TV license officers threatening me

[Lovelybitofsquirrel3]

This is a bit long.
Backstory, at my previous address I got a letter about not having a TV license. I called to explain I don't need one but the person I was speaking to still kept me on the phone for a while, and even after them going over what counts as live TV and me explaining I only watch things like disney+, they were very threatening as they were saying things like ''if you are found to be watching TV'' and the whole speech and threatening that if an officer visits and finds TV equipment I could be prosecuted. After a short few months of not receiving letters, they started again.
Since moving to my new address, I have been receiving the previous tenants sky tv letters and debt collection letters, threatening bailiffs, including a sky hub. It's really frustrating. I attempted to contact sky to explain that he doesn't live here but they insisted they couldn't do anything. I couldn't find the man named on the letters to contact him. I even tried making a local facebook post to ask if anyone knew him and not a single person replied.
I've been getting letters from the TV licensing agency and binned them each time, I didn't want to phone them because of my previous experience, and information online suggested that it was an empty threat and they would do nothing. But at the end of the year I got a letter about an upcoming visit from an enforcement officer. They never arrived. I've just received one again today, I'll comment underneath with a photo of it. I have cropped out the top and bottom in case the named officer can identify the area I live in, but the bottom says that a report will be sent to the prosecutor fiscal who will decide on prosecution. The link they've given where I can update I don't need a license online is actually broken and not functional.
I can't remember where I read it, but apparently receiving letters from sky can be seen as proof that I'm watching live TV, or having a TV can be seen as proof. I also have a satellite connected to the house that was here when I moved.
I haven't done anything wrong but I feel really afraid. The letter reads that if I dont answer they can keep coming back at any time of day. I don't understand why they can go around threatening people like this. I'm thinking about calling the police over it but that might be an over reaction.

Just complete the online declaration to say you don’t need one and if they did happen to come round show them it.

The link to the "no TV" online form works. It takes you to this page:

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence?utmsource=shorturl&utmmmedium=website&utmcontent=notv

You can fill the online form out rather than call them.

Do the declaration online. It can't always be down. It'll take the stress off you.

Yes but I was advised that opening letters intended for someone else was illegal so I didn’t do anything because I didn’t want to be prosecuted for that. It was clearly a debt letter and I was worried, but it was months ago and I haven’t had any visits about it luckily

no the bar for them getting a warrant is high and it’s a rare occasion, just shut the door on them, a firm no thank you and shut, they’re just aggressive sales people.

They don't have any rights to enter your property, OP. They might try to tell you they do but they don't. If you accidentally open the door to them you can either let them in to check the TV (this won't stop them from sending letters even though they'll tell you it will) or you can close the door in their faces and lock it and they'll leave. They can do as much about it as the local takeaway delivery driver could.

The ones I've had turn up have mostly all been polite. None have ever tried to force their way in or argued with me if I've told them they can't come in. The worst I've had is one of them telling me he'll send one of their imaginary "detection vans" to monitor me and I could go to prison if I'm caught watching TV. He didn't look very happy when I shrugged and told him that was fine.

It’s not down I just clicked that link above it’s absolutely fine.

OP instead of posting on here just complete the info on the form that’s just been posted and then you can forget about it.

It's not illegal to open someone's post

Just tell tv license you don't need one via threat website and return post to senders straight forwards.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence?gclsrc=aw.ds&gadsource=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD1J5cFmTZ-Ngu01XYyrED5KX4k75&gclid=CjwKCAiAhP67BhAVEiwA2EE9gwieuFocxH28-ifWXE-gB02PrMNp4aHjBNoJOqmJnkdTDQ3uLNQS2hoCsXAQAvDBwE

Take a look at this website. The person has been uploading the BBC's letters for the past 18 years.

http://www.bbctvlicence.com/

You really don't have anything to worry about.

They shouldn't be allowed to send out such aggressive and threatening letters couched in pseudo legal language that's deliberately designed to instill fear - but it's the government's propaganda unit, so the normal rules don't apply to them.

IMHO the BBC are institutionally paedophilic, so why should we be forced to fund them and their in-house child abusers?

Why would the Sky bailiffs issue be worrying? So what if bailiffs turn up at the door? They aren't looking for OP. They will verify her identity then leave. I have had bailiffs turn up at an address once looking for the previous occupant. They were fine, polite and left when they knew the occupant no longer lived at the address. There is nothing at all for OP to worry about with this

This is the link to declare you don’t have a tv licence. Quick google and you should find it. It works and they’ll leave you alone for 18 months and then start emailing you to remind you about a licence/declaring. Think I got one letter too.

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence

If I understand your post OP- you have 2, completely different issues:

1- Worried about TV licence officers turning up, even though you aren't using regular TV services, but still haven't declared this on their system?
2- Are still getting post from previous tenants and are opening it for some unknown reason, rather than writing 'return to sender- not know/no longer at this address'?
Is that correct OP?

I was advised that opening letters intended for someone else was illegal Yes, it is illegal to open their post. The Postal Services Act 2000 clearly states that it is illegal to open someone else's post. Why on earth didn't you just write 'Return to sender/Not know at this address' etc? IF they sent people with warrants etc for the previous tenants debts, then you'd show them your ID, proving you aren't the previous owner and the debts aren't yours!

If you aren't using TV services, then you have nothing to worry about regarding needing a license- just fill in the declaration form online.

I’d be more worried about a bailiffs visit than a letter which seems to be really stressing her out.

You would not be prosecuted for opening a letter.

I get these letters. Have done for 9 years. I don’t watch live tv, I don’t even have access to the BBC Channels. I've consistently ignored after reading that if you fill the form in saying you don’t need a licence they bother you anyway and can lie. I don't want to give them my name etc. Every letter is addressed to "The Occupier" and the threats cycle round and round going back to minimum hassle then up to getting threatening. Only once in living here for 9 years has someone come to the door. I was out at the time. There's a wealth of online info about all of this.

Why though? The letter is addressed to her about tv licence. Bailiff would be nothing to do with her

Stop panicking. Put the letters in the bin, fill in the tv licence form and forget about it. I haven’t had a license for 20 years and I do watch live tv and I have sky. I put any letters in the bin.

I have a licence and still have gotten the letters for 7 years . Their systems are rubbish

That is just a generic letter OP. They send them out in cycles, getting progressively more threatening. Honestly it's not personal to you. They are just trying it on with every address where there's no TV licence! Hoping they will get lucky and scare someone into buying a licence, whether they need it or not.

If you know you're not watching or recording live TV or using the BBC player then you are doing nothing wrong. Best thing to do is go online and fill in the 'no licence needed' declaration, then they leave you alone for a couple of years. Then just repeat that if it starts up again.Honestly, don't worry.

£6.50 a WEEK?! Thats almost as much as a month of netflix or disney plus!
I'm shocked they're still in business

I think the people saying 'just' send them a letter, tell them online or call them are really missing the point.

Why on earth should you have to do their work for them and run around justifying why you do not want to pay for the service that they are trying to sell? Can you imagine if you had to 'just' call or go online to every company sending you junk/marketing mail and explaining to them why you don't want to be their customer, as you don't want or need what they're selling, in order to avoid them threatening to take you to court?

Even if you do take the trouble to contact them, they will assume that you're lying and likely ignore your notification anyway.

Regardless of what they claim, they are not simply trying to ensure that everybody who needs a licence has one and seeking not to bother those who don't; they use bullying, threats and harassment to wear you down and scare you into buying a licence that you don't need. If this were not true, why would they go from the arrogant assumption that you DO need one, rather than simply neutrally trying to establish whether you do or not?

It's not uncommon for elderly/vulnerable people to buy a licence that they 100% do not need purely to stop the harassment and threats. They're bullying scum - and worst of all, they're actually endorsed and encouraged by the government to harass and upset people in this way.

The government (this one and previous ones) WANT them to terrify elderly people into paying them money that they do not owe; if this were not true, they would have done something to stop them long before now - it's hardly a secret how they behave to make extra sales through threats, lies and intimidation.

I just put the letters in the bin. Ive also refused to let them into my home.

@FizzyBisto I do agree that it is bullying tactics that they use. Also they shouldn't start off from the assumption that you probably do need a licence. The world has changed over the last decade or so, and many, especially younger people, just seem to use streaming. The TV licence people obviously find this hard to accept. Hence the bullying tactics I presume. They just want to sell licences.

However I don't think it's true to say they will assume you are lying if you declare you don't require a licence. DD and her partner have been filling in the declarations every couple of years for 10 years now, and have been left in peace by them. I think it may be the quickest way to calm the OP's fears, although I do take your point about why should innocent members of the public have to do the admin.

Just bin any letters from them, don't even open it. Stop worrying so much!. They are not going to do anything

Anyone know what the money they charge people for having a tv is used for? Just curious where it goes