What kind of a depraved individual would be sick enough to pretend to be a TV Licensing goon?
According to press reports, there are currently fake TV Licensing goons prowling the streets of Lincolnshire. These fake goons, just like their BBC contracted counterparts, demand the occupiers hand over cash or face a hefty £1000 fine.
Given their tactics are virtually identical to those used by most legitimate BBC TV Licensing goons, it's hardly surprising that the occupiers of some properties have been coerced into compliance with their deceitful demands.
If someone purporting to be a TV Licensing goon calls, remember the following key steps to protecting your family and home:
- No-one is under any legal obligation to communicate or co-operate with TV Licensing goons. Do not engage in any conversation with them. By far the most effective tactic is to remain silent and close the door immediately.
- BBC TV Licensing goons carry an ID card, which they must show at the start of a visit and on request. A copy of the ID card is shown above. That particular example was found in the personal effects of a recently-deceased honorary goon (as was the full unredacted copy of the TV Licensing Visiting Procedures currently doing the rounds).
- TV Licensing goons have no automatic rights of entry. They must leave the moment the occupier asks them to. If they get aggressive or refuse to leave, then call the police.
- It is perfectly legal, and encouraged, to film all BBC TV Licensing goon encounters in their entirety. Apart from reading out the goon's name in a nice clear voice, spelling it out phonetically if necessary, the occupier is advised to stay silent as the camera rolls.
If you do make the mistake of engaging with a TV Licensing goon, then it could end up costing you a lot more than £145.50.
Keep the door closed and the scumbags out.
"as was the full unredacted copy of the TV Licensing Visiting Procedures currently doing the rounds"
ReplyDeleteLink if possible please.
TV Licensing's legal harlots have already attacked a like-minded site that posted pages from the document, so we're not going to make the same mistake there.
ReplyDeleteThose that need to see it know where to go.
I don't see what legal grounds they have for objecting. What did they say?
ReplyDeleteIt was a copyright/harassment claim so I believe, with the site's owner told in no uncertain terms they would face legal repercussions if they didn't comply.
ReplyDeleteCrapita TVL has a lot to hide.
Harassment wouldn't stand up. Copyright, maybe. That would entail a very public examination of the whole thing, which I suspect that they wouldn't want. Most legal threats are nothing but hot air.
ReplyDelete