Author Topic: Ditching the television  (Read 10940 times)

hellymedic

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Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #75 on: 09 March, 2015, 07:09:26 pm »
I have just received a letter dated 'March 2015' asking me whether I still did not need a TV Licence, stating that you had written to me and received no reply.
It also advised me to get in touch by 16 March 2015, only a week away.
This letter was somewhat threatening.

I responded promptly to your initial email and received your confirmation that day, some six weeks ago.

I am dismayed you take so long to update your records, accuse me of not responding and send me threatening letters.
 
Helen Vecht
Edgware

From: "confirmation@tvlicensing.co.uk" <confirmation@tvlicensing.co.uk>
To: helenvecht@btinternet.com
Sent: Monday, 26 January 2015, 12:56
Subject: Your recent TV Licence declaration

Thank you for letting us know you do not need a TV Licence.
Your No Licence Declaration no: 3483076967
We will confirm this in a letter and may follow up with a visit. If you receive a letter from us asking you to buy a TV Licence in the next few days, you do not need to respond. Our records are being updated. If your circumstances change, and you do start to watch programmes as they are being shown on TV, you need to be covered by a TV Licence. You can buy one quickly and easily at www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay
TV Licensing

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #76 on: 09 March, 2015, 07:12:50 pm »
Unfortunately their behaviour is just the same as telephone scammers and email phishers.   Once they've had a positive response from you they simply engage in a war of attrition regardless.

I just file their shite missives unopened in the recycling.

arabella

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Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #77 on: 09 March, 2015, 08:59:47 pm »
To those of you who are not big and hefty:
in the days when I had no tv they sent the usual stream of letters, duly (i) returned to sender or (ii) ignored, depending on what mood I was in
they then sent a female person whom I refused to let in
so they sent a big, hefty and agressive person who lurked about outside until I returned
having had truck previously with agressive-people-larger-than-me I was Not Happy or Comfortable
Fortunately I had  friend with me at the time. 

I almost think it's worth having a tv licence not to have additional big agressive people lurking.  Except it shouldn't work like that.

Any fool can admire a mountain.  It takes real discernment to appreciate the fens.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #78 on: 09 March, 2015, 09:38:06 pm »
I have given them full information.
They know all my details now.
I've been inspected twice but the chap never entered my place first time, after I invited him to look at the Non-TV in the lounge or kitchen etc.
Partner dealt with inspector next time.

ian

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #79 on: 09 March, 2015, 10:05:06 pm »
Out of morbid curiosity I opened my weekly love letter from my constant admirers at TV Licensing Central. They also claim to have visited and found no one at home but they're coming back (they didn't specify when and left no note at the time, so I think the smell I'm smelling is bullshit). Seriously, I don't watch the your TV channels, I give my money to Amazon and Netflix and I suspect they won't act like psychotic stalkers if I opt to discontinue the service.

Kim

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Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #80 on: 09 March, 2015, 10:10:33 pm »
so they sent a big, hefty and agressive person who lurked about outside until I returned
having had truck previously with agressive-people-larger-than-me I was Not Happy or Comfortable
Fortunately I had  friend with me at the time. 

That's harassment and then some.  Completely unacceptable.   >:(


Quote
I almost think it's worth having a tv licence not to have additional big agressive people lurking.  Except it shouldn't work like that.

I can understand that.  It's easy for me to ignore them, never having encountered anything more than a passive-aggressive letter.


I'm left wondering about the economics of the thing.  Surely employing assorted hefty and aggressive people must cost far more than the licences they intimidate people into paying for...

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #81 on: 09 March, 2015, 10:18:54 pm »
so they sent a big, hefty and agressive person who lurked about outside until I returned
having had truck previously with agressive-people-larger-than-me I was Not Happy or Comfortable
Fortunately I had  friend with me at the time. 

That's harassment and then some.  Completely unacceptable.   >:(


Quote
I almost think it's worth having a tv licence not to have additional big agressive people lurking.  Except it shouldn't work like that.

I can understand that.  It's easy for me to ignore them, never having encountered anything more than a passive-aggressive letter.


I'm left wondering about the economics of the thing.  Surely employing assorted hefty and aggressive people must cost far more than the licences they intimidate people into paying for...

From what friendly inspector #1 said, most of the other addresses he had visited did have TVs and if he gets ten positives a day, that's £1400 in Licence fees.

I think friendly inspector was cheered by my approach as other people had been aggressive or defensive.

ian

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #82 on: 09 March, 2015, 10:30:40 pm »
I'm still unclear how a visit works. I have a TV and I have a TV aerial. One is not connected to the other, but given about five minutes, I could probably unwind the cable and mung it into the back of the aerial socket (and vice versa). I'd offer my soul as collateral on a solemn promise to never, ever watch broadcast TV again but Finestre already has it in a jar.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #83 on: 09 March, 2015, 10:53:29 pm »
Inspector calls. By law you do not have to let him in AFAIK.

Takes a quick look round home, probably observing seating arrangement more than presence/absence of a TV.

If you can demonstrate to his satisfaction you have no working TV equipment he will go and TV Licensing will write after a few  days.

Kim

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Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #84 on: 09 March, 2015, 10:56:05 pm »
Whereas if you have seats cunningly arranged around the DVD / mpeg stream watching / consol gaming box, which just happens to be in the same corner of the room as the aerial socket...

ian

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #85 on: 09 March, 2015, 11:46:12 pm »
Whereas if you have seats cunningly arranged around the DVD / mpeg stream watching / consol gaming box, which just happens to be in the same corner of the room as the aerial socket...

Which I do...

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #86 on: 10 March, 2015, 01:21:30 am »
David glanced at the letter before putting it into paper recycling.
He said he was getting sick of these people and if they sent an inspector he would either kill him or insist on a full tour of the house, loft, six out-buildings and garden...

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #87 on: 10 March, 2015, 07:51:41 am »
You certainly do not need to let these people in unless and until they have the appropriate warrant issued by the court.

Politely deny access and when they rant on about how you can be fined a thousand pounds, ask what will I be fined for?   That's when they tend to make their unfounded accusations.

I intent to video any future doorstep encounters with them on my smartphone.  From youtube examples I have seen they tend to get all arsey about being recorded which I find strange considering that they will have been at least told to expect this and most likely it is incorporated into their training*.   Perhaps they are trained to be aggressive and intimidating in spite of the fact that they have no legally-bestowed powers to conduct searches, or to pass summary judgement on the people who live in the homes that they seek to search.

* I am assuming that the doorsteppers are fully and properly trained given that it is in effect a government function albeit being delivered by a private, 'for profit' company on behalf of a public, not-for-profit state body.

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #88 on: 10 March, 2015, 08:26:02 pm »
A TV licensing person called at my house a couple of months ago. He was not big or aggressive. In fact he was more apologetic for disturbing me. I let him in as I have nothing to hide. He only checked the living room and went on to explain that 8/10 calls he makes are to homes that do have a TV. Can't be a nice job, must get lots of shit/hassle. Luckily I do not get pestered about not having a license. He didn't know why.

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #89 on: 10 March, 2015, 08:33:37 pm »
For many of us it's not about having 'nothing to hide', it's about personal privacy, about the basic principle of innocent until guilty, etc.   A snoop in your home confirms nothing in the modern age given that you can use your mobile phone, tablet, laptop, etc. to receive and watch live broadcast television.   The snoop in my eyes is designed to intimidate people, which it does.

I know of a couple who had two television licences.  They were individuals who moved in together but the harassment they received tipped the balance of these well-meaning, law-abiding folk resulting in the fact that they ended up with a licence each because Crapita would not accept that because they now lived in the same house that they only needed one licence.  How utterly shit is that?   

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #90 on: 10 March, 2015, 08:39:04 pm »
The chap who came around to mine was old & apologetic,   he'd also marked me as "not in" on his handheld & couldn't change it.

If he'd been rude or aggressive I'd have led him up 8 flights of stairs before closing the door in his face  :demon:
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Chris S

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #91 on: 11 March, 2015, 06:52:52 pm »
The visits I've had have been (a) from the same person, and (3) almost identical.

Knock Knock.
"Hello, I'm here representing the TV Licensing.... blah blah"
"OK, come in - I'm working, but y'know..."
"Thank you"
"Right the TV is over there (points), the aerial socket is over there (points in the opposite direction)"
<Looks for cable betwixt. Finds none.>
"Thank you."
"See you in a year or two."

There's no way I'd have this kind of attention for:

(a) A Dog License (if they're even required these days)
(3) A driving license.
(VIII) A fishing license.

They should fuck right off. Or better still, come up with a funding system that works These Days, because y'know - I use the BBC a lot - their website, I'm a big iPlayer user, and I listen to the radio in the car - all services free to access in the Public Domain. If there was a tax for public service broadcast, I'd pay it.

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #92 on: 11 March, 2015, 07:08:28 pm »
Or a shotgun license I presume? 

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #93 on: 11 March, 2015, 07:33:01 pm »
Unfortunately their behaviour is just the same as telephone scammers and email phishers.   Once they've had a positive response from you they simply engage in a war of attrition regardless.

I just file their shite missives unopened in the recycling.

Exactly.

I don't understand why anyone feels the need to engage with unwanted communication. Spam email: press delete; phone calls: put the phone down, no need to say anything either rude or firmly polite; junk mail: in the recycling, unopened. It's going to happen, no need to get wound up by it.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Re: Ditching the television
« Reply #94 on: 22 March, 2015, 10:04:13 am »
Have just rec'd an official letter from the Public Finance people in France.

They want to know if I have a TV.

This is because I pay for a licence under French local taxes.

They say if I don't have a TV they shouldn't be charging me for a licence and so I should tell them before May 31st.   
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