Under Investigation

[Scully]

A mate of mine has not bothered with a TV license for over 10 years now.He only watches DVD's on his TV,never receives any harassment at all.I'd like to try that myself,but you can guarantee I'd be in court within a month!

[Dougy]

Reminds me of years ago, i had a visit from the TV licensing folk, knocked on my door and asked to see my TV licence i asked him politly to wait while i fetched it.

Some time later, after i had finished my dinner drank me cup of tea watched the last bit of Eastenders, 15 minutes later i showed him my licence. This was in November and it was bloody cold, i thought it was funny, he didnt though

 

 

Radio licence

[jef]

I built a new house three and a half years ago and whilst it's pre-wired for aerials in most rooms I've never connected them. I haven't watched TV since yet I still get regular letters from the lisencing lot.

 

I did ignore them thinking they can come and look if they want. I eventually got fed up with the letters so called them to tell them I didn't need one.

 

"Ok Sir, we'll still need to send someone round to check" so I'm a liar too.

 

I got a letter yesterday saying they knew I didn't need one but to make sure if my circumstances changed then to let them know.

 

My TV is linked to my Wii and I catch up on Top Gear through that with iplayer.

 

Have I missed much over the last three years.......?

 

 

ATB

 

JF

[ajb403]

Well the computer you are typing this thread on is deemed a television. It is capable of receiving live TV. - you therefore need a TV licence.

 

You can go out and buy a car without a drivers license, it only becomes illegal if you use it on the road. Likewise you can own a TV, mobile phone, computer etc with out a TV license as long as you do not watch TV as it is being broadcast.

 

From the TV licensing website:

"You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast"

 

EDIT: Also, TV licensing people seem to be the only people in the entire country that work on the presumption of guilt before innocence, how they are allowed to get away with it I do not know. I wonder if anybody has ever filed a harrassment case against them?

Edited September 26, 2010 by ajb403

[Jim Sarakun]

Computers are deemed to be capable of receiving broadcast programs, but you have to subscribe to that, and when the big butch bird in the brand new Z4, came to see why I had not responded to the authorities letters, she asked to see everything that would show that I do not.

 

I gladly complied, fearing that she would put me in an arm lock, or break my neck. I switched on my computer and showed her my files, my providers invoices and that my two televisions were connected to a Video player and a DVD player. I took her up in the loft to show her I had no aeriel, she went up the ladder first, and what I saw up her skirt was frightening, I was going to do whatever she asked, get them off my back.

 

I explained that I could not get involved with all the communication, letters, phone calls, which would run in to quite some expense, as I had been finding it difficult to find work this last 2 years, since being made redundant, and I live from week to week, so let the process develop, as they have more money than me.

 

She walked away quite happy and content, with my explanation and evidence, and even smiled, to show a couple of gold teeth, so she was obviously on a good wage. I was assured that that would be the end of it, and I watched her get into that low Z4, just to see that monster up her skirt, just one more time, as she pulled her legs in.

 

So, if you genuinely do not receive currently broadcast signals, then you have nothing to fear when the Licensing Police come round.

 

That was 4 months ago.

 

Last week I had a letter to tell me that my address does not have a TV. licence. They don't work together do they?

[artschool]

ok, if i sent you a letter saying you need an artschool licence, and that i thought you were running an unauthorised artschool in your house and can i come and check.

 

would you let me in? i doubt it. the tv licence people are just the same. when they are at the door be polite but never let them in.

 

never reply to the letters as they will always keep sending them even if they inspect your home.

[KFC]

I haven't had a telly licence for years because I don't need one.

 

Radio licences were scrapped years ago.

 

A TV licence is only required if you watch live TV or as it is 'virtually broadcast', as there's a delay in Digital broad casting, and there's not been a test case yet to establish what 'virtually' means, i.e 1 millsecond, 3 seconds or whatever.

 

Anyway, I digress. Disconnect the aerial from any terrestial aerial or digibox. Detune the TV because if an inspector does check it then he will flick through the channels and if he gets any reception at all, no matter how bad, then you get done.

 

You can possess a TV without a licence for watching DVD's or playing games. It is the receiving of live broadcasts that is licenced not the ownership. You can own a car without having a driving licence, you just can't drive it.

You can also watch recorded programmes on BBC iPlayer, ITV Player or 4od but not programmes that are being broadcast live without a licence.

You write to TV Licencing and say that "Under common law I withdraw any implied invitation for you, or any of your representatives or agents, to approach or attend my property. Should you approach my property then the Police will be called and be asked to remove you as a trespasser".

Do not sign the letter and only give your name as "The Present Occupier".

They will then write back saying that they will respect your wish not to visit your property but they will however reserve the right to continue any other form of investigation. They will also say that it is important that their records are kept up to date and it will prevent them from contacting you in the future if you provide them with your personal details.

 

What I did in response to this was to send them a letter saying that "Since personal information is now a commercial commodity to be traded then I now require a payment of £130 to be paid for this information. As you do not have an account with me then the payment must be made in cash by registered post in advance of the information being supplied".

 

I've heard nothing from them for months.

 

The point is that it is now the BBC that is responsible for TV Licencing and they are a private company, just like Tesco's.

They have contracted out the Licencing to Capita, a private Debt Collector. They are the ones sending out threatening and intimidating letters to frighten people into buying a Licence. The agent who will eventually call is on commission. He will either get a commission from the sale of Licence if he can intimidate you into buying one or he gets a commission off the prosecution if he can't.

I think it is an extremely dubious legal precedent that the person checking if you need a licence stands to profit and has the power to prosecute.

 

I've got a cooker but I don't get the Police round checking that I'm not producing Crack-Cocaine. Tesco's don't come round my house to check that I'm not selling their cheap booze to kids.

Edited September 26, 2010 by KFC

[wyatt]

Have a read of this site, it's excellent:

 

http://www.tvlicenceresistance.info/

[Blackpowder]

Thanks for all the replies from Forum members. It seems that the vital point is receiving or recording live broadcasts which I have no intention of doing through TV set, computer or mobile phone and with no set in the house connected to a digital box I seem to be in the clear.

 

Blackpowder

[fluke2]

Careful here chaps my mate was refused his first application

for a shotgun certificate and made to wait 12 months to reapply, for

failing to remember a prosecution for no TV licence and 400 quid fine

on his application forms, and that was six years prior to applying.

[ajb403]

Careful here chaps my mate was refused his first application

for a shotgun certificate and made to wait 12 months to reapply, for

failing to remember a prosecution for no TV licence and 400 quid fine

on his application forms, and that was six years prior to applying.

 

Nobody has advised not paying for a TV license when one would be required, only when one is not required. If your mate was prosecuted for not having a TV license they were presumably found watching TV with no license?

[fluke2]

Nobody has advised not paying for a TV license when one would be required, only when one is not required. If your mate was prosecuted for not having a TV license they were presumably found watching TV with no license?

 

Your right he didnt have one,but my point was it was picked up on and

some of the posts above about not having one, if they got caught would affect their

application or current SGC/FACas it did my mate if proven that equipment

owned could still recieve and they found out.

Edited September 26, 2010 by fluke2

[wyatt]

Your right he didnt have one,but my point was it was picked up on and

some of the posts above about not having one, if they got caught would affect their

application or current SGC/FACas it did my mate if proven that equipment

owned could still recieve and they found out.

 

Surely the problem here is that he failed to declare all convictions on his SGC form not that he was convicted?

[al4x]

Surely the problem here is that he failed to declare all convictions on his SGC form not that he was convicted?

 

 

the clue is that its his mate, heard on the grapevine etc take with a pinch of salt.

[wyatt]