TV Licence Super Thread

Droolinggimp · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:33

Well just filled out my 'dont need a licence' form online. 30 seconds work and no contact for another 2 years.

Simple.

Pottsey · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:44

Droolinggimp;30493168 said:
Well just filled out my 'dont need a licence' form online. 30 seconds work and no contact for another 2 years.

Simple.

Good luck as its not that simple. If you are lucky you will be ok but you might be in for a surprise.

Rannoch · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:49

Droolinggimp;30493168 said:
Well just filled out my 'dont need a licence' form online. 30 seconds work and no contact for another 2 years.

Simple.

Had a visit once, come back with a search warrant please.

Pottsey · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:04

TheVoice;30493041 said:
Not by them snooping on his WiFi data, that's for certain.

Why? It looks very doable to me.

Droolinggimp · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:26

Pottsey;30493196 said:
Good luck as its not that simple. If you are lucky you will be ok but you might be in for a surprise.

Filled it out 3 times now and only one visit during the first year. He asked if he could come in and see my setup I invited him in and he declined and said "thats fine I don't need to come in now" Nice bloke and polite as I was with him. Only had two letters this year. One 2 weeks ago saying my declaration is due to expire. One today saying the same. Logged in and filled form out.

TheVoice · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:38

Pottsey;30493266 said:
Why? It looks very doable to me.

Because the Record if Interview shows the evidence that resulted in his prosecution, and there's no mention there of any packet sniffing or actual detection, unsurprisingly.

Brenn47 · 11 Feb 2017 at 13:22

Droolinggimp;30493168 said:
Well just filled out my 'dont need a licence' form online. 30 seconds work and no contact for another 2 years.

Simple.

You'll still get a visit as the BBC won't have believed you ... difference is now though, they have your address AND name.

413x · 11 Feb 2017 at 13:31

Im also reluctant to give my name.
I'm also up to the point of going beyond my 'window to confess' lol.
(apparently) I'm expecting a visit from the TV bitches anytime. I can tell you I'm having to regularly wash my soiled underwear from this fear. I feel a prisoner in my own home

Droolinggimp · 11 Feb 2017 at 13:38

Brenn47;30493502 said:
You'll still get a visit as the BBC won't have believed you ... difference is now though, they have your address AND name.

They have had my address and name since 2004 at this address. So, no difference. 2 visits to where ever I lived at the time in 22 years. plenty of letters over the years up till two years ago.

Pottsey · 11 Feb 2017 at 14:18

Droolinggimp;30493325 said:
Filled it out 3 times now and only one visit during the first year. He asked if he could come in and see my setup I invited him in and he declined and said "thats fine I don't need to come in now" Nice bloke and polite as I was with him. Only had two letters this year. One 2 weeks ago saying my declaration is due to expire. One today saying the same. Logged in and filled form out.

Sounds like you got lucky it doesn't always go like that and it could still change. Some people are ok for years before they change the way they treat you. For me it was around the 5 year mark when it all changed and if I could do it all again I would never give them my name and address. That's just asking for trouble long term. The safest option is to take away there right of access and give them zero info.

Fishbait · 11 Feb 2017 at 14:51

I've had letters for decades threatening legal action, despite never watching tv (live or recorded) & only ever had one visit 2-3 years ago.
I let him in, showed him that not only was there no tv, but the aerial had nothing attached nor near it. I was told everything was alright & he left.
It took them a whole two months to begin the legal threats/harassment all over again.

They are getting desperate though as last month they sent a plain brown letter so I opened it thinking "Oh wtf, govt? court?...Nope, just tv licence threats in a different envelope".

I'm surprised no one has done them for harassment or something.

Pottsey · 11 Feb 2017 at 15:12

Fishbait;30493743 said:
I've had letters for decades threatening legal action, despite never watching tv (live or recorded) & only ever had one visit 2-3 years ago.
I let him in, showed him that not only was there no tv, but the aerial had nothing attached nor near it. I was told everything was alright & he left.
It took them a whole two months to begin the legal threats/harassment all over again.

They are getting desperate though as last month they sent a plain brown letter so I opened it thinking "Oh wtf, govt? court?...Nope, just tv licence threats in a different envelope".

I'm surprised no one has done them for harassment or something.

People have and they have won getting a payout. You know how the letters go though a cycle, well if you keep enough of them you can prove they have started a dozen investigations on you and its hard for them to justify that.

I wonder what happens if you ring up and ask for the results of the investigations. Do they have to by law give you the results?

Fishbait · 11 Feb 2017 at 15:55

Pottsey;30493798 said:
People have and they have won getting a payout. You know how the letters go though a cycle, well if you keep enough of them you can prove they have started a dozen investigations on you and its hard for them to justify that.

I wonder what happens if you ring up and ask for the results of the investigations. Do they have to by law give you the results?

I've half a carrier bag full of them, as I planned throwing it at them & telling to stop sending crap that I have to pay council tax to recycle

As for getting info' from them, I imagine freedom of information laws mean they will have to tell you anything that involves you in any form.

I'll search later, see who, what & how they got payouts.

Brenn47 · 11 Feb 2017 at 16:01

They usually get guilty verdicts on people not turning up to court. They do batches on hundreds of cases per day, not turning up means you're presumed guilty whether you are or not.

Kenai · 11 Feb 2017 at 16:04

Brenn47;30493502 said:
they have your address AND name.

oh no, time to leave the country

Pottsey · 11 Feb 2017 at 16:32

Fishbait;30493907 said:
I've half a carrier bag full of them, as I planned throwing it at them & telling to stop sending crap that I have to pay council tax to recycle

As for getting info' from them, I imagine freedom of information laws mean they will have to tell you anything that involves you in any form.

I'll search later, see who, what & how they got payouts.

Not sure I did this the best way but I just contacted them via the website asking for the results of the dozen investigations on my home and an explanation of why after each one is completed another one is started up right away. Depending on how that goes I might need to do a freedom of information thing but I don’t know how to do that.

Pottsey · 11 Feb 2017 at 16:34

Kenai;30493921 said:
oh no, time to leave the country

Its not a joking matter, once they have your name it can become serious. They like to take large batch's of people to court with the hopes people don't turn up which means they automatically lose. As soon as they decide they don't believe you anymore you have to take a day of work and deal with the stress of court.

Combat squirrel · 11 Feb 2017 at 17:45

Pottsey;30483521 said:
Well its a new month so time for the new monthly threat from the TV licencing people. It looks like after years of nothing much changing they have changed tactics with the letters. Anyone had this new style letter? In big bold letters ” We ‘re giving you 10 days to get correctly licensed” with the 23rd of February circled. Apparently I MUST get correct licensed within 10days and only have until the 23rd despite the fact I am correctly unlicensed.

Take them to court for harassment.

Pottsey · 11 Feb 2017 at 18:30

Combat squirrel;30494163 said:
Take them to court for harassment.

Its getting close to that. I made an official complaint today and withdraw implied right of access so next time they turn up its both harassment and trespassing. They have one last chance to stop before I take it further. At one point in 2016 it got as bad as weekly threats from them.

Fishbait · 11 Feb 2017 at 19:04

Pottsey;30493991 said:
Not sure I did this the best way but I just contacted them via the website asking for the results of the dozen investigations on my home and an explanation of why after each one is completed another one is started up right away. Depending on how that goes I might need to do a freedom of information thing but I don’t know how to do that.

From a quick dig...

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/freedom-of-information-act-foi-AB14

Personal information

"Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have the right to inquire of any organisation whether they hold your personal data, and to see a copy of that information. If you would like details of the information held about you by TV Licensing, then you will need to make a Subject Access Request or SAR and pay a £10 fee. Data protection enquiries relating to information held by TV Licensing can be made to the Data Protection Manager via the following channels:

By email at [email protected].

By post to the Data Protection Manager, TV Licensing, Darlington, DL98 1TL.

Like the right to information under the FOI Act, the right under the Data Protection Act is subject to exemptions which may affect our ability to supply information; each case will be dealt with on an individual basis."

The down side is that no doubt you'd have to provide a name & not just an address, but that'd probably be known once you start action against them.

Worse, the fact that you have to pay them £10 to get what info' they hold on you/your place of residence...

"There is a fee of £10. For Data Protection Act requests you will also need to supply copies of two forms of identification to ensure that we are only supplying personal information to the person it pertains to. To make a request for information, or to enquire about the Data Protection Act please contact:"

Sheesh! Lazy bugrits.

"We will respond within 40 calendar days of receipt of a valid SAR."