TV licencing - the enforcers never turn up!

[qwertyjjj]

So, the old age adage of TV licensing comes round

We have a TV - we do not use it for receicing broadcasts because we use iplayer, skyplayer, etc. Before anyone says otherwise, this is legal. If you don't receive broadcasts and do not have an aerial then you don't have to pay. Online players are not live TV.

 

Now we are receiving letters about "enforcers" coming round. I doubt they'd bother sending anyone round and they don't have to be let in anyway but does anyone actually bother? I don't want to have to deal with some hardnut at the door pestering me in my own time.

Why do they bother sending the letters, noone ever calls and these vans don't actually exist. How can a van detect a TV in a flat anyway, they can't pinpoint whose TV belongs to which flat.

Will my laptop monitor show up as TV equipment?

[Sparkling Diamond]

The vans detect signals being sent to TV sets, they can actually tell you what you were watching. They know what addresses are occupied and if you've not got a licence they want to know why as they don't believe people don't have TVs.

When my son moved into his flat he had a call saying you haven't a licence he said I don't have TV so let them and of course he didn't have TV he hadn't got round to buying one. Needless to say no apology just good bye.

I doubt if your monitor would be picked up but the equipment they use is very state of the art stuff.

 

SD

[qwertyjjj]

The vans detect signals being sent to TV sets, they can actually tell you what you were watching. They know what addresses are occupied and if you've not got a licence they want to know why as they don't believe people don't have TVs.

When my son moved into his flat he had a call saying you haven't a licence he said I don't have TV so let them and of course he didn't have TV he hadn't got round to buying one. Needless to say no apology just good bye.

I doubt if your monitor would be picked up but the equipment they use is very state of the art stuff.

 

SD

 

So they spend thousands on some van to catch a few people

The enforcement officers or hired guns must cost more than the actual licence -

[Sparkling Diamond]

Yep, that's why the fine if 1K

 

SD

[qwertyjjj]

So they spend thousands on some van to catch a few people

The enforcement officers or hired guns must cost more than the actual licence -

 

Did I say guns...I meant goons.

Actually, on a side point, are they allowed to track signals coming out of people's houses? Kind of like eavesdropping. I have a theory...I had one of these when I was a kid...a kind of satellite shaped dish that could amplify the sound from a 10s to 100s yards away. I bet it's one of those plastic things from Hamley's that they use...

[Sao Paulo]

The vans detect signals being sent to TV sets, they can actually tell you what you were watching.

 

Complete and utter rubbish I'm afraid, its just scare tactics use by the BBC to scare naive people. The truth is if this technology really existed it would be used in court however to this day it never has.

 

They used to detect analogue signals years back however they were dropped due to technology passing them by like DVDs/Video’s, games consoles and digital TV coming out. You see you are allowed to own a Television without needing a BBC TV Licence if you don’t use it to receive live feeds

 

 

They know what addresses are occupied and if you've not got a licence they want to know why as they don't believe people don't have TVs.

 

 

More scare tactics I'm afriad They know if a property isn't licenced yes because they wont be on the BBC database but thats about it.

 

 

I've not had a BBC TV Licence in 20yrs now so know know all about the mighy BBC and the scare/bully tactics they use on people.

 

Yep, that's why the fine if 1K

 

SD

 

The only people who get into trouble tend to be the ill-informed and even then the usual fine is around £30 with £70 costs.

 

 

Anyone that wishes to know more can find it (Edit)

Edited November 10, 2009 by maroondevo52
Removed unauthorised link

[qwertyjjj]

Complete and utter rubbish I'm afraid, its just scare tactics use by the BBC to scare naive people. The truth is if this technology really existed it would be used in court however to this day it never has.

 

They used to detect analogue signals years back however they were dropped due to technology passing them by like DVDs/Video’s, games consoles and digital TV coming out. You see you are allowed to own a Television without needing a BBC TV Licence if you don’t use it to receive live feeds

 

 

 

 

 

More scare tactics I'm afriad They know if a property isn't licenced yes because they wont be on the BBC database but thats about it.

 

 

I've not had a BBC TV Licence in 20yrs now so know know all about the mighy BBC and the scare/bully tactics they use on people.

 

Anyone that wishes to know more can find it(Edit)

 

It's the same tactics that debt collection companies use I suppose.

They must visit some properties from time to time but you don't have to let them in. The annoying thing would be if someone came round, you told them to go away and they kept knocking on your door.

Edited November 10, 2009 by maroondevo52
Removed quoted link

[Sao Paulo]

I do not know why my link was removed but anyone interested can google (edit)

Edited November 10, 2009 by freakyleaky
Removed unauthorised link (Please read the site rules before posting)

[Sao Paulo]

It's the same tactics that debt collection companies use I suppose.

They must visit some properties from time to time but you don't have to let them in. The annoying thing would be if someone came round, you told them to go away and they kept knocking on your door.

 

I do however its been known for them to harass some people mainly women, one who visited the site which was removed by the moderation team was in a wheel chair and he put his foot in the door!.

 

 

Ps the last edit by the moderation team wasn't a link it was a google search but anyone wishing to know the site they can use for help can pm me if that isn't breaking some rule

[sequenci]

I do however its been known for them to harass some people mainly women, one who visited the site which was removed by the moderation team was in a wheel chair and he put his foot in the door!.

 

 

Ps the last edit by the moderation team wasn't a link it was a google search but anyone wishing to know the site they can use for help can pm me if that isn't breaking some rule

 

Please DO read the site rules.

[maroondevo52]

Sao Paulo,

 

I have asked you to contact Admin, before posting anymore link's, also offering advice via pm is not recommended.

 

Please read the site rules.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forum-rules-please-read/9-forum-rules-please-read.html

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

[Sao Paulo]

Please DO read the site rules.

Yes I got the idea about the links which is why I suggested a google search and I didn't think that would break rules but my bad I was just trying to help.

 

I'm an administrator on the site and we have people who have gone even longer than me without a BBC TV Licence so know all the dirty tricks and immtidation they use

[maroondevo52]

Years ago a neighbour of mine turned up at my door one night, now I never got on with the guy for some reason.

 

Turns out he was from the TV licencing place, I was captured

 

Never spoke to him again :grin:

[Johnny Aztec]

I received letters at my house for over two years despite having a licence and me sending them letters and copies of my licence, in the end i was begging them to send round there enforcement team to prove that i had a licence. they never ever did.

 

I would say you certainly have a few months minimum if not longer before anyone comes a calling.

[Dusty_Rug]

Hate to burst anyone's bubble here BUT they send you a letter...like a warning..then they DO visit..and the average fine, I believe, is £375. I say this because they fined me for 2 different addresses simultaneously and both fines were £375.

Having said that, and still having a sense of humour, here's a little tete-a-tete I had just after the last fine (cos I've had many over the years),when the tv guy came knocking on my door again.

Our conversation was pretty much along these lines:

 

'Mrs B?'

'No, she left a year ago'

'So you must be...Ms C?'

'No. What do you want?'

'I'm from the tv licensing dept. So who are you?'

'You should know who I am cos your dept just recently stuck me with not one but TWO fines for no license'

'We don't keep records of who lives at the address.'

'So why the bull...Mrs B, Ms C, etc?'

'What's your first name?' (at this point starts filling in his form)

'I'm Jack'

'Jacqueline what?'

'Jack noname'

'How do you spell that?'

'I dunno...'

'Is it colour or black and white?'

'Is WHAT colour or black and white?'

'The tv.'

'What tv?'

'Either of them.'

'Either?! I didn't say I had one tv, let alone 2'

'Can I come in and look?'

'No'

'No?'

'No, I'm female. I have children in the house. And I don't invite strange men in.'

'Well can you check whether your tv is colour or black and white?'

'What tv?'

'I must advise you that you're now under caution..'

'You should've done that before you asked me anything'

'I did.'

'No you didn't, or you wouldn't tell me again'

'Are you going to let me in?'

'No.'

'If you refuse, I'll go right now and be back with a policeman and a warrant to enter and search'

'Off you go then.'

'You know I can see the signals going to your tv?'

'What tv?'

'Will you just sign this?' (offering me his record of our conversation which at no point mentioned ANY of the conversation except that I refused him entry)

'Erm...no..it's not a true record of what we said. You haven't put down that I never admitted having a tv..'

'I'm going to get a warrant and the police. We'll return shortly'

 

At which point, he crossed the road. Made a point of looking up to my roof (think he was looking for an aerial but ours is in the attic) then returned to his car and drove off. Never saw him again but I bet there's another summons on the way.

[Mr lex]

May I remind you all that CAG does not support lawbreaking.

 

Straight from the horse's mouth :-

 

It makes no difference how you watch TV - whether it's on your laptop, PC or mobile phone or through a digital box, DVD recorder or TV set - if you use any device to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV, the law requires you to be covered by a TV Licence.

 

If you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes at the same time as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you only use your TV to watch DVDs or play video games, or if you only watch programmes on your PC after they have been shown on TV - you don't need a TV Licence. If this is the case, please let us know.

 

You need to do this in writing !!

 

Full details are here on the TVL website :-

 

TV Licensing - TV Licence Information

 

Lex

[sea-sidelady]

I can vouch that they DO come round.

 

I missed 3 payments last year, and I had a guy turn up at tea time when the house was chaos and one of the kids let him in. I signed a direct debit form for the monthly payments and he left, but it wasn't nice.

[qwertyjjj]

I can vouch that they DO come round.

 

I missed 3 payments last year, and I had a guy turn up at tea time when the house was chaos and one of the kids let him in. I signed a direct debit form for the monthly payments and he left, but it wasn't nice.

 

That's classic. Foiled by the kids

[sea-sidelady]

They are now banned from the door!!!

[andydd]

I can vouch that they DO come round.

 

I missed 3 payments last year, and I had a guy turn up at tea time when the house was chaos and one of the kids let him in. I signed a direct debit form for the monthly payments and he left, but it wasn't nice.

 

Well..Yes..occasionally people do visit unlicencsed premises, however it is very simple to ask them to leave, you are under no obligation to tell them anything, invite them in, show your licence or sign anything. A polite 'please leave my premises' is all that is needed.

 

As pointed out above, TV Detector vans are just a scare tactic, they are no longer used.

 

You are also under no obligation to write to them to inform them that you do not have a TV or you do not use it to watch live TV, despite what they say in their letters.

 

It is a sad fact that the majority of people caught (and evan jailed) for licence evasion fall into the catagories of being female and not high earners.

 

The law regarding TV Licencing and wether a licence is needed is rather vague and TVLA do little to clarify it.

 

Andy

[Dusty_Rug]

Hm..did i break the law, Mr lex?

[sea-sidelady]

2 weeks late with my payment, and yep...he came round AGAIN!!

 

This time I got to the door first. He calls after 7pm, and I knew I wasn't expecting anyone.

 

I told him to leave as I will sort it out with the company over the phone. He huffed and puffed and threatened a few things. Said I had 3 days or else, and could only pay him. It was too late for me to pay the company.

 

He would be back every day until I sorted it out with him.

 

I laughed and told him to "crack on" but make sure he shuts the gate every time I ignore the door.

 

Needless to say he didn't come back.

[2ltr16valve]

We had these con artists come to our door, you will see why I use the term "con artists" in a min.

 

Partners bank account (co-op) was shut by them, on co-op deciding they were closing the account they cancelled all DD's with out telling us... so the notice period there was nothing set up which defaulted us on TV licence..!

Got a knock at the door, was tv licensing ....

 

Hello sir, tv licensing. It appears you are now unlicensed can you show me a current license.

Me - Yes here it is.

Him- This is not valid.

Me - Oh, I was unaware of that

Him - Can I come in

Me- No, ,my dog does not like people that she is not familar with.

Him - Ok, what make tv do you have.

Me- I do not have a tv

Him - Ok, can I check.

Me- No, the dog may bite you.

Him- Ok sign here to confirm you will not let me in.

My partner - signed form.

 

Few weeks later got letter and summons saying we had let him in, he had checked the tv was plugged in and tuned to all channels... !

 

Love to know how the fooker did this from the front door ! Cheeky twats. Got it overturned at court and still to hear from them... they even assumed my partner was my wife... and put down my surname with her first name PMSL so even court paperwork was wrong.

 

They did similar to my brother as well, they come around and he was not even in... yet sent him a summons saying they had been in and inspected his tv ! Good for the CCTV evidence showing they did not pass the front door ! did anything happen to the staff, course not !

[buzby]

If they pay peanuts - they get monkeys!

 

Of the cases I've seen reach court, the bulk of them are undefended - which makes their 'evidence' true, because it goes unchallenged ny the defendant.

[crem]

They are now banned from the door!!!

 

Banning the kids from the door is always a good move. Even better if they are on the OUTSIDE of the door when you introduce the ban!