Regular readers of this blog will know by now that TV Licensing pretty much assume that anyone without a TV licence is an evader. Their infinitesimally small brains can't cope with the idea that some people do not use a television receiver and therefore do not need a licence.
I've talked at some length about their harassing mailshots which, coincidentally, have previously been proven to contain fabricated statistics. Another 'detection' method they use is the unsolicited telephone call to unlicensed properties.
It basically works something like this:
[Telephone rings and Joe Public answers]
Joe Public: "Hello."
TVL: "Hello. Is that Mr Joe Public?" (TVL person listens carefully for Corrie music in the background)
Joe: "Who's calling please?"
TVL: Either: "It's TV Licensing. I'm just calling to enquire why you don't have a TV licence."; Or: "It's Dixons and I'm phoning with some fabulous news. You've won a Freeview box in our raffle (which you don't remember entering). Do you watch a lot of TV?"
Joe: "I don't have a television."
[Joe puts down phone]
As you've probably gleaned from our mini-transcript TVL people aren't always honest about their identity when they phone you. Being the devious low lives that they are they sometimes try and lure you into an admission that you watch TV without a licence.
Please be sure to turn down the volume if the phone rings, you're watching TV and you haven't got a licence!
Related posts:
TV Licensing Correspondence
I've talked at some length about their harassing mailshots which, coincidentally, have previously been proven to contain fabricated statistics. Another 'detection' method they use is the unsolicited telephone call to unlicensed properties.
It basically works something like this:
[Telephone rings and Joe Public answers]
Joe Public: "Hello."
TVL: "Hello. Is that Mr Joe Public?" (TVL person listens carefully for Corrie music in the background)
Joe: "Who's calling please?"
TVL: Either: "It's TV Licensing. I'm just calling to enquire why you don't have a TV licence."; Or: "It's Dixons and I'm phoning with some fabulous news. You've won a Freeview box in our raffle (which you don't remember entering). Do you watch a lot of TV?"
Joe: "I don't have a television."
[Joe puts down phone]
As you've probably gleaned from our mini-transcript TVL people aren't always honest about their identity when they phone you. Being the devious low lives that they are they sometimes try and lure you into an admission that you watch TV without a licence.
Please be sure to turn down the volume if the phone rings, you're watching TV and you haven't got a licence!
Related posts:
TV Licensing Correspondence
As my phone number is registered with TPS & my phone number is ex-directory any TVL flunky making the mistake of phoning me will very quickly get a flea in his/her ear.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a tv.
ReplyDeleteI have 60+ letters addressed to "Legal Householder" they are unopened. I also get phone calls with no one at the other end. The phone number comes up as my brother at the other end of the country, several weeks earlier.
On 1 occasion (the first call) an Irish accent man told me I required a licence when asked if i require 1 he said he could hear the tv in the background he was told it was Radio 4. He hung up.
An 85 year old friend(now deceased). was harassed into buying a licence.