To ignore the TV license people?

[Fellia]

So the TV licensing people knocked on my door at half 8 on Saturday morning.

I was in bed and didn’t answer but I’m expecting them to come back.

They put a red letter through my door saying I am watching tv illegally and they can “help me watch legally.”

I’m finding this absolutely ridiculous. I do not watch tv apart from Netflix/DVD’s and the one tv I do have isn’t connected to actual channels (sorry, I don’t know how to explain this properly as I don’t know much about it)

But the fact is I do not watch regular TV. I have written to them, called them numerous times to explain this and I had a visit last year (at a different property) where I also explained this.

AIBU to just ignore them if they keep coming to my door? I’m sick of being harassed by them for no reason.

Plucked I agree, I have friends and family in America, Canada and aus that would LOVE to watch iplayer but will be or already are geoblocked, crazy not to make money from them.

As for neverender 8 YEARS ffs there's been to my knowledge 3 major changes to Licencing rules in the last year alone! As you're no longer privy to the inner workings you know no more than any of the rest of us!

Personally I think the 'detector van' thing is bullshit, in the 70's and 80's when there were psa' about them there just wasn't the technology they claimed, it was scare tactics.

But you can receive a signal to watch iPlayer on your phone/ tablet. Why don’t you need a license for that too? (Not being argumentative, genuine question)

I thought you did need a licence to watch iPlayer on an iPad. I get a little message pop up every now and again asking if I've got a TV licence. Is that just me then?

Just because you don't like something, it doesn't make it 'bullshit'

Nah, the fact that what you're saying goes directly against what the BBC themselves say, is what makes it "bullshit"

@stickytoffeevodka You need a TV licence to watch iPlayer on a tablet. You don't need a TV licence because you own a tablet that is capable of streaming iplayer, if you don't watch iplayer.

Just like you need a tv licence if you watch TV on a TV, but you dont need a tv licence if you own a tv and don't watch tv on it... Which is what some people are insisting is the law, even though the TV licencing website is quite clear that you need a tv licence if you WATCH TV.

You need a licence to watch bbc

You don’t need a licence to watch catch up for any other channel on any device

If you don’t have a licence don’t watch bbc - simple

woops sorry that was meant to tag @MoreThanJustANumber

Also watch out for electric/gas meter readers. Some areas are under contract where the same people are the ones who are delivering letters and checking premises for TV licences! So, basically, they're getting in your house under false pretences, i.e. come in to read the meter, and probably having a look around for TVs etc

It's because Capita and G4S effectively have a duopoly on
providing government services.

*Morethan
*
Sorry that was in response to needing a license if your tv is even Just connected to an aerial/ able to receive bbc and someone saying they needed to be “de tuned”

Our phones are constantly able to view iPlayer, I was just making a comparison that if you need a license for being “connected but not actually watching” then surely that applies to phones/ tablets too.

Which would be ridiculous obviously!

@neverenderhttp://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/woira-dodging-tv-licensing-man.html?m=1

Is this your own blogspot which you are quoting as "evidence"?
Rather than the "official" site which everyone else seems to be citing?

I want a tv detector van for Christmas for my new job as a de tuner.
Can I get second hand ones like you can buy old "police" cars?

However as you now have to sign into iPlayer, they now have your IP address and your email address and postcode and their privacy rules so that's there's for the using with TV licensing...

Give TV Licensing a call and tell them you have a TV the can receive a live TV signal BUT that you don't actually watch it. You'll be in court before you know it Needs

I may well be in court, but I won’t actually get fined or found guilty of anything. Surprisingly enough I know this because I have actually been to court because I got pissed off with faffing around with the tv licence people who appear to think people like having to respond to a ton of letters constantly and randoms who turn up on your door step attempting to take statements from you.

Have just read on the official site that there has not been ONE case using 'detector equipment' evidence, so in almost 60 years of them supposedly being able to detect if tv is being watched it's NOT ONCE been used in court

And as has been said they cannot enter your home without your permission unless they have a search warrant - which a magistrate or sheriff would want evidence of a crime before issuing they are not easily obtained.

Do you truly think the conversation would go like this?

"Do you watch TV?"
"No."
"Then why do you have a TV?"
"I don't watch TV on it."
"Ok, I'll go then. I totally believe you."

Fucking hell!

Nee render

You’ve never had a tv licensing chap at your door have you😂😂

Do you have a tv
No
Can I come in
Yes
Stands in doorway and then say
Ok then bye then

Helps if your built like an outhouse and actually fill the front door space

Jesus wept!

I'm not saying you have to let them in, I've explained how you can make sure they don't even knock. But if you do let them in and you have a TV and can receive a signal, you'll be fined.

But you can only receive a signal for live tv if it’s connected to something

You absolutely do not have to open the door to these state-sponsored bullies.

Omg neverender as I and others have said it even says on the official site that this is not the case! They cannot police that! You can't convict someone without proof they actively committed a crime! 🙄🙄🙄

This may be the most pointless conversation I've ever had. Carry on doing whatever you're doing...mic drop....

I had a massive argument with TV licensing a few years back when my stepdad/boss at the time picked up a new TV on my behalf as a gift for my BF and was hounded by TV licensing for months. I was calling them every other day to say stepdad had a TV license only it was in my mums name. They would not check his address for a license but chased him personally. I wonder how many households have paid more than once because of tactics like this?

I've had similar harassment, while I had a valid licence, for an address that doesn't even exist! Thugs with ID badges turning up at the door threatening court action if I didn't let them in to prove I wasn't watching TV - I was and had a bloody licence for it! I showed the licence email AND the payments going from my bank account for MY address, but it wasn't good enough. I called, emailed and wrote, and still I got visits and letters. Each call I explained that the address they were chasing didn't exist, that I was licenced for my address, and they'd check, agree and say it would be sorted. Then I'd get another visit and/or letter and it'd all start again. The penny finally dropped when I told one of them that visited to go ahead and take me to court, for refusing to pay for a licence on a property that didn't exist, and I had proof from them that I was licenced, and insisted he call and put it all into action there and then, on my doorstep with me watching. He left halfway through the conversation. Not had a letter or visit since. But if I'd been elderly or vulnerable in some way, I might well have just paid up so they went away.

Um.....never, a mic drop usually follows an epic statement or brilliant argument. Not the pointless drivel you have been spouting.

BOOM slams mic on table

Yes it's the idea of their nasty tactics being used on the vulnerable which is really worrying.

SoulStew I don't care if you believe me or not. Crack on.

It's the law and if you don't like it, it's still the law.

lol @ the erroneous use of 'mic drop'
would be more appropriate :o