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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

In halls just 2 weeks and DS has letter from TV licensing

24 replies

Rapunzeleyebrows · 30/09/2019 17:42

Middle DS started uni a couple of weeks ago, he’s in halls and today received a letter from TV Licensing informing him that he (the legal occupier) is now under investigation for not having a TV license.

The letter states that they have written before and since they have had no response (presumably because the halls are empty over the summer) they will be opening an investigation. He doesn’t have a TV in his room and really this is not what he needs only two weeks in. He has emailed them to let them know he has just moved in and he has not got a TV. The letter says that even if he informs them he hasn’t got a TV they may still visit. Has anyone else experienced this?

OP posts:

ItchySeveredFoot · 30/09/2019 17:44

They send me letters every 3 weeks. I don't need a license. They never visit. If they do I'm not required to let them in. Just ignore them.

ssd · 30/09/2019 17:44

Is it worth phoning them to see if its genuine?

8by8 · 30/09/2019 17:45

Yeah they’re incredibly aggressive and annoying.

Best approach is stay calm, whenever they contact him respond that he moved in on x date, has never had a TV at this address and does not need a licence, and they are welcome to visit.

I think I had about twenty increasingly threatening letters from them at one address before they actually updated their systems and stopped bothering me.

Trewser · 30/09/2019 17:45

Someone posted the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago. Are you sure its genuine?

Peony99 · 30/09/2019 17:47

Does he watch catch up TV online?

If so, he might need a license whether or not he has an actual telly.

Dljlr · 30/09/2019 17:47

They spent 7 years writing monthly letters to the non-existent 'flat 7' in my building saying they 'knew' that 'they' were watching TV without a licence. They also chased me because I'd bought the TV and bf had bought the licence and they couldn't comprehend unmarried cohabiting couples existing. They're fucking idiots and never actually came to the building in all that time. Tell him to ignore.

JoObrien7 · 30/09/2019 17:49

My daughter had to have a tv license but because she only used tv for part of the year they will send a refund to you.

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/cs/media-centre/news/view.app?id=1369782979800

Madcatperon · 30/09/2019 17:51

We had this with our DS and discovered that there is a loophole for students in halls. Below is taken from the TV Licensing website.

"university halls communal licence won’t cover your room. But you may be covered by your parents’ licence. If you think you are, please check that all of the following are true before telling us you don’t need one:
Your out-of-term address (parents’ address) is covered by a TV Licence
AND you only use TV receiving equipment that is powered solely by its own internal batteries
AND you have not connected it to an aerial or plugged it into the mains."

ffswhatnext · 30/09/2019 17:53

I get them every single month. Have done so for years. They never show up and even if they did you don’t have to speak to them. You don’t have to give your name. You don’t have to let them in.

You only need a license if you watch live tv.

Shannith · 30/09/2019 17:53

They always used to target student hall of residents - multiple rooms, mostly all with a TV - back in the day!

If they ever sent a van round the whole hall would go into lockdown with TVs hidden in showers/wardrobes

We never let them in so never got caught. Law abiding citizen now of course.

Out of interest have they ever fined anyone for using iPlayer without a licence? Can't see how they would prove it if you don't give them your device?

SarahTancredi · 30/09/2019 17:53

When dp and I moved into our first flat ( from a shared house so no separate license needed there either) we moved in to a letter on the floor from the TV licensing company...

It had been empty and on agency books for a while when we moved in. It also must have been posted before moved in as it was there for the day.

We ignored. No one ever showed up.

AChickenCalledDaal · 30/09/2019 17:57

If he and you are confident that he's legal, and he's told them he has no TV, just ignore. It's horrible that they are targeting halls of residence at the beginning of a new academic year.

Original poster

Rapunzeleyebrows · 30/09/2019 18:20

Definitely no TV in his room, if he wants to watch something he goes into the communal area. He doesn’t go on I-player so all completely legal. Just not great for him when he’s trying to settle in to uni life.

OP posts:

smartcarnotsosmartdriver · 30/09/2019 18:27

I've been followed around by letter from the tv licensing people for years, firstly when I was a student and more recently when DH took 3 YEARS to move the address on the tv licence he was paying for. They've never visited they've never fined. He's declared he doesn't need one tell him to ignore any further letters. Also if they do come round you don't need to let them in.

ChildminderMum · 30/09/2019 18:31

Ignore the letters. I get one every couple of months and have done for the past three years - first 'we have started an investigation' then the letters turn red, then they say they have made an appointment to visit, then nothing happens and they go back to the first letter and run through the cycle again.

They are just hoping the letters look official/intimidating enough that people buy a licence even if they don't need them. Informing them you don't have a TV will make no difference.

Pipandmum · 30/09/2019 18:32

These letters are sent any time a tv is delivered or address/occupier changed. As he has informed them that is enough.
I’m surprised you have never had a letter yourself.

MouthyHarpy · 30/09/2019 19:08

If he watches live to air television through his computer or tablet or phone, he’ll need to have a licence. University residence halls are usually pretty clear about this.

ivykaty44 · 30/09/2019 19:13

Yes I’ve had this. I wrote a letter withdrawing rights of access and they wrote back stating they’d catch me another way... err no they won’t as I don’t have a tv 📺

Withdrawing rights of access means they can’t now call at property legat

italianfiat · 30/09/2019 19:16

The letter states that they have written before and since they have had no response (presumably because the halls are empty over the summer) they will be opening an investigation.

So the letter wasn't specifically for DS?

Just ignore

ivykaty44 · 30/09/2019 19:20

@Peony99 you only need a licence to watch live tv or catch up for bbc - other channels catch up is fine to watch

For the tv licence people these new generations are a nightmare as they often don’t have a tv and when they do watch stuff it’s netflux etc, which they don’t need a licence for - so the money from licensing is dropping steadily and will continue to do so

CaptainKirksSpikeyGhost · 30/09/2019 19:23

the money from licensing is dropping steadily and will continue to do so

And a lot of people will cheer!!!!!

SnuggyBuggy · 30/09/2019 19:25

I got this all the time in my first year and just ignored them, no amount of phoning or emailing stops them. The inspectors once showed up on campus but were escorted off by security.

OnGoldenPond · 30/09/2019 22:05

A couple of years ago we re-registered part of our garden as a separate land title on Land Registry. So basically a section of lawn separated off with a fence.

Within days we had a letter from TV licensing at the plot address stating they had "information" that we were watching TV without a licence at the address and needed to buy a licence immediately to avoid "further action". Letter delivered to our house by a postman completely confused at what to do with a letter addressed to a patch of grass.

Wonder where they thought the TV was - under a bush?

silverliningsa · 30/09/2019 22:09

They seemed to send these out like spam when I was at uni. We all just ignored them, no one ever turned up. I think they literally sent them to every flat just to scare anyone who happened to have a tv with no license. I actually had a tv and a license and I still got one!

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