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TV licence letter

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
So our whole flat has received those annoying TV licence letters.

None of us have a TV so is it best that we reply saying that we don't watch TV or shall we just ignore them? Anyone know the best option to avoid hassle?

Thanks :)

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you ignore the letter they will keep sending them.

    If you phone them, and tell them you don't operate television receiving equipment (including watching television programs as they are broadcast over the internet) then they'll (possibly) give it a rest for a couple of years.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To be honest, all they'll do is keep sending you letters. If they do visit, you dont even have to let them in. If they come in, they have to actually catch you in the act of watching tv without a licence for them to do anything about it
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I got these last year. No-one ever turned up.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey purplestarfish,

    Yes, those TV License letters are very annoying (I am speaking from personal experience here).

    There is little guidance on the TV License website about this. A paragraph in their roles and responsibilities section explains that they will send people letters to remind people of the importance of having a TV License. They get this information from their database. They then go on to explain that they make telephone calls and/or visit the properties.

    If the letters you are receiving are not addressed to you personally (i.e. your name) then they are most likely generated by an automated system and therefore it shouldn't be anything to worry about.

    However, if you are concerned that you are receiving too many of these letters or that they are addressed to you by name, then just give them a call to explain that you don't have a TV etc and see what they say. As long as you are not doing anything wrong then calling them should not cause any problems.

    (Also remember that you don't have to give them access to your property if they do visit, but they may use other detection methods to see if you are using a TV without License. If they have enough evidence they can apply to the courts for a warrant for access to your property).

    I hope this helps.

    :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    L1ttleOne wrote: »
    , but they may use other detection methods to see if you are using a TV without License..

    AKA looking through your windows and listening at your letterbox
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So our whole flat has received those annoying TV licence letters.

    None of us have a TV so is it best that we reply saying that we don't watch TV or shall we just ignore them? Anyone know the best option to avoid hassle?

    Thanks :)

    yes i know from experiance that they are really annoying, but is best to ring them up or they will keep hasseling you, me and my partner live in a shared house and is really annoying as we are the only room that has a tv licence, everyone else is getting away with watching thier tv illegaly, why should they be allowded to get away with it while we are doing the right thing and paying for it, we get letters for two of the rooms on a regular basis saying things like they are doing a visit and the people just ignore them
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    sinead1992 wrote: »
    why should they be allowded to get away with it while we are doing the right thing and paying for it,

    Well inform the TV licence people and get them sorted out then.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    G-Raffe wrote: »
    Well inform the TV licence people and get them sorted out then.

    i would but dont want to be threatned by them when we told them they do have a tv
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    sinead1992 wrote: »
    i would but dont want to be threatned by them when we told them they do have a tv

    How would they know it was you that told the TV licence people?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Remember also that the TV detector vans don't exist either. For 20 years I thought that they were real. WhoWhere (from thesite.org) then kindly informed me that it was only a myth. I told some of my relatives too and they thought that the vans were for real too.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you use websites like TVCatchup [or use a TV Tuner card], you need a TV Licence. If you use catchup services like BBC, Five, 4OD you don't, but only once they're aired. If you pay for content like you can on 4OD, YouTube, SeeSaw you need one if the content hasn't already been aired.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd like to know how much they spend on sending those letters out! I get inundated with them all the time even though I have no TV. Seems like a massive waste of money to me.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Klever wrote: »
    I'd like to know how much they spend on sending those letters out! I get inundated with them all the time even though I have no TV. Seems like a massive waste of money to me.

    Make an FOI request to the BBC if you're interested.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The BBC doesn't send them, they use a third party to handle all that, carefully allowing them selves to deny all knowledge of any bullying that might be going on.
  • **helen****helen** Deactivated Posts: 9,235 Supreme Poster
    Hey guys, just wanted to mention watching TV through the internet - even if you don't have an actual TV, you still need a licence to watch streamed TV through your laptops etc. :)

    But yes, very good point about external agencies Big Gay.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Big Gay wrote: »
    The BBC doesn't send them, they use a third party to handle all that, carefully allowing them selves to deny all knowledge of any bullying that might be going on.

    That may be the case, but for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act they must make available, either generally or upon request, all matters relating to the licence fee and enforcement action (uness to do so would interfere with the investigation of criminal activity). Simply asking how much money is spent on inforcement would be something they would have to reveal.

    Even more interesting would be what is spent on enforcement v the return on that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I used to watch Deal or No Deal on 4oD but not since early 2009. I guess I've still broken the law then even though it's not a BBC channel? I find Youtube a lot more interesting IMO.

    I have VHS tapes, DVDs and blu-ray discs as I've always been a videophile. VHS scart-to-USB ftw.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Monserrat wrote: »
    I used to watch Deal or No Deal on 4oD but not since early 2009. I guess I've still broken the law then even though it's not a BBC channel?

    So long as it was afetr it was broadcast on TV you're fine (which it generally is on 4OD)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks Aviz :-)
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