Student in halls - TV licence threatening letter

[aei22]

DS is a first year in uni halls on campus. His flat contains 5 study bedrooms and a communal room (the room is a kitchen/diner/lounge all in one type thing). The communal room has a TV, and the TV has a sticker on it saying that it's licensed. Presumably the uni has licensed it.

DS doesn't even watch the TV in the communal room. He doesn't have a TV in his room, but does have a laptop and ipad. He doesn't watch any TV or iplayer on them anyway, mainly watches YouTube.

Anyway, he received a letter about a TV licence back in September saying that his room isn't licensed. The only options on the letter were to pay for the licence - there was no option to say one wasn't needed. He then received a threatening letter in a red envelope saying that an investigation had been opened into his room and that ignoring the letter could lead to prosecution and their conviction rate stands at 93%. Again, the only options were to buy a license - no option to say that he didn't need it.

Both letters are addressed to "the occupant", so they don't know his name. All the other 4 in his flat received the same letters addressed to "the occupant".

Should he completely ignore this? I find it disgraceful that they are trying to frighten 18yo students in halls into paying for a licence that they don't need or use. They don't know his name, he isn't watching TV illegally anyway and I imagine that they send thousands of these letters every year to students. I don't really want him to reply and give his name - I don't even know how he would reply as there is no email address or postal address to actually write to - all they want you to do is buy a licence you don't need!

Ignore it.

Go online and say you dont need a license. They are threatening letters to make you pay. Check out chilijoncarne on youtube

This was standard many years ago when I aaa at uni. We all just ignored it. I doubt they can prove it’s him.

Thanks all, seems like ignoring it is the best option - chilijoncarne suggests that if you go online to say you don't need one, it can trigger a visit.

It's intimidation. He should ignore it because for a prosecution they would have to prove he's using something. If he's not then they clearly can't prove he is.

They just take a punt and send these to everyone, you just ignore them and if the licence inspector turns up, show them that you're not watching live TV in your room. It's a shakedown targeting young naive people on a low income who might just pay up for a quiet life, and these skeevy tactics are the main reason I don't hold a very high opinion of the concept of a TV licence.
You can also inform them online that you'd like them to leave you alone here (they still might send someone to inspect because they're like that): https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence

Sorry I don't know why I wrote "you" instead of "your DS" throughout that post. 🤦‍♀️

We just ignored these

Ignore it. I don't have a TV and get these letters all the time. They get increasingly hysterical and threatening and then the cycle starts again. I object to having to inform TVL that I'm not breaking the law.

1. So if he watches live TV or iPlayer, it's going to be in the communal area (even if on his laptop).
2. They can't see which room anybody's in.
3. Most student halls are incredibly secure. So if one actually managed to turn up and ring the bell, they wouldn't get in anyhow. If they're not let in, they can't intimidate 18 year olds with threats of prison.
4. TV Licensing can therefore go fuck itself.

There really should be an exemption for student flats/halls like this. Ridiculous that if they all occasionally watched iPlayer in their rooms that they'd in theory end up with 6 TV licences for a 5-bedroom flat!