TV Licensing owe me money

[Super_Bob]

Hi all, my apologies if this is in the wrong forum section, I had a bit of a look around but could not see where this might go so please move this to the relevant section if needs be!

 

It’s a bit of a switch from the normal thing of people owing companies money; I believe the TV Licensing people actually owe me money. I had been living at a property between 5/9/2004 and 5/9/2007, during which time I paid monthly for my TV license. When you first sign up for this monthly payment they advised me that they would take 1 year worth of payment in the first six months and then I would pay monthly as normal (putting them 6months in credit on the account). It’s this 6months credit that I am trying to retrieve from them. I’m pasting my notes on what has gone on so far as I am having trouble getting the money back out of them:

 

I moved out of house on Sept 5th 2007 back to my parents for 4 months then into a new house in January.

 

Filled out form and sent in back in September when I moved house realised after about 11 months after going back through my paperwork and statements that I had not received this refund. Filled out second form in August (ish) sent it in, received letter (11th Sept 2008) confirming receipt of form but confirmation of certain questions was needed before refund can be placed.

 

18/9/08

Spoke to Amy part time team 1.

Told I could fax and email in response to the further questions (questions not pertinent to refund, they where purely to work out if I should be paying them any more money at my new house), received email receipt back with ref ### XXX XXX XX

 

23/9/08

Spoke to Karen.

Told original form was not on system and the reference was not valid and that I should wait a week then if I've not heard anything I should 'just fill out another form'.

 

24/9/08

Spoke to Huzaifa Sajfaq

Reference found on system, told enquiries via fax and email would NOT be accepted. Requested I sent a letter as that is the only form of communication they will accept.

Letter sent that day.

 

4/10/08

I received almost exactly the same letter asking slightly different but basically the same further questions not relevant to my refund.

 

The hold up is to do with the questions that they are asking which I do not feel I should have to answer in order for me to get a refund, keeping in mind that they now have my new address and I have told them that there is a current valid TV license listed for that address (its actually in my flatmates name if they cared to actually look). The questions are as follows:

 

· Do you use a TV in your own room or separate accommodation at your new address? Y/N

· Are you a member of the TV licence holder’s family? (including common law relationships) Y/N

· Do you have a separate tenancy agreement for your own room or separate accommodation (we need a complete copy of the tenancy agreement)? Y/N

· Are you a lodger or paying guest? Y/N

· Do you have your own external door to your own room or separate accommodation? Y/N

· Are you able to exclude others from your room or separate accommodation by locking the door? Y/N

· Do you have cooking facilities in your own room or separate accommodation? Y/N

· Does your own room or separate accommodation have its own toilet? Y/N

· Does your own room or separate accommodation have its own washing facilities? (E.G. sink, bath, shower) Y/N

· Do you receive bills for your own room or separate accommodation, if so please indication which ones? (Gas, Electric etc)

The letter I sent on the 24/9/08 is as follows:

 

FAO: TV Licence refund department

 

RE: Letter dated 11th Sept 2008 Ref: XXXXXXXXXX/X.XX/XXXXXXXX

 

Previous address

{old place}

 

Current address

{new place}

 

24th September 2008

 

Dear {name given at the end of the first letter},

This is my second attempt in contacting your department after being initially told by the TV licence phone staff that I could utilize either fax or email to respond to your letter. The email I received gave me reference XXXXXXXXXXX and I was informed I would have a reply within 3 business days. This reply I did not receive and after 2 phone calls (the first of which was a waste of time and effort as the staff member could not even locate any details about my case), I was informed that communication via this method would be ignored and that I can only use the most archaic, old fashioned and unreliable method, the letter.

So, once again via letter I would like to respond to your letter in which you ask a number of questions regarding my new property. I would like to make it clear that I will not be answering these questions as these are only pertinent to my new house and they have no relevance on my closure of this account. I will go as far as to confirm that my new house does indeed have a TV licence covering the property, if you feel that there is an error regarding this new property then I ask that you setup a separate query to the property.

I would now ask if there is no further business that you refund my bank account (details of which you have on my account and on my refund form), any and all monies involved in the closure of this account.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

{Super_Bob}

 

PS. If you do wish to join the 21st century then my email address is {my email} my office fax number is {office fax} and if you wish to resolve this in the fastest method possible, my personal mobile number is {my mobile} where I will be happy to discuss this matter further. I would also appreciate confirmation of the refund being made via any or all of these methods of communication.

 

I realise this letter is probably badly written and a bit of a cheap pop at them but I was very annoyed at how the phone staff had been treating this, also I had been told that no supervisor is available to talk to and that the refunds department is a completely separate department and that no communication can be made to them other than by letter.

 

What I want to know is should I just relent and answer the questions? It’s only a petty thing but I really disagree with the principle of the thing and I think the questions are just drivel aimed to try and ‘catch me out’. I have told them repeatedly though that the house I am currently living in has a TV license. If you think I have a case to fight this what should I do next?

[legalpickle]

You've got to take it harder at them. Writing such a - sorry no insult meant - soppy letter and sending it to the normal address will result in their standard useless response.

 

What I suggest you do is draft a harsh letter advising of the amounts paid and that you believe you have overpaid and are demanding a refund within 28 days or you will escalate the matter.

 

Considering the length of time since the payments have finished and the lack of any useful response that you have received, it's time to write to BBC's Head of Revenue Management before escalating it to a member of BBC's Executive Board.

 

The address to write to is:

Head of Revenue Management

BBC TV Licensing

Room 4436

BBC White City

201 Wood Lane

London

W12 7TS

 

Send the letter by special delivery [not recorded delivery as that isn't guaranteed].

 

If you post a draft here without any confidential information I'll try to proof it for you.

 

Please keep us posted.

 

Best of Luck.

[Super_Bob]

That’s cool I know the letter was quite weak, unfortunately I have all the eloquence of a heard of elephants. I’ll see if I can find a mate of mine that can write a stronger worded letter as my idea of stronger is usually just to add more exclamation marks. Cheers for the address, I’ll see what I can do.

[legalpickle]

That’s cool I know the letter was quite weak, unfortunately I have all the eloquence of a heard of elephants. I’ll see if I can find a mate of mine that can write a stronger worded letter as my idea of stronger is usually just to add more exclamation marks. Cheers for the address, I’ll see what I can do.

'Herd' is what you mean I think. Lol!

 

Shouldn't be too hard to write, if you write all the details with XXXXX instead of the actual detail, but phrase it then I'll try and finish it for you.

[buzby]

Don't waste your money on Special Delivery. It is totally inappropriate for your purposes (as the contents of your letter don't need insurance of £250). Use Recorded Delivery/Signed for instead, as you'll still get a signature on delivery - althogh the benefit of having this still eludes me.

[legalpickle]

Don't waste your money on Special Delivery. It is totally inappropriate for your purposes (as the contents of your letter don't need insurance of £250). Use Recorded Delivery/Signed for instead, as you'll still get a signature on delivery - althogh the benefit of having this still eludes me.

Buzby: I completely disagree. Special delivery is guaranteed, but Recorded is not guaranteed. It is just as useful as 1st class delivery. ALWAYS SEND IMPORTANT LETTERS BY SPECIAL DELIVERY. Special delivery gives you more security.