Now that the season of goodwill to all men and women (except TV Licensing goons) is now firmly underway, we thought we'd take a break from today's festivities to pen a few essential reminders for dealing with TV Licensing.
It is a depressing fact of modern life that many families will spend the Christmas period overindulging in food, drink and repeat TV programmes. TV Licensing goons will be out in force trying to capitalise on the excesses of the season. They really aren't bothered whose Christmas they ruin.
As we frequently say, a TV licence is only needed for those properties where equipment is used to receive TV programme services. A TV programme service, legally speaking, is any TV programme available at the same time, or virtually the same time, to other members of the UK public. This encompasses all TV programmes shown on any of the normal terrestrial, satellite or cable channels.
Anyone who does not legally need a TV licence, is under no legal obligation at all to communicate or co-operate with TV Licensing. We recommend ignoring TV Licensing completely.
As past experience regularly shows, it would be a wasted effort trying to assist TV Licensing on a voluntary basis. Quite simply, TV Licensing do not believe anyone claiming not to need a TV licence.
We know that TV Licensing goons, whose continued employment relies on hitting near impossible performance targets (e.g. selling TV licences and detecting evasion), are sometimes forced into dishonest practices on the doorstep. The BBC and TV Licensing know this as well, but choose to retain employment terms akin to a thieves' charter.
In the event that TV Licensing do visit your property, please remember the following key points:
- TV Licensing goons have no more legal rights than anyone else visiting a property and must leave immediately if the occupier instructs them to.
- TV Licensing goons must show their ID on request. The occupier should be allowed the opportunity to inspect the card and verify the details by calling TV Licensing if necessary.
- TV Licensing goons must never threaten the occupier with either the police or a search warrant.
- The occupier is under no legal obligation to confirm their details or licence status to TV Licensing.
- The occupier is under no legal obligation to speak to TV Licensing goons visiting their property.
- It is perfectly legal, and positively encouraged, for the occupier to film any TV Licensing goons that visit their property. Whereas TV Licensing goons sometimes tell lies, the camera generally doesn't. The occupier is advised to keep the full, unedited footage of the visit in a safe place.
Finally, can we take this opportunity to thank all of our readers for their continued loyalty and support over the last year. We offer you all our best wishes for the season.
Don't forget that the next edition of TV Licensing Laid Bare goes live on New Year's Day.
4 comments:
Thankyou, Admin, for your continued work on this blog which I would class as by far the most informative, detailed and factually level-headed of them all. Happy Christmas and New year to you and your family.
Looking forward to 2015 and debunking the FUD which the BBC will put out regarding license evasion decriminalisation and the parallel debates which will kick off as their charter gets set for renewal the following year.
Expecting increasingly desparate marketing campaigns by Capita and possibly a change of tactic to one trying to sell the benefits of the license rather than threatening people, as they realise the license fee model really is now into the last few years of its remaining life.
All the best to you too! Your site was the first I found when I was about to snap with all the lovely threatograms we were receiving - the first and the best.
I am glad for your simple and consise explanations of the law, all backed up with appropriate links, and revelations as to the true nature of the BBC and TVL.
Keep up the good work and have a wonderful 2015!
Happy Christmas. Great advice about filming golns at the doorstep to capture their miscreant tactics. I'm expecting a new camera for Christmas but sadly can't see them ever darkening my door again which is a shame as a goon visit would make the best Cristmas ever! Thanks for another year of brilliant blogs about this vile disorganization. Matt Williams
You really are too kind Matthew.
I wish you and yours the very best of the season and look forward to another bumper year of High Street Tours!
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