Apologies for the length, but I wish to give as full a picture as possible.

According to TVL it is possible to obtain a refund for the last 3 months of a TV licence, if that licence is no longer required.

As a renter (sub-letting), I held a TV licence for the period 1st Dec 15 to 30th November 16. All official documentation for the property, council tax, tenancy agreement, utility bills etc, were in the name of my landlord/the leaseholder. On the 1st Sept 16, I signed a joint tenancy agreement at a new address, which was already covered by a TV licence. Subsequently, I transfered the TV licence to my new address via the TV licencing website. As there was still 3 months to run on the licence, I informed TVL, via their website, that the property I was now living at was covered by a TV licence and requested a refund. As I have been paying for the TV licence by direct debit, I have also prepaid 5 months of the TV licence fee for the*period 1st Dec 16 to 30th Nov 17. I advised TVL that I required a refund for these months also.

The first reply from TVL is below:

“Thank you for asking about a refund on a TV Licence.

*

In cases such as your own, a refund can only be given on the remaining unused quarters of a TV Licence (i.e. where there are 3 full months left to run), and only if the licence is not going to be needed again before it expires.

**

If you can supply evidence of when you left your previous property, please forward this for my attention so I can reconsider your refund request.*

Examples of the evidence could be photocopies of:

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.*The completion date when you sold the property; or

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.*Final water bill or end of tenancy, or rent agreements; or

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.*Council tax bills showing the account has been closed or property is empty; or

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.**Mail redirection confirmation letter from the post office; or

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.*Any other documentary evidence which would confirm the date the licence was last needed.

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When replying please quote the above reference and send any additional information or documents we have requested.

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Thank you for taking the time to contact us and I look forward to hearing from you.

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Yours sincerely

Customer Services”

As I was sub-letting, I could not provide evidence of the first three on the list, mail redirection was unnecessary and costly given I had manually updated my address with my bank, electoral roll etc. By return, I sent them a copy of the joint tenancy agreement for my new address, which shows both I and the TVL holder for my new address are joint tenants. The TVL responded as follows:

“Thank you for your recent email regarding a refund for your TV Licence.

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I understand you wish to claim a refund on your licence as you are covered by another licence at your address.

*

Documentation is required to support an application for a refund and this information can be found on the reverse of the application form.

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Unfortunately, the evidence you have provided is insufficient to support your claim as it relates to your new address. We require evidence to show you have left your previous property. Please provide further evidence to support your claim.

*

Examples of the kind of evidence we are looking for could be photocopies/scanned copies of:

• The completion date when you sold the property; or

• All pages of a final utility bill, end of tenancy, or rent agreements; or

• Council tax bills showing the account has been closed or you have vacated the property; or

• Mail redirection confirmation letter from the post office; or

• Any other documentary evidence on official letter headed paper which would confirm the date the licence was last needed. **

Once we have received this information we will be able to deal with your request.

*

When replying please quote the above reference.

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Thank you for taking the time to contact us and I look forward to hearing from you.”

First of all, it appears TVL accept that I am living at a new address, and that I am claiming a refund because that new address already has a licence. However, they seem unwilling to accept that I have left my old address. I have since attempted to explain that I was subletting and do not have proof of leaving the property. I have also made the point to them, that their own email accepts I live at a new address and that my new address is also covered by a licence, the number of which I already provided to them several times. In the meantime, I have cancelled the direct debit, and requested details of the management as I am unsatisfied with the handling of the refund claim. Given that TVL are fixing on the issue of my old address, and seemingly overlooking any proof of my new address and the TV licence covering it, I expect to have to persist with the claim for longer. Hence my post here. Please could anyone offer any assistance as to how to proceed further and thank you for taking the time to read this!

They stick by their rules to stop having to give refunds.

Can you get a letter from your landlord stating when you left the address. Then send this with a covering letter explaning the situation.

They stick by their rules to stop having to give refunds.

 

Can you get a letter from your landlord stating when you left the address. Then send this with a covering letter explaning the situation.

If the OP is sub-letting : does the landlord know?.

It may have been done with or without the LL's knowledge.