TV Licensing: Harassing the Dead and Bereaved

A County Durham man has been compensated by TV Licensing after they continued to send threatening letters to his dead mother's home, even though he'd told them several times her property was unoccupied.

Peter Troy received regular TV Licensing threatograms informing him of the need to obtain a licence for his mother's Devon home. The red-daubed letters, which are riddled with half-truths and innuendo, threatening him with £1000 fine if he didn't buy a licence for the now unoccupied property.

Despite being under no legal obligation at all to assist TV Licensing, Peter went to the trouble of informing them that his mother had sadly passed away and consequently her property no longer needed a TV licence. In an all too familiar story TV Licensing ignored Peter's information and continued to send the threatening letters regardless.

Speaking in yesterday's Daily Mail, he explains: "I told them she had died but they kept sending more letters threatening to take me to court. I decided to sue them for £1000, the same amount they were going to fine me, because they were not listening. It was only then they apologised and offered £250, which I have accepted.

"I am articulate and know how to complain but not everyone knows what to do. I found TV Licensing to be very hard-edged and a cold organisation who did not listen to common sense."

A TV Licensing spokesperson said: "We take any complaints very seriously and when mistakes happen we try to correct them as quickly as possible. We have written to Mr Troy to offer our apologies and to make a goodwill gesture."

It would appear that TV Licensing again has egg on its face over the way it threatens the licence-free when there is no legal basis to do so.

If you're being threatened by TV Licensing you might like to make a similar stand to Peter. Please see our earlier post about standing up to TV Licensing harassment.