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Original poster

to close the door in the tv licence man's face?

80 replies

Upwind · 22/05/2009 13:07

we moved house just before our DD was born a few months ago. I remember my DH saying he would sort out the tv licence transfer, but can't be certain that he actually did, and can't reach him at work today.

We live in a flat and our buzzer rang a few minutes ago. They man had a heavy foreign accent and refused to say why he was calling, but kept repeating "just open the door".

So I didn't let him in. But one of my neighbours must have because he started knocking on our door a few minutes later. I was feeding DD and assumed it was a novice salesman or wrong address so did not hurry to let them in. He kept knocking aggressively.

When I did open the door, I felt rattled. I did not think to ask for ID and was not offered any. I told him that my DH looks after the TV licence and would sort it out. He demanded my personal details very insistently. I closed the door in his face and now suspect that was a mistake Will obviously sort out licence today... but was I unreasonable?

OP posts:
EvenBetaDad · 22/05/2009 13:41

There are websites dedicated to avoiding TV licence paying. It is a sort of low level protest group. They have the 'low down' on the detector vans. I am sure that if they really wanted they could use some kind of specilaist detection equipment but as FAQ says it is not cost effective.

I believe they used to put adverts on TV showing vans scanning people's houses as they drove down the street - that is what I meant by 'detector vans'. Apparently that really is a myth.

I have a TV licence by the way.

MummyTeacher · 22/05/2009 13:44

I remember when living in Halls at Uni, the Students Union would warn that the detector van was going around Campus (The licensing authority had to get permisson to come on to University property)
Everyone with a tv would hide their sets or "lend" them to friends living off-campus.
We were meant to have a licence for every room that had a tv, as each room was considered as a seperate dwelling.

MissSunny · 22/05/2009 13:45

Message withdrawn

Morloth · 22/05/2009 13:46

We don't have a TV licence because the stuff on TV is total crap and I refuse to pay for it. We do however have a TV (for use with DVDs, xbox etc).

It amuses me greatly that the TV licensing people just cannot seem to understand that someone might not want to watch their shit.

We had an aggressive one once, I told him to go away and to come back when his attitude was better (worth saying though that DH was home at the time, so I felt a lot safer being so snarky).

We have been inspected 5 times now, sometimes I let them in and sometimes I tell them to go away. Depends on my mood.

The whole licensing thing is utterly bizarre to me in any case.

LissyGlitter · 22/05/2009 13:47

I actually fully agree with the licence fee, and would be very happy to pay it if I had a TV because the BBC is an amazing service that we are lucky to have, it's the attitude of the tv licensing people that upsets me, like we are somehow automatically criminals just for choosing not to have a certain leisure device in our house. It's as if people were being harassed for not having a Playstation or a cd player. If people want a tv, fine, it does no harm, but accept that many people don't feel the need for a tv and get on with it!

Divvy · 22/05/2009 13:51

Are you not ment to have a tv licence for a pc now though? Or even for a radio?

onagar · 22/05/2009 13:51

Apparently you can't stop them coming round even by letting them see you have no TV since you might change your mind later. So you are put on parole with spot checks to see if you are reoffending. It doesn't sound right does it. No one has ever interviewed me to see if I have taken up shoplifting or armed robbery.

onagar · 22/05/2009 13:53

Probably need one for a PC with a TV card since that makes it into a device capable of recieving TV broadcasts.

In fact if you buy a TV card I think they may tell the TV licence people. Not 100% sure of that.

BigBellasBeerBelly · 22/05/2009 13:54

Upwind it sounds reallyt scary, I hate this sort of thing, we get it from meter readers quite a lot.

I would be very intrested to hear what they say when you call to complain - if he was real - what they say they will do about it etc.

I am sick of these bloody people (usually men) going and hammering on the doors of people at home (old/mums) and scaring the crap out of them.

And yes betadad before you jump on me I know lots of menare at home too but probably not so many of them feel quite as intimidated.

LissyGlitter · 22/05/2009 13:55

divvy Nope, only of you are watching TV as it is being broadcast. So live british tv is a no-no. A lot of my friends get round this by watching big events such as the american elections on american TV online.

Things such as BBC iplayer are a bit of a grey area. As rules stand, you are ok, as long as you stay away from the live braodcasts, but this is very likely to change soon.

Radio is free. So is the BBC website.

There is talk of people who buy pcs having to give their names and addresses in the same way as people who buy tvs, but IMO this is unfair.

Morloth · 22/05/2009 13:55

Don't think so Divvy, you are not permitted to livestream from UK TV sites without one, but I don't do that anyway. Don't know about the radio, once again am yet to find a station that doesn't bore me to tears so haven't listened for years.

As a foreigner, it just gives me the giggles how seriously it is taken. Am trying to imagine the reaction of the Australian public if someone suggested a TV licence.

MummyTeacher · 22/05/2009 13:56

Morloth, it's my understanding that it doesn't matter if you don't actually watch the tv. If you have one capable of receiving a tv signal, then you need a licence.

I agree with LissyGlitter that the fee is actually good value for money (I'd pay £142.50 a year just for the Cbeebies channel!) but I do think more and more people will use the internet and iPlayer to watch tv than a conventional tv set.

Saltire · 22/05/2009 13:57

What I would like to know though is - what if you don't have a tv, but you have an internet connected pc and watch things through Iplayer, or any of the other watch-it again websites, then they can't make you have a tv licence surely?

We got a letter last year (having been in this house for a year, but it came redirected) telling me that Tesco in Dundee had notified tv licenceing that I had bought a digibox from them in - wait for it - 2005,and they had no record of a tv licence at the address (my old one).

Divvy · 22/05/2009 13:59

Yes I was thinking of iplayer and the such.

EvenBetaDad · 22/05/2009 14:00

Onagar - yes it is the capability of receiving a TV signal that is liecenced and a lot of PCs have TV cards in them which people do not know they have.

BigBellas - I was not going to jump on you. It is frightening for women and old people. I object to them banging on the door when I am in and have paid for the licence months ago. In fact I object to the TV licence in principle but just buy it for a quiet life.

frasersmummy · 22/05/2009 14:00

If you buy anything that can receive tv signal the shop will pass your details to tv licencing.

The tv licence people however dont seem to have a very sophisticated system

so if like dh and myself you arent actually married and you buy the equipment in your own name you can get harrassed stupid.

We kept calling them and they kept saying yes we know there is a licence at that address - no we dont know why you are getting threatening letters and visits

so top tip when buying tv equipment give the name of the person on the licence ..

and no dont let them in without ID

onagar · 22/05/2009 14:00

A very long time ago I opened the door to one of them and told him I didn't have a TV set. He accepted that and left, but what made it funny was that the theme tune of coronation st was blaring out as I was saying it

I DID buy a licence. I'd only just moved in.

Morloth · 22/05/2009 14:04

MummyTeacher DH muttered something about not tuning it to receive or something, and it is on the other side of the room from the wall plug thingy.

It has turned into quite an amusing little game between us and the licensing people TBH, wouldn't change it now anyway

It is entirely possible I need to get out more!

janinlondon · 22/05/2009 14:06

Morloth you are showing your youthfulness. We used to have tv licences in Oz. Many many years ago. Funded the ABC.

FAQinglovely · 22/05/2009 14:06

"I am sure that if they really wanted they could use some kind of specilaist detection equipment but as FAQ says it is not cost effective."

No they DO use this equipment - have done for years - but it's rarely used. Much more common is a delayed answer to a knock at the door, the TVL man being let in and told "see we don't have a TV" - with a TV sized area of dust on a cabinet in the corner and wires down the back of it where they've hurridly "hidden" the TV but forgotten to clean up around where it was sat

Morloth · 22/05/2009 14:08

Did we janinlondon? Didn't know that, I learn something new everyday! Still can't imagine it going down well if reintroducing was suggested, I think people would vote to drop the ABC first.

LissyGlitter · 22/05/2009 14:08

My housemate got a tv for playing games on, and emailed the tv licensing people for confirmation of the rules. They said it was fine as long as it wasn't plugged into an aerial. Obviously she printed out and kept the email!

willowthewispa · 22/05/2009 14:10

DON'T LET THEM IN!

We don't have a TV, and they still hassle us

Kimi · 22/05/2009 14:21

I think you are allowed to shoot these people wiothout being called unreasonable TBH

womma · 22/05/2009 14:23

How upsetting for you having someone harass you like that while you're at home with your baby.

Last week I was at home in the kitchen cooking something at the stove, I looked up to see a man watching me through the window (I live in a block of flats so he was on the walkway outside, not in my garden which would have been really creepy)he was one of those EDF meter readers and then he knocked on the door and asked to read the meter! I felt really intruded upon and a bit creeped out by him, looking at me through the window, disgusting! When I'm home on my own with the baby, I'm not really that comfortable letting a strange man in, regardless of whether he's got ID - how do I know if it's real or not? I've now switched from EDF, partly because I don't want these guys coming round.

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