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Thread: TV license question

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    Moosing about! CAT-THE-FIFTH's Avatar
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    TV license question

    A quick question! I moved into a new place a few weeks ago and have got one of those tv license letters saying that they are investigating the property(or something along those lines) as no one had replied to any of their previous letters (I assumed that the previous tennant ignored them).However,it is not addressed to anyone(only the occupant).

    Since,I do not have a tv and don't even have internets ATM(on noes!) is there any way to contact them saying that I don't need a license?

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    ALT0153™ Rob_B's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    Website...

    Just fill in the online form.

    Although you could just ignore the letters as they have no legal right to enter your property unless they have a court order.
    Last edited by Rob_B; 27-07-2010 at 09:40 PM. Reason: Letter shas an 'E' in it.

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    ALT0153™ Rob_B's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question


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    hexus.zombeh! format's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    Ignore them.
    ~'Armaments, universal debt, and planned obsolescence--those are the three pillars of Western prosperity'~ Aldous Huxley




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    Re: TV license question

    Dude, you have no internet ? How do you cope ?

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    The late but legendary peterb - Onward and Upward peterb's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    You can write to them, but the thing that irritates me is the assumption (probably correct ) that everyone has a TV. You can safely ignore them. they will probably send a detector van round at some point just to check - but they'd do that anyway even if you wrote, and if there is no evidence that you are using a TV, no problem.

    The onus is on them to prove that you are using one without a licence. You do not have to prove that you are not.
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    Senior Member usxhe190's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    Just ignore them. Don't get intimidated by their crap. They have no right to enter your house. They aren't above anyone else. In fact, they have the same rights as a door-to-door salesperson trying to selling you stuff.

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    Re: TV license question


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    Re: TV license question

    Quote Originally Posted by usxhe190 View Post
    Just ignore them. Don't get intimidated by their crap. They have no right to enter your house. They aren't above anyone else. In fact, they have the same rights as a door-to-door salesperson trying to selling you stuff.
    Unless they have a search warrant. And that is very unlikely indeed unless they have been turned away by a previous visit, and even then, can convince a magistrate that sufficient evidence exists that a set is being used without a licence. How hard to they to work to convince a magistrate varies.

    But without that search warrant, you're quite right, they have no right to enter, and you're not actually obliged to tell then which way is up, let alone answer their questions or reply to their letters.

    Of course, if you should have a licence you're committing an offence if you don't. And if you don't need a licence, perhaps because you don't have a TV, then it's a personal judgement as to whether to let them in and show them that, or to fill in the forms just to get them off your back for a whole, or whether to be awkward for the hell of it, or the fun of it. Telling them to .... go away .... might be satisfying, but might not be the best way to be left in peace and quiet (for a while at least).

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    Not a good person scaryjim's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    Quote Originally Posted by Saracen View Post
    ... it's a personal judgement as to whether to let them in and show them that ...
    It is quite fun to do this when you're listening to the radio About this time last year I got a call from a TV licensing bloke, I told him I didn't have a TV and he asked to come in and check. He made a bee-line for the room where tiny voices were coming from only to find himself walking into a kitchen where a very small LW Radio was tuned to Test Match Special. The look on his face was priceless! Needless to say, he made a sharp exit promising to note that we didn't have a TV...

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    Re: TV license question

    Nice one, Jim.

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    Senior Member usxhe190's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    Quote Originally Posted by Saracen View Post
    it's a personal judgement as to whether to let them in and show them that, or to fill in the forms just to get them off your back for a whole, or whether to be awkward for the hell of it, or the fun of it. Telling them to .... go away .... might be satisfying, but might not be the best way to be left in peace and quiet (for a while at least).
    I personally wouldn't let them in, just like I wouldn't let a salesperson into my place for a cup of tea. I don't know them. Who knows who they really are.

    And worst case is, they might just assume something and then its your word against his/her. Also they are paid on commission on every "evader" they catch.

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    Re: TV license question

    Quote Originally Posted by usxhe190 View Post
    I personally wouldn't let them in, just like I wouldn't let a salesperson into my place for a cup of tea. I don't know them. Who knows who they really are.

    And worst case is, they might just assume something and then its your word against his/her. Also they are paid on commission on every "evader" they catch.
    I tend to agree .... but then, I've always had a TV, and I've always had a licence to cover it, so the situation has never cropped up.

    But even if you don't have a TV, by refusing access one of the risks you run is that they come back with a search warrant. For instance, in the example Jim gave, suppose that inspector (or whatever we call them) had gone away, applied to a court and stated that they'd heard the TV on in background with current program content, and had been refused admission. You run the risk that the warrant would be issued, and that they'd be back some other time, quite possibly with police in attendance (not to search, but to ensure no breach of the peace).

    As it happens, the "evidence" would not be of TV operation, but that could be because the "inspector" was mistaken, or "assumed" the wrong thing. But that would not necessarily mean the warrant would not be issued.

    So while I tend to agree and might well do the same the risk is that whereas Jim let them in, got some satisfaction from their evident discomfort, and got rid of them rapidly, had he done as you suggest, they could have been back for a more detailed rummage, under a warrant.

    Which, of course, is why it's a personal thing. If the objective is to poke them in the eye, then refuse. But if the objective is to get them to leave you the hell alone, a better strategy may well be the one Jim adopted. Refusal might, or of course, might not, go wrong.

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    ɯʎɔɐɹsɐʌʍ mycarsavw's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    I love this subject, probably a bit too much.

    From the last thread on TV Licenses (here) someone posted this link.

    http://www.bbctvlicence.com/

    This guy is now my hero.
    |Kata: "Read title as 'fisting'. Not sure why I clicked. Relieved, really."|
    |TAKTAK: "It was so small that mine wouldn't fit into it"|

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  27. #15
    Not a good person scaryjim's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    My only quibble with his site would be this:

    TVL/BBC sends millions of letters every year to people who do not watch broadcast television
    Almost everyone I know reacts with absolute horror when I tell them I don't watch broadcast TV. They may send millions of letters each year, but the vast majority of those will be to people who do watch broadcast TV without a license. I'd be amazed if the non-TV-watching households in this country numbered more than a few thousand...

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    Senior Member usxhe190's Avatar
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    Re: TV license question

    Quote Originally Posted by Saracen View Post
    But even if you don't have a TV, by refusing access one of the risks you run is that they come back with a search warrant. For instance, in the example Jim gave, suppose that inspector (or whatever we call them) had gone away, applied to a court and stated that they'd heard the TV on in background with current program content, and had been refused admission. You run the risk that the warrant would be issued, and that they'd be back some other time, quite possibly with police in attendance (not to search, but to ensure no breach of the peace).

    As it happens, the "evidence" would not be of TV operation, but that could be because the "inspector" was mistaken, or "assumed" the wrong thing. But that would not necessarily mean the warrant would not be issued.
    True, they can still get in via warrant but they have the extra hurdle to go pass. They need to convince the magistrate.

    But I am sure many of those TV Licensing "officers/salesmen" can't be bothered and a decent magistrate (I know there are crappy ones) is gonna slam them if they have no evidence.

    And if they can convince a (crappy) magistrate, fine, they can come in and I will give them some tea.

    Before that, they are outside my place. Just like other things in life!

    edit - If they can get a warrant, they can't go on a rummage all over the house I think. The warrant is quite specific I think (i.e. which room etc).

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