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License Fee threatening a home visit - should I be worried

27 replies

summergal250 · 19/08/2022 00:16

So I stupidly ignored the license fee letters, sending them back unopened marked with 'RTS - I don't watch TV' (which is true).

The other day I then received a red envelope - inside is a letter from the TV licensing people stating that they have started an investigation and may be visiting. Reading the letter I realised there's a website you can go to to say you don't watch TV, so I've put my details on that, but not sure what's going to happen now.

By a visit, do they mean someone actually coming to my house? In my old student days they used to drive around student areas with a van fixed with an antenna/satellite hoping to nab some none-payers.

There is actually a TV in the house, however it was gift and I never use it. I also don't watch BBC on my laptop either.

OP posts:
MoistBandana · 19/08/2022 00:33

I've had 4 of those letters in the last year.
They've all been thrown in the bin.

They use the red envelope to scare you, they have no more threat than if I sent you a postcard from Blackpool telling you I'll fine you if you don't send me a fiver for a stick of rock.

Here's how to deal with the licensing people:

Bin the letters.
Don't contact them in any way shape or form.
If they visit, ask them to identify themselves and then close the door.

THEY HAVE NO LEGAL RIGHT TO ENTER YOUR PROPERTY..

the only time they have a legal right to enter your property is if they have a warrant. To get a warrant they have to have evidence your watching TV. They can't get that evidence of they're not allowed in. Of they trespass and look through a window, that's not admissible because it was obtained illegally.

For more info:
www.tvlicenceresistance.info/forum/index.php?topic=16300.0

TV licensing agents are salespeople, little more.

Go to you tube, search for TV License Goons.

Also
m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DXnKLhY41PGE&ved=2ahUKEwju9YTmxdH5AhV-QkEAHbdOBp4QwqsBegQIAxAF&usg=AOvVaw1rx6dftKd4JnLENduWpltR

You.may have as many TVs as you want.
You can watch Netflix, YouTube, it on demand, channel 4 catch up etc etc.

As long as you don't watch live broadcast TV or iPlayer, you don't need a license.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 19/08/2022 00:34

Just ignore the letter completely and stop communicating with them. If someone turns up at your door, demand they ID themselves, and if they are from Capita simply close the door on them and ask them to leave. You are under no obligation whatsoever to interact with them in any way, and they have no powers to compel you to do anything at all. Do not let them into your home, do not engage them in conversation.

There is not, and never has been any such thing as a 'TV detector van', at least, not in the sense that these vans contain equipment that can detect unlicensed TV use. The vans existed, but they were a propaganda exercise intended to sow fear, doubt, and generate compliance.

All of these letters are simple routine mailshots. I receive one per month. They work on a cycle of a 'gentle reminder', followed by an assertion that your property is currently 'unlicensed' and that you are likely breaking the law, then a warning that investigations have begun, then finally an intentionally threatening looking letter telling you they will visit. All of it is hot air. Ignore them and the cycle just begins over. It's clear from the fact that the letters are never addressed to a specific individual that they are an elementary fishing exercise.

The fact you own a TV and a laptop is irrelevant. The language in the TV licensing act is quite equivocal. You require a TV license if you watch, or intend to watch live TV. All means of delivery of live TV in the UK include BBC by default. If you do not watch live TV, and have no intention of watching live TV, you do not require a licence. Owning equipment or a TV aerial point, or internet capability is inconsequential.

Just stop interacting with them entirely and ignore their baseless threats.

MbatataOwl · 19/08/2022 00:34

I've had those letters for years. I just ignore them.

1vandal2 · 19/08/2022 00:36

I get the letters but i have a licence soo I'm not going to waste my time sorting out their incompetence

MuffinMcLayLikeABundleOfHay · 19/08/2022 00:40

My mum bought a house just before the pandemic and as a result she never moved into it. It was completely empty and she got absolutely loads of TV licence threatening letters telling her that she knew she was watching the TV. They had proof etc.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 19/08/2022 00:47

Oh, and FWIW OP, I'm on about my 7th cycle of 'we will be visiting on X date' letters, and I've seen dozens of 'will you be in on X date?' letters as well, and I'm yet to receive any sort of visit. They have a literal handful of officers covering a huge geographical area, so I wouldn't spend any time worrying about a targeted visit. They don't have the time, manpower, or means to work that efficiently.

Caterina99 · 19/08/2022 00:47

Same. We were delayed moving into our house due to covid and it was empty (and pretty much a building site) for a year. Got loads of tv license letters!

mojokoloko · 19/08/2022 01:09

I get those to my building site too. There's no floor, never mind no tv.

FixitJesus · 19/08/2022 01:11

We've had loads of them (that all go in the bin).

Nobody has ever been round once. It's absolute nonsense.

theniceunderstandingone · 19/08/2022 01:19

Wow I didn't know all this. I seriously thought they could do something.

I don't watch to either, I read instead. My son watches Nickelodeon.

Thanks to this post I can breathe a sigh of relief

BarryBantam · 19/08/2022 01:29

I did actually have someone come round to my house multiple times around about 15 years ago, after I paid for a video player in Argos and then straightaway changed my mind. I hadn't even left the shop! But there was a paragraph on the receipt that said Argos had to inform the TV licensing that I'd bought something capable of recording live TV. Which they must have done because this guy came loads. He even looked through the window presumably to see if there was a TV. (There wasn't, but I didn't let him in because I could have got the iPlayer on my computer.)

So they do visit, but I think only if something sets them off. Just don't let them in though. He stopped coming eventually.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 19/08/2022 02:24

theniceunderstandingone · 19/08/2022 01:19

Wow I didn't know all this. I seriously thought they could do something.

I don't watch to either, I read instead. My son watches Nickelodeon.

Thanks to this post I can breathe a sigh of relief

They are entirely reliant on misinformation, misunderstanding, naive ignorance, and people 'assuming' things in order to have us pay the license fee. It's all they have because they are no different to any other company in that they can not compel you to purchase their product.

Capita employees have no legal powers above and beyond those of an ordinary citizen in the street. They can not demand entry to your property, they have no powers to compel you to produce a TV license, they can not compel you to answer your front door, and you are under no obligation to entertain them in any way should they appear at your property.

The only way they can gain entry is if they turn up with a warrant, but in order to have a warrant granted they would need to prove to your local magistrate/sheriff that they had grounds to believe you were watching TV without a license. Simply turning up in court and stating a belief that you are would get them nowhere, so they require significant corroborating evidence, and on the rare occasions where warrants are issued, it's invariably because the home occupier themselves has provided some sort of evidence.

Do not engage with them, do not reply to their correspondence, do not let them into your home, and there isn't a damned thing they can do. Their letters are intended to sail as closely as they can to the boundary of appearing intimidating without constituting harassment, but if you know what to look for it soon becomes apparent that they are nothing more than blanket fishing attempts with no consequences for those who see through Capita's shithouse tactics and ignore them.

It's also a complete and utter myth that prisons are full of women who are 'in prison for non-payment of TV licence', but understandably there is no will to have this put to bed either as it just serves to further that fear of being 'caught' and causes people to pay for a license they quite possibly do not need. Non-payment of TV license does not carry a prison sentence. You can not be jailed for watching TV without a license. At worst, you will be handed a fine. In some parts of the UK this is frequently as little as £40-£70, despite the dire warnings of 'up to £1000'. Even then, it is literally a handful of fines handed out in any given year, so evidence suggests that Capita themselves don't really make any serious effort to catch 'lawbreakers'.

What is a criminal offence is non-payment of the fine. This is how the myth arises. Women who are going to prison for other offences in any case, often have an outstanding charge for non-payment of fine. Their legal representative will ask for this to be taken into consideration, so the magistrate/sheriff hands down a token sentence for it to be served concurrently. The women are going to prison in nay case, so this wipes the non-payment fine from their record and the punishment is served alongside their 'legitimate' sentence, so arises this myth that the UK 'jails women for non-payment of TV license'. It's a total misrepresentation of the truth.

summergal250 · 19/08/2022 13:19

thanks for these.
Why anyone one would pay for the BBC's propaganda I don't know.
Makes me feel dumb now for putting my details on their website.

Anyway I'm leaving here soon so they can hassle the next person.

OP posts:
Oakabella · 19/08/2022 13:27

Don't feel like an idiot. That's what they hope will happen. For everyone else upset by the scaremongering letters and tempted to take the bait, please read the advise above, all spot on. Also there's a guy on YouTube that has done lots of brilliant videos answering all these questions and basically ripping the whole TV licence scam to pieces! YouTube channel is ChilliJonCarne. Entertaining too!

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 19/08/2022 13:29

OP its not just watching BBC, if you watch any live tv you need to pay for the licence. If you only watching catch up/streaming yoi dont need one

BeastOfBODMAS · 19/08/2022 13:30

I’ve never had a visit and I’ve never had or needed a TV licence. Why would I buy a product because a company sends me threatening letters? There are plenty of other entertainment media to choose from that don’t threaten people.

absolutelyanythingwilldo · 19/08/2022 14:02

The rules are you need a licence if you watch any live TV or iPlayer. If you do neither of those, you don't need a licence and can safely ignore the letters and close the door if they come knocking.

It's incredible really that this country thinks it's good to privatise the essential services like water and railways, but horror of horrors if anyone suggests selling off the state media company. Totally backwards.

ivykaty44 · 20/08/2022 04:18

I wrote to them and withdrew rights if access
they write back once after that and I never heard from them again

Onceuponatimeinalandfaraway · 23/08/2022 23:11

I haven’t had a tv license in 15 years. Fill in the form every time it’s due, occasionally they send an inspector, show him tv doesn’t have channels tuned in (I’ve noting to hide, I’m not lying about not watching tv so no reason to refuse to let them do their job or be rude) and they leave me alone for a few more years. People move in and out of properties so the letters always come address to “the occupier” and then I get an email asking if I’m still exempt. A new tv triggered the last check on me. They now confirm you don’t watch iplayer either as that’s a no no now too.

no need to refuse them entry or be rude if the truth is you don’t watch live tv or iplayer. The license fee should be scrapped, I suspect it will be at some point. Until then these people have a job to do, better they’re working than claiming unemployment benefits too. Why should they tolerate rudeness, abuse and people making their job harder just for the sake of five minutes inconvenience to prove you’re not a liar ? They don’t make the rules. Hassle your mp about getting rid of the license instead of hassling they people merely doing their job.

FiveDollarMilkshake · 23/08/2022 23:30

Honestly they should be fined for intimidation. Fuck them and their licence fee.

they rely on people being scared and worried about ignoring these, don’t let them

DoNotWorryBeHappy · 27/08/2022 11:53

1991, TV licence guy knocked on my door. I opened the lounge window to speak to him as front door was hard to open.
"I've come to see your TV licence"
"no, it's OK, I don't need one"
"everyone must have a TV licence"
"no, no... I don't need one"
"it's against the law not to have one"
"no I don't need a licence, I don't have a TV"
"everyone has a TV, everyone needs a licence"
"I don't need a licence, I DON'T HAVE A TV"
(He peers past me into the lounge, symmetrical layout, sofas face each other, no TV...)
"you haven't got a TV..."
"I know!"
Had to continue returning TV licence demand correspondence with 'still haven't got a tv...'

R0BERTA · 06/02/2023 13:44

summergal250 · 19/08/2022 00:16

So I stupidly ignored the license fee letters, sending them back unopened marked with 'RTS - I don't watch TV' (which is true).

The other day I then received a red envelope - inside is a letter from the TV licensing people stating that they have started an investigation and may be visiting. Reading the letter I realised there's a website you can go to to say you don't watch TV, so I've put my details on that, but not sure what's going to happen now.

By a visit, do they mean someone actually coming to my house? In my old student days they used to drive around student areas with a van fixed with an antenna/satellite hoping to nab some none-payers.

There is actually a TV in the house, however it was gift and I never use it. I also don't watch BBC on my laptop either.

Ignoring them is (IMO) clever, not stupid. It's what I've been doing, for over a decade.

As for sending them back RTS, why bother?

They'll just get binned, and you'll have put in all the effort for nothing.

R0BERTA · 06/02/2023 13:45

"Had to continue returning TV licence demand correspondence with 'still haven't got a tv...'"

You didn't have to do anything of the sort.

R0BERTA · 09/02/2023 09:51

@XDownwiththissortofthingX "and if they are from Capita simply close the door on them and ask them to leave."

Don't ask them to leave. TELL them to leave.

It's your home, and you are entitled to decide who stays and who leaves.

Ariela · 09/02/2023 10:58

My father was hassled for years re a licence for an empty property (you could see it was empty, too). The mad thing was he was over 75 -= no licence needed at the time due to age. They kept agreeing no licence was OK< then a year later they started up again.