The tv licence people keep knocking?

Mike S

The TV licensing people expect every household to have a television.

If they think you have and you have it switched on they can detect what is known as the beat frequency and you will be prosecuted.

The hand-held detectors are quite small compared to the size 20 years ago.

You will probably receive a letter from them every 3 months until you get a license.

I doubt if you could prosecute them for harassment.

If you write telling them your situation, the letter will just be ignored.

When you eventually buy a TV the shop you buy it from must (by law) write to the licensing authority giving the name and address of the person who bought it.

So you see its really difficult to avoid having to buy a license.

sassy!

If u havnt got a tv there just let em in they'll have a look and go if you have well then pay up

Rob Roy

I would suggest whether you've got a TV licence or not it might be best for you to open the door.

Cheeses of Nazareth

Try Â£1000 fine and a court appearence.

b.hole

well they cant bang your door down, if your decorating and not living there cant you tell them this? jus a suggestion.

librarian

Taken from the Citizens Advice Bureau webiste:

What happens if you do not have a television licence

If you have a television set or video recorder which is not licensed, TV Licensing may find out:-

because any trader who sells or rents televisions or video recorders must give TV Licensing the customersâ€™ names and addresses, and these will be checked against the record of who already has a television licence; or
by sending a routine enquiry letter. The letters are sent to addresses where there is no record of a television licence being held; or
because a television licence is not renewed; or
because a detector van or other detecting equipment picks up a television signal to an address which is not on TV Licensingâ€™s records as having a television licence. Detector vans can tell whether someone is using a black and white or colour television set.

You may be visited by a TV Licensing enquiry officer if TV Licensing suspect you do not have a television licence or if you have not responded to an enquiry letter or licence reminder. All enquiry officers carry identification cards which they should show. The enquiry officer must state the purpose of the visit. You do not have to let the enquiry officer into your home. However, if you do not let the enquiry officer in, they may apply to a magistrate for a search warrant.

If the enquiry officer is satisfied that you do not have a television licence and that you should have one, a statement will be taken under caution. The enquiry officer should not suggest that if you buy a licence within a certain period, no action will be taken.

You can be prosecuted for having or using a television set or video recorder and not having a licence for it. You can be prosecuted even if you are not the owner or hirer of the set, for example, in a case where the set belonged to a husband but was switched on and watched by the wife, the wife was prosecuted. However, if you are prosecuted, producing a valid licence in court can be used in mitigation. A copy of the licence should therefore be sent to the court.

If TV Licensing decide to prosecute, the case will be heard in the magistrates court (District court in Scotland). If you are found guilty the maximum fine which can be imposed is Â£1,000. The court cannot confiscate the television set or order you to pay the television licence fee arrears.

lordandmaker

If you've no TV, when they come round, let them in. They'll not find a TV and leave you alone for a year or so.

If you have a TV, pay the license. Or stop answering your door.

Tris2000

They can go as far as get the bailiffs to break the door down, take the television off you and take you to court.

If you're not living there, take the television out of your house. You're not watching it, you don't need it.

Or PAY IT! TV licence non-payment is enforced by Criminal Law don't you know. Non-payment can leave you with a criminal record. Is it really really worth not paying the not unreasonable Â£131.50 a year? You can even pay monthly at no extra cost via Direct Debit.

Word or warning: one friend got his door knocked down through non-payment, and the police found some drugs in his flat. He ended up going to jail, as well as the huge fine for not paying his licence. I repeat: IS IT WORTH IT?

Of course it ain't.

old know all

If you haven't got a TV on the premises, write to TV Licensing, Bristol BS99 5HP and tell them. Mention that their enforcement team have been causing a nuisance and if they call again you will seek compensation.

emily_jane2379

If you don't live there, why don't you take your TV back to the house you live in.

Ally

They will take you to court and you will get a huge fine. Maybe you don't have a TV there, so you have nothing to worry about.

emz

TRY NOT TO WORRY HUN.
BETTER THAN THE BAYLIFS THO HEY. HA!

Mick B

If you have a TV you need a license. Even if you are not there to use the thing. Just buy a licence. Its cheaper than the Â£1000 fine you will face if you are up in court. You can even do it on Direct Debit. Its about Â£8 a month

starlet108

They cant do anything if you dont answer the door. They have to catch you watching the TV and you have to answer the door and admit to it when they then caution you and it goes on to court. Just dont answer the door and theres not a thing they can do. They have no powers to break in and they cant summons you if they havent cautioned you xx

Purple

If you are not living there, and there is no televison there then you're fine. Just give them a call and let them know the house is vacant!

Tracy

they can take you to court and give you a big fine

IloveMarmite

They can prosecute you and fine you !!! You may as well pay up ,its just not worth it !!

scruffycat

Wait... Are you saying that you have to have a license to own a TV???

kesmund

claim that the tv is your god and the centre of your religion and claim there impeding your human rights and take them to the European court of human rights

Joanne B

my granddad did the same as you but then one day he had enuf so he hid his tv and opend the door and asked them to come in they then put him down 4 not having a telly so ever since he hasent had to pay lol but iff you dont anser the door soon u will end up having to go to cort so pay up or hide your telly lol

JANET M

get a tv licence what makes you think your any different to everyone else not to have one.

charlie

Have you ever actually seen a detector van?

No, me neither.

Northman

As long as you have not got a TV switched on at the address you are decorating at then they can't fine you.Let them waste their time and our money prosecuting you at court,if they don't have any evidence your using TV your fine,if you got one that is.

Pay up like the rest us,, your british right, get paying for all the dole scrongers out there!!!!!

mikydotcom@btinternet.com

Pay it pisspot,its not worth it mate,the suits WILL get you in the end,they never give up.You,like the rest of us,must pay for airwaves,and the ether.You would pay for a new door also don't forget..."THE MAN" WILL GET YOU IN THE END!

mudmarine

That's SOCIALISM for you , have to have a license to watch TV .

Eck

Tell them you're a Jehovas witness and you don't own a TV but remember to throw a binbag over your satellite dish.

alvin

If you do not have a television, you do not need a licence, therefore no offence has beeen committed. There is nothing the Tv morons can do without commiting an illegal act themselves. Just ignore the creatures.

kirsty t

A guy came to my house tonite claiming to be about the tv license, it expired at the end of december he started explaining to me how I cud pay etc and took my sort and account number, my tv liscense has expired though but I'm getting the feeling I've just been done over. I didn't think to check because I know my licnese had expired. He only asked for a few details and made me sign the form after and said a new liscense wud b issued within a week or so?

DONT WORRY

you only need a tv license if you are watching live broadcast television you do not need a license if you only use your tv for watching dvd's or playing games, these people are ruthless i have known people who have been threatened by a tv license officer that if they dont open their door they will call the police, this is a load of crap as the police would laugh at them and do nothing, do not open your door there is nothing they can do, oh and p.s when you buy a tv give a false name and address ha ha

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