Paying double for TV licence?

[tvlicensingblog]

Hi chaps. having read through the posts, we do indeed have broadband, but via a mobile dongle.

 

now for noe, it would batter our 15gig allowance to watch Iplayer anyway so we dont, and second the signal is so poor where we live we only just about get a signal to connect anyway, streaming is out of the question.

Ive not yet had a response from either licensing or capita, Ill update when I do.

 

Ill also update after I go to the police station tomorrow.

 

The police are no good at all when it comes to dealing with the threatening/misleading behaviour of TV Licensing. This is because most police are unfamiliar with the Communications Act 2003 and the power it confers on the Licensing Authority (the BBC). They're also not that interested because the TV Licensing propaganda machine has done that good a job of filling their heads full of nonsense.

 

If TV Licensing wanted to pursue your case any further then their visiting salesman would have to produce a prosecution statement at the time he visited your property. He would also have needed to hand over a copy of that statement to whoever was there for them to sign. If no statement exists, which seems likely as there is no evidence of wrongdoing (plus you haven't mentioned it), then I would not expect to hear any more about this.

[Amaq]

They have to prove that you are watching live television. You're perfectly entitled to watch stuff off the iPlayer or ITV Player as long as it's not live. You can watch stuff off of youtube etc. as long as it's not live. Oddly enough, if you are watching ANY LIVE TELEVISION on ANY MEDIUM (laptop/tv/phone/computer/anything) then you need a licence.

 

Just because you have a TV is not enough of a reason to demand you have a licence. If they take you to court they must prove you watch live television. You don't have to answer any of their questions and they are not allowed to enter your property without a court order. Even if they enter and there's a television in there it still isn't proof. Clearly, if you're not watching television you probably wouldn't have an aerial connected to it.

 

I stopped buying a licence years ago, everything I want to watch I watch the next day.

[andydd]

They have to prove that you are watching live television. You're perfectly entitled to watch stuff off the iPlayer or ITV Player as long as it's not live. You can watch stuff off of youtube etc. as long as it's not live. Oddly enough, if you are watching ANY LIVE TELEVISION on ANY MEDIUM (laptop/tv/phone/computer/anything) then you need a licence.

 

Just because you have a TV is not enough of a reason to demand you have a licence. If they take you to court they must prove you watch live television. You don't have to answer any of their questions and they are not allowed to enter your property without a court order. Even if they enter and there's a television in there it still isn't proof. Clearly, if you're not watching television you probably wouldn't have an aerial connected to it.

 

I stopped buying a licence years ago, everything I want to watch I watch the next day.

 

Although owning a tv which is tuned into stations (or owning a seperate freeview box) and having the cable about (if not actually connected) might well be considered proo that you have been watching live tv , whereas owning a simple tv with no obvious means of receiving live tv broadcasts should mean you are ok, however they are sneaky buggers, the most obvious solution is to always say no when they ask to come in.

 

Andy

[RMS]

@ tvlicensingblog, Thanks, I hold exactly the same viewpoint regarding persecution of non tv owners by Capita, actually sending the declaration makes one a bigger target, and people who have never owned a TV have bought a license to stop their harassment. They behave worse than bailiffs in some cases as evidenced by videos on you tube

 

I was getting a bit concerned by the inaccurate help given and was ready to post, but thankfully tvlicensingblog has already arrived to set the record straight.

 

I also concur with brassnecked, don't make yourself a bigger target, be the grey man. Crapita's salesmen only want to earn money, if they visit you once and realise there's no money to be made (i.e. you know the legal situation, don't let them in and say nothing), you'll not be bothered again, except for the monthly letter from TVL which goes straight in the bin.

[seanamarts]

I was getting a bit concerned by the inaccurate help given and was ready to post, but thankfully tvlicensingblog has already arrived to set the record straight.

.

 

Yup My bad, just proves you cant believe everything you read on certain websites. I learned a valuable lesson. But this is what this forum is all about at the end of the day, there is always some one there to put right for those who cock up.

[seanamarts]

I was getting a bit concerned by the inaccurate help given and was ready to post, but thankfully tvlicensingblog has already arrived to set the record straight.

.

 

Yup My bad, just proves you cant believe everything you read on certain websites. I learned a valuable lesson. But this is what this forum is all about at the end of the day, there is always some one there to put right for those who cock up.

[letsmakeamark]

This thread made my day. Had a capita sales person turn up. Asked who he was and he wanted to know who i was i refused and he threatned me with calling the police who would ask me the same thing but under caution. However i told him to stand further away from the door and he could go when he got bored. closed the door. he stood there for 30 odd mins and dissapeared. that was 4 years ago. Apart from threatogrammes nothing.

[tvlicensingblog]

This thread made my day. Had a capita sales person turn up. Asked who he was and he wanted to know who i was i refused and he threatned me with calling the police who would ask me the same thing but under caution. However i told him to stand further away from the door and he could go when he got bored. closed the door. he stood there for 30 odd mins and dissapeared. that was 4 years ago. Apart from threatogrammes nothing.

 

That is typical TV Licensing behaviour. Had he called the police they would have laughed him off the line. The arrogance of these people, banging on a person's door and demanding their identity, never fails to astound me.

 

For the record TV Licensing issue a comprehensive document called the "Visiting Officer Procedures" which tells them exactly what they can and can't do, including:

- They must never threaten the occupier with the police or a search warrant.

- They must always identify them self when asked to do so.

- They must always leave the property when asked to do so.

 

They are also under instructions to terminate any call where the occupier presents a camera and starts filming them. For this reason we advise all of our legitimate licence-free readers to keep a camera by the door and use it during TV Licensing visits.

[letsmakeamark]

As long as you do not sign anything tv people cant do sodd all about it.

[RMS]

I just wish that you could opt out of receiving the BBC and watch other channels. I hate the Leftist BBC and their propaganda, which is why I refuse to pay them £150 pa. I prefer to watch other channels and either pay via advertising or subscription. I used to say that I'd be happy to pay for quality BBC drama, documentary and nature programmes, but now even in their nature programmes you have propaganda about global warming. They just can't help themselves, when will they learn that they're there to entertain, educate and amuse us, not indoctrinate us in a political lesson, and don't even get me started on Question Time.

 

With the digital switchover, the BBC could quite easily have gone encrypted and used a subscription service, but no, they knew 90% would opt out, so they deliberately kept it unencrypted.

[andydd]

I just wish that you could opt out of receiving the BBC and watch other channels. I hate the Leftist BBC and their propaganda, which is why I refuse to pay them £150 pa. I prefer to watch other channels and either pay via advertising or subscription. I used to say that I'd be happy to pay for quality BBC drama, documentary and nature programmes, but now even in their nature programmes you have propaganda about global warming. They just can't help themselves, when will they learn that they're there to entertain, educate and amuse us, not indoctrinate us in a political lesson, and don't even get me started on Question Time.

 

With the digital switchover, the BBC could quite easily have gone encrypted and used a subscription service, but no, they knew 90% would opt out, so they deliberately kept it unencrypted.

 

Personally i disagree, i'd consider myself left leaning but feel the BBc give an airing to all views, as to 90% would opt out, I very much doubt that, it does produce some excellent quality programes, especially in the factual/science catagory.

 

But I agree there should be another way of funding it, it just doesnt amke sense to hassle people who may or may not watch live tv (and with the advent of IP TV, things can only get more confusing, and also far harder to prosecute people).

 

Andy

[hhh_88873]

Just for an update, I had an email response from tv licensing today saying theyve passed my complaint onto the manager of the official involved and will contact me when theyve conducted an investigation..

 

Pretty standard response meaning itll get ignored and swept under the carpet I imagine.

 

Not gonna happen with me. Theyve messed with the wrong person this time.

 

They think sending out their letters can be annoying? Theyre amateurs compared to the hornets nest theyve stirred up by trespassing in my home.................

[brassnecked]

Just for an update, I had an email response from tv licensing today saying theyve passed my complaint onto the manager of the official involved and will contact me when theyve conducted an investigation..

 

Pretty standard response meaning itll get ignored and swept under the carpet I imagine.

 

Not gonna happen with me. Theyve messed with the wrong person this time.

 

They think sending out their letters can be annoying? Theyre amateurs compared to the hornets nest theyve stirred up by trespassing in my home.................

 

Just be aware, that the next thing you have from this lot may be a summons, so I would have a reasoned defence ready, just in case. TV license cases like Council Tax Liability Orders are dealt with en-bloc, and normally are rubber stamped as no one turns up to defend themselves, having stitched themselves up like a kipper during the Interview Under Caution In Line With PACE by the Capita goon

 

Also search the net on TV License as there are help forums out there for people wrongly accused by TVL Capita

[andydd]

Just be aware, that the next thing you have from this lot may be a summons, so I would have a reasoned defence ready, just in case. TV license cases like Council Tax Liability Orders are dealt with en-bloc, and normally are rubber stamped as no one turns up to defend themselves, having stitched themselves up like a kipper during the Interview Under Caution In Line With PACE by the Capita goon

 

Also search the net on TV License as there are help forums out there for people wrongly accused by TVL Capita

 

I agree with this 100%, many homeowners sign 'something; at the door unaware of the what they are doing and having basically admitted to a crime without even realisng it !

 

Best advice stilll..say nothing, dont invite them in, ask them to (politely) go away

 

Andy

[Bedsit Bob]

I'm afraid that the onus will be on you to prove that you do not.

 

No it won't.

 

Ever heard of "innocent until proven guilty"?

[Bedsit Bob]

you need to do this so you dont get the sort of idiot thugs that come round and demand entry to check.

 

You just have to fill in a declaration to state you dont watch it on any device.

 

You don't NEED/HAVE to do anything of the sort, and they won't believe you anyway.