Welsh TV Licensing Goon Leaves Empty-Handed

An unfamiliar TV Licensing goon was captured on video as he visited a legally-licence-free South Wales property the other day.

It appears that the female occupant asked the goon, named as Jonathan Price on his ID card, to wait on the doorstep while she nipped inside to get her camera. Price conducts his enquiries in what we'd describe as a neutral manner. He is neither aggressive nor friendly, his voice lacks expression and his face remains deadpan throughout.

Price begins by telling the occupant that "we're not going to go away if you film us" and "there's no TV licence at this address". She replies that "there's no TV either" and "I don't watch live TV". Price then asks to enter the property to verify her TV-free status. The occupier, quite rightly, refuses his request to prove her innocence. Price also fails in his attempts to obtain the occupier's name as he tapped away on his handheld device.

The occupier then challenged Price by saying "I saw you look through my window", to which he makes no response. Although there is no footage of Price looking through the window, we know it is the sort of tactic used by TV Licensing goons. Price then attempted to hand the occupier a We Said We'd Call Card, but she refused to accept it and handed it back.

The occupier then reminded Price that she had withdrawn TV Licensing's implied rights of access to the property, which was actually a wasted effort on her part. Experience show that TV Licensing often ignore withdrawal rights of access (WOIRA) instructions, but more worryingly there is the belief that TV Licensing actually singles out WOIRA properties for special attention (read more about WOIRA). In this case the occupier's WOIRA instruction was invalid anyway, as her property actually fronts directly onto the public highway. In these circumstances the right of access to approach the front door of the property is not hers to withdraw.

The visit ends with Price walking away from the property and the occupier wishing him a nice day.

Remember folks that a TV licence is needed for any property where equipment is used to receive TV programmes at the same time as they are broadcast. Anyone who does not need a TV licence is under no legal obligation to communicate or co-operate with TV Licensing in any way at all. 

Assisting TV Licensing is often a futile effort, so there's no point wasting any time on them. Simply say nothing and close the door on any TV Licensing goon that visits.