The PRS (yet again)

[Buncrana 37]

Hi everyone,

 

We run a small pub in which we used to have live bands and a juke box.

 

Over the years we have been running the pub we've had various issues with the PRS.

 

Now I should say at the outset that we fully support what the PRS do. We have no objections in artists and bands getting paid for songs they have written..

 

In the past they have tried to overcharge us, wouldn't give refunds when they were due, and I even had one of their staff shouting down the phone at me when he couldn't tell me the legislation that they charge us these ridiculous amounts.

 

We closed our doors by government order on the 20th March 2020 and we reopened on the 6th July.

 

We have been playing email tennis since around August where they are demanding a full years PRS money, just over £500, which they have yet to quantify.

 

I have also made it clear in every email that we will not, under any circumstances be paying them for our enforced closure and to recalculate the amount they are demanding.

 

They have said we need to pay the full year and that any extra will be credited to our account for next year.

 

Under the current circumstances, we don't even know if we'll still have a business after Christmas.

 

A couple of days ago we got the ''7 days to pay'' letter dated 25th October, saying that we must make ''full and immediate payment'' or it will be going to a third party, who I am assuming is a DCA.

 

Where do we stand here?

 

We have a company that won't engage and only make demands for money for something that we could do nothing about.

 

I'm at my wits end with them.

 

I'm sorely tempted to ride this one out and see if it ends up in a court case but that will be time consuming for us.

 

I should also say that, due to Covid, we no longer have live music and only have the tv on BBC News 24. There is a jukebox there but when they came to empty it the other day, there was one single pound in it.

 

Any suggestions?

[dx100uk 9,690]

no dca has any legal powers and are not bailiffs on any debt

 

ignore them

stand your ground.

 

dx

 

[Buncrana 37]

Hi Dx,

 

That's what I'm thinking.

 

I've told DCA's where to go in the past. PRS set one win us last year. They called up but once I told them the account was in dispute I never heard from them again.

 

I suppose it's a waiting game now.

 

We're shut down for at least a month so I have the time on my hands..

[Buncrana 37]

Two emails and a phone call from the DCA in one day.

 

They can't have too much on :)

 

Phone number now blocked...

[dx100uk 9,690]

[Buncrana 37]

It's been a while but I thought I'd better update the thread.

 

A couple more emails threatening court action, DCA's threatening court action, usual stuff.

 

So I thought I'd give them one final call before I sat back and awaited the aforementioned court action.

 

The person on the other end of the phone could not have been more helpful.

 

Completely understood the issue and went straight into the ''let's sort this out once and for all mode''...

 

We ended up paying just over a quarter of what the original demands were.

 

It was a sum that I thought was entirely reasonable, and justified.

 

So, it was paid there and then.

 

It hasn't been fun running a pub lately, especially with all the parasites and vultures we're having to deal with just now, including a Pubco who want full rent for the first lockdown but only 10 percent for this one. Work that one out...

 

So well done PRS for finally seeing the light