Hello,

To give some background:

I rent a property that I do not spend time in, I visit maybe once a week.

It's mostly a place that collects my mail and stores some things since a relatives death.

Yesterday evening I picked up a card from TV Licensing stating that

"They had visited the property but I wasn't in".

The time on the card was "20:31".

The card states on the back

"We will reshedule a visit". (It also contains the usual stuff about "This is the start of an investigation".)

The card appears to be from a few days ago.

All lights were switched off with all of the blinds drawn, a small crack in the blinds may or may not have revealed an unplugged and switched off television hiding in the corner of the room..

They would have to have been looking really quite hard to see it behind the box on the desk at the other end of the room (in the dark of night).

I spent a minute or so getting the correct angle to have seen to that far across the room through the small crack in the blinds.

I have removed the unplugged television from the house, and notified TV licensing that I don't need a television licence in that property.

Do I have anything to be concerned about?

(No, I have never spoken to, signed, or even seen a licensing person).

Thanks all,

Nothing to be worried about at all.

You also don't have to engage with them, despite any threats of an investigation (let them investigate if they wish!)

Nothing to be worried about at all.

 

You also don't have to engage with them, despite any threats of an investigation (let them investigate if they wish!)

Agree.

People seem to misunderstand. It is not illegal to own a TV, video machine or other equipment that can access live TV programmes. You just cannot be caught in a house watching or recording live programmes without a licence.

If you don't ever watch TV programmes in this house, then visit TV licencing site and complete the form saying that you don't need a licence as no one at the house watches live TV programmes. If you have a TV licence at another permanent address that might cover you anyway. After you complete the form they might still visit but given that several million have notified them, it is very unlikely when you will be there.

Thank you for your replies guys, I forgot to mention there's also a landlord installed small TV upstairs that I think has been turned on a total of once, I've checked to ensure that it's unplugged too. I can't imagine this changes anything.

The notification was sent yesterday after I'd picked up the card, I won't be switching on television / signal receiving equipment of any type in the property.

Thanks again guys.

[...] and notified TV licensing that I don't need a television licence in that property.

Oh dear... You didn't give them your name did you ?

You will get a letter addressed to you each month instead of "The legal occupier" making all kinds of thinly veiled threats of impending court action. The letters culminate in a threat of a doorstep visit (which rarely takes place), and then the cycle starts all over again. After a few iterations, you will start treating the letters with idle contempt.

I have had one of these doorstep visits, and have declined to answer any questions and refused entry. These people are just door to door salesmen with no more authority or rights as any other unknown oik off the street.

I've seen arguments both for and against telling them, and the consensus seems to be that they do actually go away for a little while.

The declaration form consists of my initial and last name, no first or second names given.

(by which time I will be long gone, I've actually scheduled to vacate the property in just over two).

Thank you again for your replies.