Much to our amusement TV Licensing PR harlot Mark Sterling has just tried to claim that TV licence letters "are not threatening".
We're not convinced (read more about TV Licensing threatograms) and we'd welcome your opinions in the comments below.
Please tell us about your experiences of dealing with TV Licensing.
18 comments:
i get these letters all the time. just ignore them and put them in the bin.
My elderly mother received one of these letters, despite telling the licensing people she doesn't watch TV any more. She has eye problems and her deteriorating vision means she can't sit down and watch TV for any length of time, so we decided to cancel her licence. She's quite happy to listen to the radio instead when she wants to. I've always had a TV licence, so I was disgusted to see the first of these letters get delivered to mother. She was a nervous wreck, scared that they might come and visit and she wouldn't be able to see who they were. The letters do threaten and do bully.
This should be stopped ... bullying old people like this must be agenst the law shortly
I used to get these when I was a student in digs. Some of my housemates were so worried about the detector van and inspector visits that they paid for a licence for peace of mind. That's even those that didn't watch telly! These TV licensing agency letters are designed to scare people into paying, but they mean nothing. Just bin them!
What TV License do is WRONG! Corrupt organisation funding pedos.
My dealings with TVL involve getting a letter once a month, laughing at it, then waiting another month, then repeating the process.
Very easy dealing with TVL. Infact it's much easier than dealing with some companies who I actually pay money in exchange for a service I need/want!
"Not for publication"
I'm surprised that you published Jefferz's comment. I know that a large number of the people who have been convicted of "sexual crimes" have been associated with the BBC over the years, but there is no real connection between those people, their actions or/and the licence fee, so allowing a comment such as that (at least to me) seems a bit... reckless and a bit out of character for you. No offence intended, just a careful observation.
Thanks for your comments.
No offence taken TheKnightsShield. I did pause before hitting the approve button, but Jefferz got the benefit of the doubt on this occasion.
Ok, thanks. I was thinking of the owner of another blog I post on when I said "out of character for you", thought I'd clear that up, just in case you were scratching your head wondering what I was talking about. ;) For some reason, when I was composing my comment, I was thinking of this other blog and not yours and then after I hit the "Publish" button, I was wondering why I said that. Brain-fart moment!!
Anyway, I still don't think it was right to publish that comment, but that's just my opinion and this is your blog, so I defer to your good judgement, I just thought it appropriate to air a balanced opinion (not that I sympathy with TVL or the BBC, perish the thought!!).
Never had one of these letters, but the more I read about TV Licencing the less I like the way they behave. If one of my elderly relatives got one of these I would go ballistic. Whatever they say the wording does imply guilt and is threatening.
Of course Mr. Sterling is talking bollocks. I have received these threatening letters for many years. Good folks like yourself have told the truth regarding the law giving myself and others the confidence to have no contact whatsoever.
I think Jefferz's pedo comments are justified, to be honest.
There is a definite link to the licence fee as people are now realising that the money they have paid over the years has been used to cover up the activities of these people. In fact, I think the recent increase in TVL resistance is due to these stories.
I agree. Step back 3 years and people would find it hard to believe that the BBC knew about child sex offence allegations, yet alone tried to cover them up. There isn't much doubt in my mind that they did know, given the number of former BBC employees coming forward saying "we all knew" and "bosses shrugged it off".
I cancelled my TV license back in February 2012. The first "letter" I received from them advised me my license would expire at the end of September of that year (I'd been paying by direct debit) I was wholly unaware that paying by DD meant you were paying more than if you just paid for the license in full.
I have to admit the threatograms did make me start to panic, and I did feel bullied, until I googled TV Licensing and found this blog. The info you provided helped me to realise that I had nothing to worry about, I didn't need a license, and they were just blowing hot air! Had it not been for you I may well have panicked and bought a license I legally didn't, and still don't need. So thank you for that.
The goon who eventually turned up at my door was actually very polite, she saw I had an old TV, but had no way to receive a live signal (no aerial or digital box)and agreed I didn't need a license.
I understand they review it every 2 years, so I guess I'm about to go through the whole thing again!
These letters are threatening. Their entire purpose is to be threatening. They are quite literally demanding money with menaces. They are also taking Capita's problem (how do they maintain an up to date database) and offloading it onto the public at large (tell us if you don't need a license).
Enough. Harrassment is an offence and redress is available to anyone suffering for it. Their excuse - that they need to check premises and remind people to pay, blah blah - is not our problem, it's theirs.
“The tactics used by TV Licensing in their letters are intimdatory and cause genuine distress. Their records are not always correct, but they write letters that assume members of the public are criminals” John Whittingdale MP [Con. Maldon and Chelmsford East].
“TV Licensing seems to completely disregard the notion of ‘innocent until proven guilty’. Rather than continually harassing these individuals with ever more threatening letters, which is a total waste of time, effort and money, they should be rethinking their strategy and focusing on the people who are genuinely trying to avoid paying”. Michael Moore MP [Lib Dem. Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk].
Landed here after receiving one of these letters just this morning. They are meant to scare people into paying. It doesn't work with me!
There is no doubt that the letters are threatening, but you kind of get used to them. I just received one today, as it happens, and it's a repeat! Capita have informed me that, once more, they are left with no alternative but to proceed with "the final stages of our investigation". (The first time they proceeded to that stage was some weeks ago, according to a letter I received at the time.)
I have seen neither hide nor hair of a detector van or a goon, so I cannot help but wonder what the preliminary stages of the investigation were.
I am kind of looking forward to meeting a goon, and I have been thinking about what would be the most amusing way to handle such a visit - but Capita has not seen fit to oblige.
If they take me to court, and by heaven I hope they do, I will have tremendous fun with them.
Yes, the letters are threatening in tone. But the best way to deal with Capita is to treat them as you would treat a dog who startles you by barking loudly as you walk past the gate. AS LONG AS YOU DON'T OPEN THE GATE, the dog can't touch you.
Don't answer the letters, because it only confuses the dog (er, sorry, I mean Capita). Don't let them into your home without a warrant. Don't roll over for them. And most of all, don't watch TV. It's a ghastly waste of time, so 1970s. There are so many better ways to relax. Like, for example, meeting a goon. Come on Capita, where ARE they all?
:-)
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