Summons..... told there wouldn't be one.

[scareyb]

Will try keep it brief...

 

Aug 2017 i cancelled dd

this was due to my daughter been placed with me by local authority ,

money was tight with everything(food on table)

 

Due to the things happening around the case and my well being of my daughter priority i totally over looked the November dd or payments.

 

I was spending all my time on pc doing research for my situation,

tv was been used on android box iptv 24/paw patrol and terrarium kids movies

 

January knock on door( i was up to eyes in paper work for case)

let him in explained the reason for overlooking it

(even showed him contract of expectations from the local authority to show i was genuine )

 

he asked to test the tv

i didn't even know how to get it on as we always used box

he asked when was it last used i said 24/7 paw patrol for daughter on iptv service.for the daughter

 

i haven't used tv for 6 months in fact the virgin box is in the cupboard as i cant get out of contract and i use android box

 

,he set up payment plan which has been adhered to.

 

HOWEVER i have received a summons he said that i wouldn't

on examining the documents he put i watched cbeebies for bairns usually,

this is incorrect i said paw patrol and for the bairn,as there is only my daughter

 

.i need to respond to summons

any advise on attaching a letter to be considered in case

Edited March 1, 2018 by Andyorch
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[Bailiff Advice]

The Record of Interview form (TVL 178) is commonly referred to with TV licence cases as a 'prosecution statement' as it will be used by TV Licensing in court as evidence that you had agreed that you had been watching 'live' TV without a valid licence.

 

Given the contents of the form you clearly need to plead 'guilty' but that is not to say that you should not return the summons with a letter outlining the reason why you overlooked paying the direct debit. At least by entering a 'guilty' plea, you will benefit from a one third discount in the court fine.

[DragonFly1967]

Unfortunately the problem you have is that TV Licensing requirements say that a licence is required to watch (or record) any kind of TV while it is being broadcast and/or BBC iPlayer. This would include an Android Box that is receiving broadcast TV via the internet (or iPlayer) and it sounds like that's the trap you've fallen into.

 

It didn't help that you had an aerial connected and the licence salesmonkey could get the TV to display Freeview.

 

Because you've signed the TVL178 form, you've already admitted your guilt. As BA has said above, all you can hope for now is some sympathy from the Magistrates when they read your mitigation.

 

I know this doesn't help you in this situation, but I've not had a TV licence for about 10 years now, but I've no aerial or internet TV box. I use only catch-up services (except iPlayer), games consoles & computers. There's plenty to watch quite legally (even for kids) without falling foul of the TV licence salesmonkey that comes to your door.

[scareyb]

is there no template letters availble anywhere ..

catch up ike a virgin box you mean

[dx100uk]

no your device that uses terrarium

 

there are no templates no.

 

are you indicating you are in Scotland?

[DragonFly1967]

catch up ike a virgin box you mean

 

No, wouldn't go anywhere near one of those as the TV Licensing salesmonkey could easily say that you were watching broadcast TV and you wouldn't be able to prove otherwise, same with a Sky box etc. I use the catch-up & streaming apps (except iPlayer) on my xBox One or stream movies (legally owned I might add) etc to it from my media server.

 

That way I can be 100% certain that even if they were let in to my home (which they wouldn't be under normal circumstances) they could look at my TV equipment all they wanted but they'd never be able to get a 'live' picture or anything else that I'm not legally allowed to watch without having to pay the BBC a small fortune for the privilege. Sooner or later a lot of the better BBC programmes show up on Netflix anyway, which I can watch quite legally without a TV Licence.

[OneDrop]

In future don't let them in, look through peephole or window and if you don't know who it is get start video recording upon opening the door. Don't answer any questions, don't sign anything and as soon as they've identified themselves close the door.

 

 

Sorry to hear about this, unfortunately when you try to do the "right" thing this is what they do, they work on commission as I understand it and so no matter how genuine your story is they're gonna do you if given the chance so it's a waste of time talking.

 

 

I agree with the advice already given, just plead guilty now but next time shut the door.

[DragonFly1967]

I like to play with their heads a little

 

The last one that came to the door asked me if I had "A television". I replied no, I didn't have A television, I had 6 of them. The look on his face was priceless, you could almost see the £ signs rolling in his eyes.

 

He then cautioned me. He'd not even asked my name before doing so, so I simply replied "no comment" to anything else he said. You could see his shoulders slumping

 

Finally, he asked me to sign the form he'd spent the last 15 minutes filling in. I just laughed at him.

 

They've not been back since.

 

 

This wouldn't be the advice that I'd give to anyone else mind, it's not a recommended course of action. It's just that I like to mess with them (also all on camera, so they can't later claim that I said or did anything that I didn't).

[OneDrop]

Haha

 

 

I like to ask for an admittance fee of £500, seeing as they only collect £20 if they sell you a licence on the door it's clear why they never want to pay it. Or say my name is Donald Duck, they never seem to want to write that one down.

 

 

Sometimes they're running away as soon as you pull out the camera so there's no need to say anything.

[DragonFly1967]

Asking them to pay a fee is straying too far into FMotL territory for me, but it's still fun to mess with them.

 

They rarely notice my cameras until I point them out. The one in my hallway clock (that faces the front door) also records audio (only when the front door is open) so there's just no get out for them if they try to say that I did or said something (when I know I didn't).

 

Pulling a phone on them, although it's fun to watch them run away, puts them on the defensive too much (if they stay), I prefer the more subtle approach and leave them to dig their own hole.