had a visit from tv licencing

[stuggling]

Spoke to tv license today and tv license has been valid since Nov 01 2012, but bloke called out on 13 Nov 2012.

 

Told if I pay the rest of license still £100 left to pay by Monday 08 April 2013 they won't take me to court! Blackmail

spoke to court they told me the case may be adjorned as my son in for operation the week it in court

[adridude]

You can't deem someone as being guilty for 'watching TV'.

 

I have my Mac Mini plugged into my SOny 40" flatscreen and use that as a monitor. I had the firmware set to Korea Digital TV so there is NO way of tuning it in locally.

 

Sitting at this screen, dubbed a television doesn't mean I am watching TV. TVL ONLY applies to Live Broadcast, and that is it. THis applies to LIVE broadcast to any device which can receive it i.e. a VCR, computer, home entertainment system, mobile phone etc...

 

As an analogy: Does the availability of sharp kitchen knives make us immediately in the wrong for murder as we have the capability? No.. The point is we just don't do it..

[adridude]

@struggling: so you offered to pay by cash (which is the card system) and they refused?

 

As far as I can see it, they were being unreasonable and I'd list that in my defence. You've offered to pay, they refused. I doubt they can do this as there are certain bank accounts, which are the only ones some people can get, that DO NOT offer DD facilities.

 

Another analogy: You been summonsed to appear in court, you do plan to go if need be but by car. In the small print of the summons it says that you aren't allowed to go by car but ONLY by foot.

[Mark my words]

Spoke to tv license today and tv license has been valid since Nov 01 2012, but bloke called out on 13 Nov 2012.

 

Told if I pay the rest of license still £100 left to pay by Monday 08 April 2013 they won't take me to court! Blackmail

spoke to court they told me the case may be adjorned as my son in for operation the week it in court

 

Don't be confused by the dates. What they mean is that the start date of your licence was set so as to capture some arrears. But the date was set some time after the licence started in reality.

 

Blackmail - yes & no. Either way, in all likelihood this will be the most cost-effective/least hassle way of getting through it.

[adridude]

@everyone: General question for everyone. What happens if the arrears are paid off AFTER 08 April but BEFORE the court date?

 

@struggling: another thing to consider is that court isn't ONLY for judging for and against people, it's also there for mediation. if the judge hears that you are willing to make payment arrangements etc... there is a high chance that this could be granted and a schedule could be set out by the court which you HAVE to stick to. Usually when this happens all of your incomings and outgoing are taken into consideration and the schedule is set out fairly.

 

Only drawback of this is that TVL might pass the legal fees to you dropping you deeper into the red.Be sure to get all of the dates and facts in order as if the judge sees that TVL are being unreasonable i.e. the payment method not being accepted this could blow up in TVL's face for being so inclined.

Edited April 3, 2013 by adridude
typotastic error correction :D

[stuggling]

I'm just going to pay the lump sum, to them hopefully before Wednesday and then see if I can do anything after to sort it as I would only be paying another 147 for another years license straight after paying this one

[Mark my words]

@everyone: General question for everyone. What happens if the arrears are paid off AFTER 08 April but BEFORE the court date?

 

The trouble is that all of this is at the mercy of TVL. They may allow it, they may not. (The basis on which they may allow it, is that they will look somewhat vindictive if they turn up in court and say that the arrears were made, just not by some arbitrary deadline they happened to set).

 

I also have a feeling that the mediation/payment plan aspect of court applies to the County Court - where debts are normally resolved. We are talking about Magistrates Court, here.

[postggj]

The problem you have is as follows

 

At the time of the offence, did you have a valid TV licence

Were you watching live TV broadcasts at the time Capita called

Did you admit to watching live TV without a TV licence to crapita

Did you sign a statement of truth on the events of your interaction with TV licence (CAPITA)

 

Its best if you write out a statement of truth on the events and give it to the magistrate if you are not confident of speaking up in court when you plead not guilty.

remember, the court is there to adjudicate on points of law, not just past judgement

 

if you were not watching live TV signals at the time Crapita called, you are not guilty

[Bedsit Bob]

Did you sign the form OP?

[stuggling]

Yes, thinking it a direct debit manidate I was going on a school run, so was in a hurry and kept taking him this!

[Bazooka Boo]

Oh well, use it as a learning curve, and as a warning to anyone else who might be put in this position, TVL aka the BBC aka Capita, have NO legal rights, they simply rely on peoples lack of knowledge to exploit them.

 

IMO I would now attempt a damage limitation exercise. Try and set up a new DD, OR if you are able to, spend good money for one of their licences.

 

The alternative is to reply to their summons, go to their place of business to discuss your punishment and pay the fine (never has it been the Max£1000) pay the fine, and keep your door firmly shut, never agree or admit to anything. You won't be forced to buy a licence either, which makes a mockery of the whole sordid system that the BBC use.

[renegadeimp]

edited.

[adridude]

I still feel that having a TVL but a few skipped payments doesn't void it. Only if you have a letter stating otherwise (which I doubt) it shouldn't be a problem. You might want to remind them that this is a debt issue and not a TVL issue.

[stuggling]

Filled in form but filled in one part wrong if I send a letter exposing will that be ok

[Bedsit Bob]

The fact you signed it, is going to make it hard (but not impossible) to defend the case.

 

By signing it, you have confirmed that the statements written on the form are correct.

 

What was it that was filled in wrong?

 

BTW. Did he/she leave you a copy of the form?

[stuggling]

I put the wrong date down, and no he never gave me a copy as I was walking down my garden path while he was filling it in

[Bedsit Bob]

As he didn't give you a copy, don't be surprised if the copy that is presented in court, bears no resemblance to the version you signed.

 

I suggest you bend over and brace yourself, because you are about to be Royally F:censored:d

[stuggling]

I'm betting same but I have a copy on the summons!

 

I need to send it today

[lilyx0xmunster]

I have seen a letter written recently via my husband's work colleague he too only watches 'catch up' tv and they acknowledge that he does this and informs him they will remove his details from their database but they do have an obligation to check in 3 years that this is still current but they also state they will only do this in writing. Although you do have an obligation to inform them of any changes to how you receive your tv channels. will try and find the letter that was shown and upload it .

[Bedsit Bob]

I'm betting same but I have a copy on the summons!

 

And is the copy on the summons, exactly the same as the one you signed?

[Bedsit Bob]

but they do have an obligation to check in 3 years that this is still current

 

Cite please?

 

Although you do have an obligation to inform them of any changes to how you receive your tv channels.

 

Again, cite please?

[Bazooka Boo]

There is NO obligation to do anything.

 

You are under absolutely NO legal obligation, or otherwise, to respond to any letters they send, and you are most certainly under NO obligation to correspond with or inform them of anything.

 

They are simply a corporation made for profit.

 

FOI responses from BBC/TVL/Capita or whatever other name the BBC wants to call themselves.

 

 

 

Letters from TVL/BBC can 'ask' for a response, they cannot compel, their letters can be ignored as can their employees.

 

The expression 'TV Licence' is a misnomer since a TV does not require one otherwise they would be sold at the point of purchase of a TV.

[stuggling]

He has added words to it, spoke to court today, after I wrote to tv license people about it all they have asked for the case to be monitored, but I've also sent off all documents of my sons operation the week of case.

 

They told me it would most likely be reviewed in 3 months and then thrown out it payments are ok

[Bazooka Boo]

Thats good then, are you happy to do this?

[Bedsit Bob]

He has added words to it

 

Why am I not surprised?