Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Questioned under caution by TV licensing guy - I have a TV licence

252 replies

mainlymoderate · 16/01/2019 11:29

TV licensing guy turned up on doorstep and was very aggressive. I was so frightened I just answered his questions.

We'd moved very recently and have a TV licence, just hadn't notifiied TVL. I checked with them and that's no problem. The guy found the licence but then didn't seem able to control himself and began to ask me questions and fill in what I now realise was a caution sheet. Thankfully two people who were quoting for works to the flat turned up otherwise he would have entered the property. He asked me all kinds of personal questions in front of them. I know it sounds pathetic but I was just so frightened and confused by the whole thing, I signed the sheet of paper which I didn't even know was a caution sheet. I called TV licensing and they said once he knew I had a licence he should have stopped.

I reported him to the Police and they were shocked I'd been questioned under caution when I'd committed no offence. I was in tears. I also feel such a fool for not having understood what was going on and allowing myself to be intimidated.

I read up on it afterwards and discovered that BBC outsource this to Capita. The DG of the BBC ordered an investigation into their tactics last year. But it looks as though they are still operating in same way and they actually target vulnerable people. I've always been a supporter of the BBC but this experience has shocked me. Should the BBC really be allowed to outsource to Capita knowing how they operate?

OP posts:
ShesAnEasyLlama · 16/01/2019 14:45

OP, hope you are feeling a little better now. I had similar happen to me 10 years ago, but was luckily able to call out, "Honey, can you come and deal with this please?" And my 6ft exDP appeared. He wasn't broad, but had an athletic shape, as opposed to the short, chubby TVL guy in front of us. The TVL guy's demeanour changed instantly and i didnt leave so it was 2 sgainst 1. Turned out exDP hadn't notified them of our recent address change, but it was all sorted very quickly and pleasantly.

Funnily enough, since being on my own and moving back to a very 'naice' area I've never had an issue, but I do it all online now anyway.

Please let's us know how your call hoes with Crapita.

Shitlandpony · 16/01/2019 14:50

gonedigital.net/2013/07/05/buying-a-tv-in-the-uk-no-need-to-give-your-address-any-more/

You certainly did used to have to give your address when buying a tv, whether using credit or not. It looks as if it changed in 2013.

Original poster
mainlymoderate · 16/01/2019 15:17

Capita say this has been escalated and they'll reply 'in two weeks'. My dh is phoning to give them a talking to, which is fine, but I wish I hadn't folded.

OP posts:
Jenny17 · 16/01/2019 15:27

Don't blame the BBC for this. There is a statutory obligation to police licensing, and equally an obligation to take the lowest tender when subcontracting for this. Crapita have loads of government problems for this reason
Nonsense. BBC and free to air channels do not have to have their channels streaming. They could encode channels. BBC has done nothing about the numerous complaints against capita which means they are exactly the same as them. BBC is obliged to seek value for money. Not what we have.

TIME TO ABOLISH THE TV LICENCE!

placebobebo · 16/01/2019 15:30

Oh OP, they're trying to make a case. They will still try to get a fine processed. Dispute it. They will try to bully you just as hard now with threats of dire consequences. Go to your CAB and see what legal advice they can give you.

joanmcc · 16/01/2019 17:06

@Jenny17 - a horrible, exploitative, over-reaching, greed-driven company acts badly, so the answer is to abolish a reliable public institution?

Fuck off back to the daily mail comments.

IcedPurple · 16/01/2019 17:14

TV licence 'inspectors' are private citizens. They do not have the right to gain entry to your home - only a police officer with a search warrant can do this. And they cerainly do not have the power to question you under caution. Are you sure this guy wasn't a huckster?

badlydrawnperson · 16/01/2019 17:16

@joanmcc

@Jenny17 - a horrible, exploitative, over-reaching, greed-driven company acts badly, so the answer is to abolish a reliable public institution?

Fuck off back to the daily mail comments

Nasty and uncalled for.

The BBC licence fee isn't the same as the BBC.

It's increasingly an anachronistic method of funding the BBC. The BBC has been involved in some spectacularly bad behaviour itself over the years - The way they distorted the editing to make the Queen look bad, the way they enabled Jimmy Saville, the way they treated Cliff Richard.

That's aside from the millions given to senior people as pay-offs and pensions - all from the fee charged to all of us.

It's an outdated funding model - and I loathe and detest and never buy the Mail.

joanmcc · 16/01/2019 17:18

@icedpurple en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_and_Criminal_Evidence_Act_1984

Such disinformation is borderline unforgivable when there's an internet at your fingertips.

Patroclus · 16/01/2019 17:32

I always pretend to be on my phone when I answer the door nowadays. Much easier to get peple to bugger off.

BlancheM · 16/01/2019 17:34

What's your point, Joan? You are very angry. Even a police officer can't just rock up to someone's home and demand entry- thanks to the PACE Act 1984 you just linked.

joanmcc · 16/01/2019 17:38

Indeed they can't, but "and they cerainly do not have the power to question you under caution." is a lie which I simply wanted to correct. Even I've had PACE training for my job, and I work very far from policing or TV Licencing.

IcedPurple · 16/01/2019 17:39

Such disinformation is borderline unforgivable when there's an internet at your fingertips.

I'm not sure what you're clutching your pearls over. TV licence inspectors can only demand entry to a property when they have a search warrent granted to them by a magistrate. So the 'inspector' would not have had any right to enter the OP's home.

joanmcc · 16/01/2019 17:40

Only quoting the true part of your post is an interesting way to defend being wrong.

badlydrawnperson · 16/01/2019 17:40

@joanmcc

From the TV Licensing site
"Enquiry officers do not have any legal powers to enter your home without a search warrant granted by a magistrate (or sheriff in Scotland). They (like other members of the public) rely on an implied right in common law to call at a property as far as the door, while going about their lawful business and making their presence known. Enquiry officers must explain to the occupier of the premises why they are visiting, be polite, courteous and fair, and abide by rules of conduct."

AlaskanOilBaron · 16/01/2019 17:41

Oh, the BBC and their TV license.

We're no longer paying it and I look forward to receiving Capita's visit. That said, I do think this might have been a scam.

Flowers OP.

IcedPurple · 16/01/2019 17:41

Indeed they can't, but "and they cerainly do not have the power to question you under caution." is a lie which I simply wanted to correct

If what I've said is wrong, it's an inaccuracy, not a 'lie'. If is indeed wrong, and am employee of a private firm has the right to question an individual under caution, I'd be genuinely interested in being corrected. However, you haven't 'corrected' anything, just posted a link to a Wiki article, which isn't terribly helpful.

BlancheM · 16/01/2019 17:41

Well they don't have the power to question you under caution.

badlydrawnperson · 16/01/2019 17:43

@joanmcc
Only quoting the true part of your post is an interesting way to defend being wrong.

So is being gratuitously nasty :)

IcedPurple · 16/01/2019 17:44

Only quoting the true part of your post is an interesting way to defend being wrong.

Did someone put salt in your coffee or what, Joan? Why so unpleasant?

Like I said, I don't care if I'm wrong. I'm very happy to be corrected - that's how you learn things. However, trying to turn this into some sort of battle isn't very constructive.

AlaskanOilBaron · 16/01/2019 17:46

Joan you are indeed coming over as very aggressive - we're only discussing the TV license.

Maybe find a Brexit thread? Wink

badlydrawnperson · 16/01/2019 17:47

Isn't the truth that you don't need any "power" to interview a person under caution? The Police are in a different situation as they have the power of arrest - the only relevance of PACE here is in relation to entry with a warrant (only) and on the rules of evidence gathering. Fairly sure RSPCA inspectors issue a verbal "caution" too - to ensure they gather relevant evidence properly - giving someone a "caution" doesn't confer any power.

IcedPurple · 16/01/2019 17:48

Well they don't have the power to question you under caution.

Of course they don't - they're employees of a private firm. And even if they did, they would have to inform you that you were under caution, which didn't happen here.

I still think this was a scam.

M3lon · 16/01/2019 17:49

OP please PLEASE don;t beat yourself up about this.

Yes we all want to be strong independent women who would never suffer a bully to get their own way. But this is the real world, and when confronted with male aggression when on your own it is perfectly natural to (and in some circumstances even desirable) to defer and to deal with the consequences once you are definitely safe.

Look at the facts. This nutter has breached the rules governing his role and is right this moment under investigation by his employer. Is standing up to men who are behaving aggressively and don't give a shit about rules ACTUALLY the right thing to do when on your own? I don't think so. I think you did do the right thing. You complied till you could get yourself safe and then did everything in your power to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.

So I for one would like to say 'well done OP - you did the right thing'.

I know it feels shit to be made to feel vulnerable, particularly in your own home, but the fault lies entirely with him and not with you. You did great.

IcedPurple · 16/01/2019 17:50

@badlydrawnperson

But what does 'caution' mean when the person has no law enforcement powers? Also, as I've said above, they would have to inform you that you were under caution before questioning you.