Should I give in to TV licence?

[tvlicence]

I have lived at my property as a tenant for a little over a year.

 

My landlord lives abroad,

I rent through an agency and

they left all their property here incl their TV so getting rid of it is not an option.

I never got a TV licence for this property in the time I have lived here.

 

Automatically generated letters threatening various actions have arrived.

I am used to these as I never owned a TV in my life

but previously I didn't need one either,

so had nothing to worry about.

However now that I do, I am worried.

 

I live on the 1st floor in a block of flats and I personally know my ground floor neighbours who have been to my flat and would recall seeing a tv here.

 

It would seem even though I have never spoken to one nor would I ever open the door to one,

a TV licence person has been regularly coming to visit my property for the past few days.

This has been around 7pm so a bit out of normal working hours

( I haven't a clue what normal working hours are for them!).

 

 

I cannot think of another person who would cause such harassment so I am certain it must be them.

However they have never during these visits left a note/letter to say they've been and will be coming again.

 

I am pretty sure after declining to open the door to them today that they went knocking on other doors (which didn't open)

and finally were talking to people downstairs.

 

 

I asked my ground floor neighbours but they never told me a thing in regard to who it was

(just stated it wasn't them knocking earlier when I was having a bath)

and I have never discussed TV licence business with them.

 

I am worried whether I can get away without paying for a licence if getting rid of this TV is not an option.

 

Would a confirmation from my neighbours be enough for them to get a court order without talking to me?

Would them obtaining my name through some other source also be enough proof of my identity?

 

Would I if I were to as a last resource go on their website and sign up for a licence TODAY using my original details

get in trouble even more because now they'd know who I am

and would probably wonder why the property was unlicensed for the amount of time it was,

so I could be prosecuted?

 

Please help!

Edited March 25, 2015 by tvlicence

[dx100uk]

who says you are watch live tv?

 

 

dx

[tvlicence]

who says you are watch live tv?

 

 

dx

 

I do not but it is connected to receive live broadcast.

 

They will never be lucky enough to talk to me, however as I said I am worried if I could be summoned to court should they get my name from other sources and/ or confirmations from a neighbour regarding me having a tv set. They have been very persistent in their visits as of late and I wonder what would happen if they turn up at my doorstep with the police.

[biggeorge]

If you don't watch live tv then you don't need a licence.

Unplug the lead for the live broadcast and you have done nothing wrong.

 

George

[vengeancedemon]

You do not have to let them in or let them come into your flat, you do not and MUST NOT give them your name, you must refuse to answer their questions despite whatever they say they can do and NEVER NEVER EVER SIGN anything In fact if they do manage to get as far as your front door, just shut it on them DONT go down the route of withdrawing implied right of access that's another can of worms

[maroondevo52]

They do work funny hours, I had them at the door about 8pm.

[dx100uk]

woe slowdown.................

 

 

you only need a TV licence if you watch live TV

 

 

owning a TV does not mean you do. it is not a crime to own one

 

 

the old days of bashing down doors is gone.

 

 

I'd be reading a few threads I this forum where you have posted.

they are no longer bailiffs or anything.

 

 

dx

[tvlicence]

If you don't watch live tv then you don't need a licence.

Unplug the lead for the live broadcast and you have done nothing wrong.

 

George

 

I am never voluntarily letting them in to see that anyway.

 

As I have stated above my worry is in case I get summoned to court, they turn up with police ( a scary thought in itself regardless of me breaking the law or not) or gathering evidence from neighbours (during their numerous visits) if that can count?

 

These are what I would like to know people's experiences about. Do you get in trouble if you do not talk to them?

 

And if I were to start paying now, would I incriminate myself some more by raising suspicion why address was unlicensed in the past?

[Sparks_]

Just disconect the ariel, maybe zip tie it up so it cant reach the tv? You can still have a TV to watch DVDs and use games consoles and still not need a TV licence

[dx100uk]

I am never voluntarily letting them in to see that anyway.

 

As I have stated above my worry is in case I get summoned to court, - you cant you've signed nowt

 

 

they turn up with police ( a scary thought in itself regardless of me breaking the law or not) - they cant those days are gone

 

 

or gathering evidence from neighbours (during their numerous visits) if that can count? - doesn't count

These are what I would like to know people's experiences about.

 

 

Do you get in trouble if you do not talk to them? - no

And if I were to start paying now,

 

 

would I incriminate myself some more by raising suspicion why address was unlicensed in the past?

 

 

cant see any point

 

 

dx

[tvlicence]

cant see any point

 

 

dx

 

Thanks dx, sweet dreams.

[ericsbrother]

they have a database of every address in the UK and know which of these addresses doesnt have a licence. More than that they dont know so rely on say 3% of the 5% of households watching TV without a licence so they go in with the assumption that you are bang to rights whenthey really know that there is a 40% chance thy have got is wrong.

A friend of mine infored TV licencing he didnt have a telly and they kept on bothering him and one day turned up with a police offcier and a warrant. He let the copper in but not the licencing chap as the copper's authority was exactly the same. Exit one fuming Capita employee.

So, you can categorically state that you do not own a television and one is not provided for you by anyone else. You dont have to let these people in nor even talk to them.

[dx100uk]

since the change for the licence not being administered by a gov't agents

 

 

simply put, for want of a diff label, they are the same as a DCA with NO POWERS WHATSOEVER.

nor have you to allow police to enter the premises

without a court order

 

 

they certainly can never enter your home even with a court order, that's for a court bailiff

[JoeyJoeC]

Just curious but can someone show where it says that they cannot get a warrant to check you have a TV anymore?

 

About to move into a new flat, I don't watch TV and don't plan on paying for a licence for it. There's a few videos I've seen where they turn up to your house with the police demanding that they can go in and check.

[Sparks_]

They can get a warrant but rarely do so

[unclebulgaria67]

Just invite them to attend. Disconnect TV and any other devices you have which you could immediately switch on to receive live broadcasts.

 

Once they have attended and spoken to you, it should be the end of the matter.

 

BBC/Capita Police. This country is going to the Dogs. Seems like there is a desperation to obtain money by any means. There will soon be a shoe tax, where you are fitted with a pedometer and you have to pay for walking to pay for damage caused to pavements.

 

In the new world of mobile access to TV and more people watching YouTube/ other video output, the BBC funding model is becoming out dated. They need to take on advertising and if government wants to support media, they should think of how they can do this. BBC is not as good as it was 10 years ago and much of the output is repeats.

[Mr.P]

BBC/Capita Police. This country is going to the Dogs. Seems like there is a desperation to obtain money by any means. There will soon be a shoe tax, where you are fitted with a pedometer and you have to pay for walking to pay for damage caused to pavements.

 

More likely they will insert a GPS tracking device and bill you for each mile whether you walk or not.

 

Bonus points for guessing which cavity they would use

[unclebulgaria67]

More likely they will insert a GPS tracking device and bill you for each mile whether you walk or not.

 

Bonus points for guessing which cavity they would use

 

They can stick a camera up my ars* and broadcast it live. May be more interesting and certainly newer than most BBC progs.

[DragonFly1967]

Just curious but can someone show where it says that they cannot get a warrant to check you have a TV anymore?

 

About to move into a new flat, I don't watch TV and don't plan on paying for a licence for it. There's a few videos I've seen where they turn up to your house with the police demanding that they can go in and check.

 

It's not that they can't get a warrant, but, that they need to show good cause for a warrant to be issued.

 

They can't just turn up at court and say "We think this person has a TV and we think they might be using it to watch live broadcasts".

[mrbigjase]

I had a very interesting conversation with a former TVL agent awhile back(now a Sky tv salesman),he said that it was not worth the time to request a warrant because it would waste(on a good day)3 hours,where he could be making commission from people he'd conned into believing that by buying a license from him,they were avoiding a court summons!