A TV License "enforcement officer" is coming to see me..
24 August 2011, 09:46 PM
#31
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Just buy a licence.
You've admitted to watching Top Gear and BBC documentaries. You might watch them on Sky but the fairies didn't pay to make the programmes!
Steve
You've admitted to watching Top Gear and BBC documentaries. You might watch them on Sky but the fairies didn't pay to make the programmes!
Steve
24 August 2011, 09:48 PM
#32
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24 August 2011, 09:50 PM
#33
I'm kinda with the OP on this one. You should be able to refuse to pay for a TV licence but in doing so not be able to receive BBC channels, similar to the way sky/VM/bt vision etc do with their packages.
The technology is there to do it.
Last edited by BLU; 24 August 2011 at 10:26 PM.
24 August 2011, 09:54 PM
#34
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From experiance ...
And ignore the rest of the stuff on here,
You dont even need to be in the house / or at home, all they need to do is identify you
The first thing he or she will do, is ask the loaded question right from the off.
Without this opening statement, they cant go anywhere.
The statment is along the lines of.
Can you produce a current tv licence for the address you live at.
Answer "Yes", and he/ she will look at the licence be happy and go on there way.
Answer "No", and the next line is ..."Under the wireless telegraphy act 19xxx i am cautioning you for not being able to produce a television licence when requested by xxx "
Your then under caution, anything you say from that point on is then is recorded.
Then comes some cleverly loaded questions.. that have only two ways to answer. ie yes or no.
"Would it be fair to say you have watched television broadcasts without a licence"....
"Have you attempted to obtain a television licence"...
They then give you a scale on the quality of the broadcasts recieved. (as if getting a crap picture to a high def makes sod all difference
And you dont have to have the TV on to get caught.
Anything with a tv tuner in will fall foul of the licencing laws.
TV, Video recorder, TVcard in a pc, freeview box, Sky systems as well.
They look for the harmonic frequencies given off by recieving equipment,
Anyway back to my caution....
They then ask if theres anything you'd like to add to the statement.
BTW nothing was writen down
"Mitigating circumstances"
Them: "Why cant you produce a tv licence"......
Me: "Because its with you"
Them: "What do you mean its with you"
Me: "Exactly that...
Them: "Why is it with us"
Me: "I went to the post office with the form YOU sent stating i could licence my tv without penalty before xx date"
Them: "Yes, so where is the licence"
Me: "Well prhaps you should actually talk to the post office, before sending letters out stating it could be done at the post office"
Them: "It can be done at the post office"
Me: "No, it cant be done at the post office if the licence is more than 6 months past its due date, they refused to take it, and stated it had to be sent back to YOU"
Them:" So where is the licence."
Me: "With you, being renewed"
Them: "Thank you".
Them: We will now report thefindings back to our superiors who will make a decision on whether to prosecute or not.
Me: "Prosecute for what"
Them: Not having a valid Tv Licence:
Me: "But i have"
Them: "But you cant produce it"
Me: Only because you've got it. If you'd hurry up and send it back, i wouldnt be having this conversation.
They then left....
Next morning on the mat.....first class....The tv licence
And 2 weeks later, a letter stating the case would go no further.
Mart
And ignore the rest of the stuff on here,
You dont even need to be in the house / or at home, all they need to do is identify you
The first thing he or she will do, is ask the loaded question right from the off.
Without this opening statement, they cant go anywhere.
The statment is along the lines of.
Can you produce a current tv licence for the address you live at.
Answer "Yes", and he/ she will look at the licence be happy and go on there way.
Answer "No", and the next line is ..."Under the wireless telegraphy act 19xxx i am cautioning you for not being able to produce a television licence when requested by xxx "
Your then under caution, anything you say from that point on is then is recorded.
Then comes some cleverly loaded questions.. that have only two ways to answer. ie yes or no.
"Would it be fair to say you have watched television broadcasts without a licence"....
"Have you attempted to obtain a television licence"...
They then give you a scale on the quality of the broadcasts recieved. (as if getting a crap picture to a high def makes sod all difference
And you dont have to have the TV on to get caught.
Anything with a tv tuner in will fall foul of the licencing laws.
TV, Video recorder, TVcard in a pc, freeview box, Sky systems as well.
They look for the harmonic frequencies given off by recieving equipment,
Anyway back to my caution....
They then ask if theres anything you'd like to add to the statement.
BTW nothing was writen down
"Mitigating circumstances"
Them: "Why cant you produce a tv licence"......
Me: "Because its with you"
Them: "What do you mean its with you"
Me: "Exactly that...
Them: "Why is it with us"
Me: "I went to the post office with the form YOU sent stating i could licence my tv without penalty before xx date"
Them: "Yes, so where is the licence"
Me: "Well prhaps you should actually talk to the post office, before sending letters out stating it could be done at the post office"
Them: "It can be done at the post office"
Me: "No, it cant be done at the post office if the licence is more than 6 months past its due date, they refused to take it, and stated it had to be sent back to YOU"
Them:" So where is the licence."
Me: "With you, being renewed"
Them: "Thank you".
Them: We will now report thefindings back to our superiors who will make a decision on whether to prosecute or not.
Me: "Prosecute for what"
Them: Not having a valid Tv Licence:
Me: "But i have"
Them: "But you cant produce it"
Me: Only because you've got it. If you'd hurry up and send it back, i wouldnt be having this conversation.
They then left....
Next morning on the mat.....first class....The tv licence
And 2 weeks later, a letter stating the case would go no further.
Mart
24 August 2011, 10:00 PM
#36
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Well Done Jamz3k stick to your guns, in fact in support of your declaration I will be cancelling my car insurance tomorrow (who needs it it's just wasted money) and I shall instruct my employer to stop paying my NI and Tax, in fact next time I pop to ASDA I am going to tell them to shove their 20% VAT after all I don't have to pay it do I.......
24 August 2011, 10:05 PM
#37
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I got away with it for ten years + , but i watched tv on a computer , wasnt on the 'roll and lived on boat 1/2 mile ( essentially ) off the coast ( in a marina)
Now i pay
Now i pay
24 August 2011, 10:13 PM
#39
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There will be loopholes there always are, they have to prove your watching tv, as long as you dont have an ariel then you can have to tv as a dvd player monitor etc, but they will sit with the van near yours checkign then eventually catch you watching and boom your in trouble.
Personally i think everybody should say we are not paying.
Look at it this way, years ago we needed BBC, now we have sky and dont need BBC let them close down who cares and we all wach sky instead.
Personally i think everybody should say we are not paying.
Look at it this way, years ago we needed BBC, now we have sky and dont need BBC let them close down who cares and we all wach sky instead.
24 August 2011, 10:18 PM
#40
The question the OP needs to ask himself is "how worthwhile watching does he think anything would be on Sky or any of the other commercial channels, if the Beeb wasn't there to act as a base-line to compete against".
That said, if he can prove to us his Sky box has all the BBC channels disabled, that neither he or anyone else in his house ever watches or listens to anything on iPlayer, and never listen to a single minute of public-funded radio at home, in the car or on any portable radio or music player elsewhere (remembering of course that a cheaper 'black and white' licence is enough just for radio), then fair play to him.
That said, if he can prove to us his Sky box has all the BBC channels disabled, that neither he or anyone else in his house ever watches or listens to anything on iPlayer, and never listen to a single minute of public-funded radio at home, in the car or on any portable radio or music player elsewhere (remembering of course that a cheaper 'black and white' licence is enough just for radio), then fair play to him.
24 August 2011, 11:35 PM
#44
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I dont pay for one, but then no one in this house watches live broadcasts, it's either streamed from the NAS or watched online via on iplayer, 4OD etc
Still get a letter at least every month telling me they are getting the Army on me or some other threat.
Just close the door in their face, their caution is worthless even if you let them get that far.
Oh and the detector vans do not and have never existed.
Still get a letter at least every month telling me they are getting the Army on me or some other threat.
Just close the door in their face, their caution is worthless even if you let them get that far.
Oh and the detector vans do not and have never existed.
24 August 2011, 11:51 PM
#46
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I dont pay for one, but then no one in this house watches live broadcasts, it's either streamed from the NAS or watched online via on iplayer, 4OD etc
Still get a letter at least every month telling me they are getting the Army on me or some other threat.
Just close the door in their face, their caution is worthless even if you let them get that far.
Oh and the detector vans do not and have never existed.
Still get a letter at least every month telling me they are getting the Army on me or some other threat.
Just close the door in their face, their caution is worthless even if you let them get that far.
Oh and the detector vans do not and have never existed.
25 August 2011, 12:04 AM
#47
Last edited by markjmd; 25 August 2011 at 12:24 AM. Reason: I stand corrected, read the link in haste the first time round
25 August 2011, 12:20 AM
#49
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Many TV channels are now available to watch over the internet. If you’re watching programmes on a computer or laptop as they're being shown on TV, then you need a TV Licence. However, you don’t need to be covered by a licence if you’re only using ‘on-demand’ services to watch programmes after they have been shown on TV. So, you need a licence to watch any channel live online, but you wouldn’t need one to use BBC iPlayer to catch up on an episode of a programme you missed, for example.
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-i...chnology-top8/
25 August 2011, 05:53 AM
#50
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When i lived in my flat, with locked communal entrance and no access 
i really took the ****.
I have seen pretty much every single letter they send out, you can usually go around 8 months or so before they actually send somebody out, they might send a letter claiming that somebody is onroute, but nobody ever turns up
I have seen the same person, according to the blatantly fake letters, become the head of several departments, it was always exciting when we got a new letter, something i had never seen before.
We came home from a day out and checked the communal postbox outside, oooooooooo!! a handwritten note from an enforcement chap, telling us he had called around
Ok, lets go online and buy a licence
Then that expired, and the cycle continued the last time we got around to buying a licence, the missus did something wrong with the payment, and she ended up paying for the previous 6 months we had let lapse, which was quite funny tbh.
Dont think we can play the same shenanigans in the house now though, it was fun while it lasted (and saved a few hundred quid )
i really took the ****.I have seen pretty much every single letter they send out, you can usually go around 8 months or so before they actually send somebody out, they might send a letter claiming that somebody is onroute, but nobody ever turns up
I have seen the same person, according to the blatantly fake letters, become the head of several departments, it was always exciting when we got a new letter, something i had never seen before.
We came home from a day out and checked the communal postbox outside, oooooooooo!! a handwritten note from an enforcement chap, telling us he had called around
Ok, lets go online and buy a licence
Then that expired, and the cycle continued
the last time we got around to buying a licence, the missus did something wrong with the payment, and she ended up paying for the previous 6 months we had let lapse, which was quite funny tbh.Dont think we can play the same shenanigans in the house now though, it was fun while it lasted (and saved a few hundred quid
)
25 August 2011, 06:00 AM
#51
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25 August 2011, 06:47 AM
#52
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A whole lot of bollocks writen on this thread. The only bit relevant is re the non live broadcasts. I haven't had a tv licence for over 5 years. I no longer watch (or record) live tv broadcasts so don't require a licence. All the crap spouted about if you have a tv etc means you have to have a licence is exactly that, crap! I have two tvs at home, one I use for my ps3 and one in the kids room for dvds when they are visiting.
Had all the letters etc which you can basically ignore. Even had a visit or two from them. They actually managed to knock on the door when i was at home once. Let the bloke in and informed him i don't watch or record live broadcasts and sent him on his way. The letters etc stopped for a bit and then the next yearly cycle started so off we go again. Letters go straight in the bin.
A few points to note. The administration of the tv licence is done by a private company and not the bbc or government. They get paid a large percentage per licence hence why you get hounded. They do not posses detector equipment, just a list of adresses with or without licences.
Had all the letters etc which you can basically ignore. Even had a visit or two from them. They actually managed to knock on the door when i was at home once. Let the bloke in and informed him i don't watch or record live broadcasts and sent him on his way. The letters etc stopped for a bit and then the next yearly cycle started so off we go again. Letters go straight in the bin.
A few points to note. The administration of the tv licence is done by a private company and not the bbc or government. They get paid a large percentage per licence hence why you get hounded. They do not posses detector equipment, just a list of adresses with or without licences.
25 August 2011, 07:20 AM
#53
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Well Done Jamz3k stick to your guns, in fact in support of your declaration I will be cancelling my car insurance tomorrow (who needs it it's just wasted money) and I shall instruct my employer to stop paying my NI and Tax, in fact next time I pop to ASDA I am going to tell them to shove their 20% VAT after all I don't have to pay it do I.......
25 August 2011, 07:49 AM
#55
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Self-righteous WTF this is clear cut. We enjoy fantastic television in this country for less than £150 a year, at least four of those channels have no adverts. We're all supposed to pay for it, when some don't then the others have to make up the difference.
25 August 2011, 07:51 AM
#56
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I can't believe some of the attitudes on here. The BBC, rightly or wrongly in your view, is the envy of the world. It has some of the highest quality programming in the world WITHOUT ad breaks. If you are happy to see it go, go and spend some time watching TV in the States to see the future of British broadcasting. I gave up on Sky a few years back when we moved. Couldn't stand watching anything on there as it was 40 mins of programme and 20 minutes of ads an hour.... Horrific to watch. 
Oh, and those who say we should let the BBC go and let Sky take over, you tell that to your granny in her freezing cold house who has to decide between watching Coronation Street or heating her house in the winter because there is no "free" to air telly any more.
Oh, and those who say we should let the BBC go and let Sky take over, you tell that to your granny in her freezing cold house who has to decide between watching Coronation Street or heating her house in the winter because there is no "free" to air telly any more.
25 August 2011, 08:14 AM
#57
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A whole lot of bollocks writen on this thread. The only bit relevant is re the non live broadcasts. I haven't had a tv licence for over 5 years. I no longer watch (or record) live tv broadcasts so don't require a licence. All the crap spouted about if you have a tv etc means you have to have a licence is exactly that, crap! I have two tvs at home, one I use for my ps3 and one in the kids room for dvds when they are visiting.
Had all the letters etc which you can basically ignore. Even had a visit or two from them. They actually managed to knock on the door when i was at home once. Let the bloke in and informed him i don't watch or record live broadcasts and sent him on his way. The letters etc stopped for a bit and then the next yearly cycle started so off we go again. Letters go straight in the bin.
A few points to note. The administration of the tv licence is done by a private company and not the bbc or government. They get paid a large percentage per licence hence why you get hounded. They do not posses detector equipment, just a list of adresses with or without licences.
Had all the letters etc which you can basically ignore. Even had a visit or two from them. They actually managed to knock on the door when i was at home once. Let the bloke in and informed him i don't watch or record live broadcasts and sent him on his way. The letters etc stopped for a bit and then the next yearly cycle started so off we go again. Letters go straight in the bin.
A few points to note. The administration of the tv licence is done by a private company and not the bbc or government. They get paid a large percentage per licence hence why you get hounded. They do not posses detector equipment, just a list of adresses with or without licences.
QFT
There's a mate of mine, here at work who does the exact same thing. In his case he had to demonstrate he could not receive live signals for his TV (everything is streamed / recorded) and they leave him alone.
25 August 2011, 08:30 AM
#59
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25 August 2011, 08:45 AM
#60
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