and many others).

The retention period appears to be all over the shop. The BBC's own website says that some BBC shows can be up to a year on iPlayer, with most BBC and 3rd party shows being 0-30 days only.

Again, specifically GW - I can't see why that should be only 30 days. However I do realise that the BBC sells these shows to other networks/providers, and therefore may have entered into contracts with such to only make them available on iPlayer for a limited time.

Regardless - for shows created and wholly funded by the BBC and its wholly owned commercial wings, not being able to view them on demand is a bit **** in 2018, if you're a UK license fee payer.

No?
 
Caporegime
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The rights thing only applies to external companies, I agree it doesn't excuse the BBC's failure to make use of their back catalogue.

It is also a potential source of further revenue if they were to set up a paid for streaming service outside of the UK too.
 
Caporegime
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My father died in September so I transferred the TV license over to my name and setup a new DD, I received email confirmation of this on 24/09/2018 along with the dates and amount that would be taken each month.

A few weeks later I received a letter addressed to me to say the DD had been cancelled and I needed to contact them to set up a new payment method. Didn't think anything of it as I had already set up the new DD and assumed it was my fathers.

I've just realised the DD didn't go out last month or this month and I've just logged in to the portal to see no DD has been setup but I've got a license until 31/03/2019.

Not sure if I'm paying monthly or if my father paid for it 12 months in advance and everytime I ring up to ask for advice the recorded message tells me all advisors are busy and to try the portal.

Any help would be most welcome.
 
Soldato
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Just cancel it all and don't care :D

Works with other companies too. If you can't get hold of anyone cancel the DD, wait 5 minutes for them to call YOU asking for money lol
 
Associate
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A friend just sent me this:

L49Jlxv.jpg

He's been in his new house for less than a week and he gets a letter like that???

Incredible...how is this allowed by any stretch of the imagination? Why is this harassment tolerated by the authorities? Why isn't this being looked at by a watchdog or something? Blatantly using scare tactics to intimidate people, I mean look at the choice of words! ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINAL, LEGAL COSTS, FINES..... You would think that he's committed a serious crime! but no, he just hasn't got round to switching his tv license from his old property. You couldn't have wrote a more chitty letter if you tried, appalling.
 
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D3K

D3K

Soldato
Joined
13 Nov 2014
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A friend just sent me this:

Ng0KQOb.png

He's been in his new house for less than a week and he gets a letter like that???

Incredible...how is this allowed by any stretch of the imagination? Why is this harassment tolerated by the authorities? Why isn't this being looked at by a watchdog or something? Blatantly using scare tactics to intimidate people, I mean look at the choice of words! ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINAL, LEGAL COSTS, FINES..... You would think that he's committed a serious crime! but no, he just hasn't got round to switching his tv license from his old property. You couldn't have wrote a more chitty letter if you tried, appalling.
If he's only been in the house for a week it was clearly aimed at the previous tenant...
 
Associate
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If he's only been in the house for a week it was clearly aimed at the previous tenant...

When I moved in my new house a few years back I got the same treatment, the point is they shouldn't be able to enforce it in the way that they're doing. Its just wrong on so many levels. To call it criminal is an offence in itself.
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Mar 2011
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4,908
I have had loads of them just blank.

Don't reply and only open the door if someone has phoned you first to tell you they coming round.

Screw them.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
9,158
A friend just sent me this:

Ng0KQOb.png

He's been in his new house for less than a week and he gets a letter like that???

Incredible...how is this allowed by any stretch of the imagination? Why is this harassment tolerated by the authorities? Why isn't this being looked at by a watchdog or something? Blatantly using scare tactics to intimidate people, I mean look at the choice of words! ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINAL, LEGAL COSTS, FINES..... You would think that he's committed a serious crime! but no, he just hasn't got round to switching his tv license from his old property. You couldn't have wrote a more chitty letter if you tried, appalling.

Nothing in that letter sounds harassing or anything to worry about given he's getting his license sorted. Just bin it and move on.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
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23,373
When I moved in to my current house, there was a TV license letter waiting for me lol

They all go in the shredder and no one has actually ever been to knock on the door, at least not while I've been there. Their nearest office is at least 30 miles away, so they probably can't be arsed to drive all that way when they are much more vulnerable targets closer to them.
 
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Caporegime
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Llaneirwg
My letter cycle has reset to stage 1.
We had the visit etc etc.
Now it's back the standard 'will you be in on the xx of November' blah blah blah.

Its an odd system when it cycles round
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2006
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23,373
Tell them you'll be in on the XX of November and don't be in :D

I once did that to some coldcallers and they were very grumpy when they phoned me again lol
 
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