TV licensing threatening letters

[slowmotion]

Snap!

 

[Crankarm]

Thanks peeps.

Have just been on the CAB's site:

You don't use your television set or other device to watch or record broadcast programmes


If you do not use your television set, video recorder or DVD player to watch or record authorised broadcast programmes (that is, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, cable television or satellite television) you will not need a licence. This means that you would not need a licence if, for example, you only:

• use the television set as a computer monitor
• use the television set to play electronic games
• watch pre-recorded videos or DVDs, whether or not these have been bought or recorded by someone else.

However, the television set and must be incapable of receiving all authorised broadcast programmes. This could be done, for example, by making sure that neither the television set nor the DVD or video recorder are tuned into any channels and ensuring that they are not connected to an aerial.

Think that about seals it. Not sure how to de-tune the HD Digi box without losing the library of progs I had recorded a large proportion of which was this year's TdF, plus Curb Your Enthusiasm, although I do have the latter on DVD as well. The video might be easier although I'm not sure.
This is some comfort. I suppose if they turn up on my doorstep I just won't let them in but establish what TV activity WOULD constitute requiring a licence? Have they actually any evidence that I have been watching broadcast TV? I know they won't have any, as I haven't been watching!

 

[Over The Hill]

[quote name='swee'pea99']If you don't watch tv, you don't need a license, end of story.[/QUOTE]


No
If you dont have a tv receiver you dont need a license.

If you have a TV (connected up or not) you need a license. It is too easy otherwise to simply unplug the tv when the man comes round.

My mother has not had a TV for 30 years and has had similar letters for 40 years. They even bug her now she is old enough to get a free license! No matter what you say to them they will not stop the computer sending out those letters (which although very threatening are very cleverly worded to not threaten you if you do not have a TV)

So get rid of the unused tv and bin the letters. Let them waste their time.

 

[Sun Superlight]

I've not had a TV for the last 5 years. (Fed up of wasting my time watching crap while waiting for the occasional decent programme)
They still send me the threatening letters though, and an 'investigator' calls every year.
I did telephone and write to them, to let them know that I no longer have a TV but that made no difference at all.
So now when the 'investigator' calls I answer 'No Comment' He usually writes this down and if he is clearly the non-believing type, (4 out of 5 so far)
I always ask him if he would like help with the spelling as well.

 

[surfgurl]

Someone mentioned PRS. My husband is a journalist, they have a a tv which permanently shows 24 hours news. They have had to get a PRS licence for the office in case anyone should hear a piece of music on the news channel!

 

[postman]

Tell them you are going to repeat your last licence

 

[tyred]

Someone mentioned PRS. My husband is a journalist, they have a a tv which permanently shows 24 hours news. They have had to get a PRS licence for the office in case anyone should hear a piece of music on the news channel!

As I work in the telecoms industry, we have had a surprising amount of customers in the past year or so who have had to have the music on hold disabled on their telephone systems as they have got into bother with not having the PRS licence. Ironically, the licence is cheaper than what we charge them to disable it.

 

[User482]

No
If you dont have a tv receiver you dont need a license.

If you have a TV (connected up or not) you need a license. It is too easy otherwise to simply unplug the tv when the man comes round.

My mother has not had a TV for 30 years and has had similar letters for 40 years. They even bug her now she is old enough to get a free license! No matter what you say to them they will not stop the computer sending out those letters (which although very threatening are very cleverly worded to not threaten you if you do not have a TV)

So get rid of the unused tv and bin the letters. Let them waste their time.

That's incorrect. You only need a licence to watch or record live transmissions.

 

[annedonnelly]

I've not had a TV for the last 5 years. (Fed up of wasting my time watching crap while waiting for the occasional decent programme)
They still send me the threatening letters though, and an 'investigator' calls every year.
I did telephone and write to them, to let them know that I no longer have a TV but that made no difference at all.
So now when the 'investigator' calls I answer 'No Comment' He usually writes this down and if he is clearly the non-believing type, (4 out of 5 so far)
I always ask him if he would like help with the spelling as well.

I wonder if the inspectors are different in different areas.

I've not had a TV for over 15 years. I occasionally get a letter - I don't consider it threatening. I tick the box to say that I still don't have a TV and send it back. It's not much hassle. The letter sometimes says that an inspector will call but I've never seen one.

Considering that over 99% of the UK population seems to have a TV I'm not surprised that they're a little suspicious of those who claim not to.

 

[Crankarm]

Should update this thread.

I wrote to TV licensing again in early December telling them I did not require a licence as I no longer watch TV as defined by the Act (on the license advise), that if they continued to send threatening or imtimidating letters, despite me twice already writing to advise them I no longer watch TV and therefore do not require a license, their continual demands for payment and insinuating should I continue to watch television with out a license meaning I am a criminal, if this continued, I would bring an action against them under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 which has criminal as well as civil remedies.

I requested that they update their records to reflect that I no longer require a license and as such time as I do I will contact them.

A couple of weeks later I got a nice letter back apologising for the threatening letters it was not their intention to cause me distress. (As if .....). Their records had now been updated to reflect I no longer require a TV license. The local TV investigation team had been stood down. However I may receive a visit from a TV licensing official just to check that I did not need a license for my premises.

The letters have now stopped. Haven't heard from them since. I do not watch TV anymore not since end of Aug last year, as I spend all my time on here. I don't have time for TV .

 

[downfader]

Should update this thread.

I wrote to TV licensing again in early December telling them I did not require a licence as I no longer watch TV as defined by the Act (on the license advise), that if they continued to send threatening or imtimidating letters, despite me twice already writing to advise them I no longer watch TV and therefore do not require a license, their continual demands for payment and insinuating should I continue to watch television with out a license meaning I am a criminal, if this continued, I would bring an action against them under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 which has criminal as well as civil remedies.

I requested that they update their records to reflect that I no longer require a license and as such time as I do I will contact them.

A couple of weeks later I got a nice letter back apologising for the threatening letters it was not their intention to cause me distress. (As if .....). Their records had now been updated to reflect I no longer require a TV license. The local TV investigation team had been stood down. However I may receive a visit from a TV licensing official just to check that I did not need a license for my premises.

The letters have now stopped. Haven't heard from them since. I do not watch TV anymore not since end of Aug last year, as I spend all my time on here. I don't have time for TV .

TV Licencing is a load of b*ll*cks anyway, mate. Glad you got it sorted, what are you going to do? Wrap up the telly and box it up in the loft?

There are a few campaigns to abolish the licence fee, you can sign petitions and a few people are writing to their MPs over it now. It seems disgusting that you can become a criminal for watching telly - no threat to anyone and the BBC is the only beneficiary from it - time they were made to look into advertising and sponsorship imo.

 

[ceeque]

The actual onus is for the "inspectors" to gain entry and actually SEE the tv with their own eyes.... I have been all thru` this in the past, they will then ask for a statement from you and believe me, no matter what you say you will be damned!! The mere fact that you have a tv on site means to them that it is eminently watchable and you must have a license.
After you don`t let them in a few times, you mus`nt by the way, they have no right of entry at this point, they will come eventually with a warrant and possibly cops to view your tv. But this is NOT a search warrant so if your tv is not available to them, no harm done.....
My daughter is not going to watch her tv anymore either but wants to watch dvd`s and this will be a problem and she will go thru` the same process as you ... it is a ridiculous performance ...
These "inspectors" are/can be serious bullies and will intimidate to try and get you to let them in ..... just don`t! I would presume the system has changed somewhat since I first had them on my back in the late `80`s ....

 

[Crankarm]

The actual onus is for the "inspectors" to gain entry and actually SEE the tv with their own eyes.... I have been all thru` this in the past, they will then ask for a statement from you and believe me, no matter what you say you will be damned!! The mere fact that you have a tv on site means to them that it is eminently watchable and you must have a license.
After you don`t let them in a few times, you mus`nt by the way, they have no right of entry at this point, they will come eventually with a warrant and possibly cops to view your tv. But this is NOT a search warrant so if your tv is not available to them, no harm done.....
My daughter is not going to watch her tv anymore either but wants to watch dvd`s and this will be a problem and she will go thru` the same process as you ... it is a ridiculous performance ...
These "inspectors" are/can be serious bullies and will intimidate to try and get you to let them in ..... just don`t! I would presume the system has changed somewhat since I first had them on my back in the late `80`s ....

First and foremost should they decide to come in then they will have to climb over all my bikes and I am not having that, so no they wouldn't be invited in. Anyway under the terms of the Act they can inspect computers, mobile phones, laptops, any electronic device capable of receiving a television signal. However you actually have to be watching live broadcast TV as well. You are right to say that you can watch pre-recorded DVDs and videos. I was going to do that but just haven't got the time. The only ones I have actually watched from my collection are Lawrence of Arabia on Christmas Day evening followed by the documentary on TE Lawrence, then on Boxing Day afternoon Planes Trains and Automobiles also on video followed by some Curb Your Enthusiasm DVD and then Laurel and Hardy on video for afters. Apart from that nothing. Don't have the time and don't miss it. It's radio all the time now. I have no interest in Big Brother or the X Factor or similar such TV which was the fayre that was on offer 95% of the time when I did watch the rest being repeats. I can watch those on my own videos and DVDs.

 

[thomas]

However I may receive a visit from a TV licensing official just to check that I did not need a license for my premises.

Personally, anyone from TV licensing can go bugger themselves before coming into my home if I didn't need a TV licence.

Our landlord gave us a tv licence as part of the deal which saves us a bit of money and the hassle of opening their letters.

 

[hackbike 666]

Personally I think the BBC have a cheek.

I pay for a service I very rarely use.

At least you have a choice in the UK. They scrapped the TV licence here and added it to the council tax. The assumption is that everyone has a telly, without exception.

Not really,I still pay for Sky and for the BBC as well due to the fact I want to watch Sky.