| Threatening letters from TV Licensing 12:55 - Jan 29 with 5638 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
Since I moved into a new property 9 months ago I've received a number of letters from TV Licensing threatening me to buy a TV license, all of which I have ignored as I don't have a TV nor stream content.
I've just received another one, reminding me that my address is 'under investigation' but that I have a 10-DAY WINDOW in which to take action. Apparently if I don't do anything by 5th Feb they will escalate my case to the 'Enforcement Team' who will come to visit me.
As far as I know, these are simply scare tactics by essentially a sales company, and the best thing to do is ignore the letters/ignore them if they do visit.
Is it best to at least make a record on their website of the fact that I don't need a TV license? Or should I just continue to ignore, and if they do knock on my door, tell them that they have no legal authority to do anything and politely close the door?
I'm not worried but I'd appreciate any advice! |  |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 12:59 - Jan 29 with 3649 views | gainsboroughblue |
Invite them in and let them look for a TV.
They got nuffin. |  |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:02 - Jan 29 with 3626 views | earlsgreenblue |
I had a new tv delivered to my work address in IP1 a few years ago, from that point on I continuously had tv licence letters, some with red ink printing, I even phoned they’re help line once & explained……..a total waste of time as the letters continued, file em as I did in the recycle bit & ignore it, it’s a private run company now not the Post Office as in the past. |  | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:04 - Jan 29 with 3585 views | RobTheMonk |
Invite them in but make sure you make your house as weird as possible to freak them out. So Norwich shirts everywhere and pictures of Delia Smith's face photoshopped on to old page 3 models. |  | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:10 - Jan 29 with 3539 views | DanTheMan |
Ignore them.
If they come round tell them they're not allowed in as they aren't.
They might try again but unless the police show up I wouldn't worry about it. |  |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:27 - Jan 29 with 3383 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:02 - Jan 29 by earlsgreenblue |
I had a new tv delivered to my work address in IP1 a few years ago, from that point on I continuously had tv licence letters, some with red ink printing, I even phoned they’re help line once & explained……..a total waste of time as the letters continued, file em as I did in the recycle bit & ignore it, it’s a private run company now not the Post Office as in the past. |
Outsourced to Capita! |  |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:30 - Jan 29 with 3368 views | blueasfook |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:10 - Jan 29 by DanTheMan |
Ignore them.
If they come round tell them they're not allowed in as they aren't.
They might try again but unless the police show up I wouldn't worry about it. |
Cops wont get involved over a TV licensing issue unless you thump the fella or something! |  |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:41 - Jan 29 with 3279 views | MattinLondon |
You don’t watch any live content at all including football on any device? Or watch stuff on iPlayer?
If you don’t then just ignore them. |  | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:42 - Jan 29 with 3279 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:30 - Jan 29 by blueasfook |
Cops wont get involved over a TV licensing issue unless you thump the fella or something! |
Thank you for all the responses!
As blueas said, I definitely can't imagine the police getting involved with these matters given their very limited time and resources.
It's sad that they are allowed to send out such letters. I imagine plenty of particularly vulnerable or anxious people feel pressured into buying a license even if they don't need one. | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:42 - Jan 29 with 3277 views | Basuco |
From Google. If you don't have a TV Licence, you can legally watch:
Catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer, such as ITVX, All4 and My5.
On demand films or TV shows that you watch, rent or buy online from providers like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky, EE TV, Sky, Apple TV+, Disney+ or Now.
S4C programmes on demand.
Would they be able to request internet usage from your ISP as proof that you are using streaming services to watch live TV? Do streaming services take note of your public IP address? Can they inspect you PC for a VPN?
In the good old days a quick visit to look for a TV was all they needed to do. |  | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:45 - Jan 29 with 3241 views | blueasfook |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:42 - Jan 29 by ThisIsMyUsername |
Thank you for all the responses!
As blueas said, I definitely can't imagine the police getting involved with these matters given their very limited time and resources.
It's sad that they are allowed to send out such letters. I imagine plenty of particularly vulnerable or anxious people feel pressured into buying a license even if they don't need one. |
Having said that, potentially they could get a warrant to enter your address ultimately (I think this is quite rare), but if they go down that road then the old bill would probably attend if you refused them entry.
Your best course of action if you dont watch TV or streams then let them in to check and then they'll leave you alone | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:51 - Jan 29 with 3160 views | Zx1988 |
Just ignore them - they send out the letters on spec, and will only properly engage with people who engage with them. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of people who end up fined are those who reach out to TVL to tell them that they don't have a TV.
If (and it's a big if) they do show up, you're free to tell them to sling their hook unless they have a search warrant. It's highly unlikely that they'd manage to get a search warrant, as they'd need to convince a magistrate that they have sufficient cause to search your property. I would hazard a guess that 'TIMU told us to b*gger off' probably wouldn't constitute reasonable cause.
This website is an interesting and insightful read: http://www.bbctvlicence.com/ | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:55 - Jan 29 with 3103 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:51 - Jan 29 by Zx1988 |
Just ignore them - they send out the letters on spec, and will only properly engage with people who engage with them. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of people who end up fined are those who reach out to TVL to tell them that they don't have a TV.
If (and it's a big if) they do show up, you're free to tell them to sling their hook unless they have a search warrant. It's highly unlikely that they'd manage to get a search warrant, as they'd need to convince a magistrate that they have sufficient cause to search your property. I would hazard a guess that 'TIMU told us to b*gger off' probably wouldn't constitute reasonable cause.
This website is an interesting and insightful read: http://www.bbctvlicence.com/ |
Thank you.
What makes you think that the people who tell them that they don't need a license are likely to be the ones fined? Do you mean those who tell them so, but actually DO need one?
But either way, what process are they going through to ascertain this?
And even if they had a search warrant, well they can see if someone has a TV. But surely it doesn't stipulate that you also have to let them look on your computer to see if you've been on iPlayer lately.
The whole seem things ludicrous and I can't see how it can be policed properly. | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:58 - Jan 29 with 3071 views | Zx1988 |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:55 - Jan 29 by ThisIsMyUsername |
Thank you.
What makes you think that the people who tell them that they don't need a license are likely to be the ones fined? Do you mean those who tell them so, but actually DO need one?
But either way, what process are they going through to ascertain this?
And even if they had a search warrant, well they can see if someone has a TV. But surely it doesn't stipulate that you also have to let them look on your computer to see if you've been on iPlayer lately.
The whole seem things ludicrous and I can't see how it can be policed properly. |
For starters, I think it's the fact that corresponding with TVL gives them a name with which to work. I would assume that you're still getting letters addressed to 'The Legal Occupier'?
Once someone contacts TVL by filling out the 'No Licence Required' form, it at least lets them know that there is a named person at the address, and gives them a pool of people from whom to pick out the low hanging fruit. | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:00 - Jan 29 with 3049 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:58 - Jan 29 by Zx1988 |
For starters, I think it's the fact that corresponding with TVL gives them a name with which to work. I would assume that you're still getting letters addressed to 'The Legal Occupier'?
Once someone contacts TVL by filling out the 'No Licence Required' form, it at least lets them know that there is a named person at the address, and gives them a pool of people from whom to pick out the low hanging fruit. |
That makes sense! Yep, addressed 'Dear Legal Occupier' as you say.
I imagine being the person who goes round to knock on doors (on whatever scale they actually do this) must be a soul-crushing and demoralising job. | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:13 - Jan 29 with 2978 views | Zx1988 |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:00 - Jan 29 by ThisIsMyUsername |
That makes sense! Yep, addressed 'Dear Legal Occupier' as you say.
I imagine being the person who goes round to knock on doors (on whatever scale they actually do this) must be a soul-crushing and demoralising job. |
I suppose it depends on the mindset of the person doing it.
You or I would probably hate it, but it probably appeals to the kinds of people who'd enjoy being a traffic warden, debt collector, bailiff etc., | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:19 - Jan 29 with 2913 views | Ryorry |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:13 - Jan 29 by Zx1988 |
I suppose it depends on the mindset of the person doing it.
You or I would probably hate it, but it probably appeals to the kinds of people who'd enjoy being a traffic warden, debt collector, bailiff etc., |
Traffic warden might not be so bad, quite a bit of automony - you could be lenient with people who were just a few minutes late with getting their 5 laden supermarket bags back, but go gung ho with the eejits who park on pavements (hazard for the visually impaired) or block roads for others during rush hour. |  |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:26 - Jan 29 with 2840 views | BloomBlue |
A license to watch TV in 2025 is a joke, have the BBC move to adverts to fund it. |  | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:51 - Jan 29 with 2735 views | Basuco |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:19 - Jan 29 by Ryorry |
Traffic warden might not be so bad, quite a bit of automony - you could be lenient with people who were just a few minutes late with getting their 5 laden supermarket bags back, but go gung ho with the eejits who park on pavements (hazard for the visually impaired) or block roads for others during rush hour. |
You could also be lenient with a vehicle with anything ITFC on display. | | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:53 - Jan 29 with 2723 views | blueasfook |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:19 - Jan 29 by Ryorry |
Traffic warden might not be so bad, quite a bit of automony - you could be lenient with people who were just a few minutes late with getting their 5 laden supermarket bags back, but go gung ho with the eejits who park on pavements (hazard for the visually impaired) or block roads for others during rush hour. |
I'd grow a little Hitler 'tache I think if I ever became a traffic warden just for the lols | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:53 - Jan 29 with 2724 views | mellowblue |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 13:02 - Jan 29 by earlsgreenblue |
I had a new tv delivered to my work address in IP1 a few years ago, from that point on I continuously had tv licence letters, some with red ink printing, I even phoned they’re help line once & explained……..a total waste of time as the letters continued, file em as I did in the recycle bit & ignore it, it’s a private run company now not the Post Office as in the past. |
back in the day, tv dealers had to inform TVL all names and addresses of anyone purchasing tvs. This no longer happens. So instead of chsing people they know have a tv but no license, they are scratching around using land registry house sale data and the like. The old system worked well but of course would not in a digital world. | | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 15:11 - Jan 29 with 2672 views | witchdoctor |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:53 - Jan 29 by blueasfook |
I'd grow a little Hitler 'tache I think if I ever became a traffic warden just for the lols |
back in the day…70’s/80’s the was a traffic warden in Woodbridge who sported a little tashe and it goes without saying what he was called….😉 [Post edited 29 Jan 18:14]
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 15:22 - Jan 29 with 2625 views | textbackup |
Does anyone on here pay for a TV licence?
I do, am I alone? |  |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 15:23 - Jan 29 with 2614 views | DanTheMan |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 15:22 - Jan 29 by textbackup |
Does anyone on here pay for a TV licence?
I do, am I alone? |
I do, but I do watch live TV. | |
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| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 15:30 - Jan 29 with 2590 views | MattinLondon |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 15:23 - Jan 29 by DanTheMan |
I do, but I do watch live TV. |
I rarely watch live telly apart from football.
I watch non football stuff on catch-up. And I pay for a TV license. | | | |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 16:01 - Jan 29 with 2501 views | PhilTWTD |
| Threatening letters from TV Licensing on 14:13 - Jan 29 by Zx1988 |
I suppose it depends on the mindset of the person doing it.
You or I would probably hate it, but it probably appeals to the kinds of people who'd enjoy being a traffic warden, debt collector, bailiff etc., |
The only time I've been read my rights was by a TV licence inspector! I told him he'd never take me alive. |  | | |
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