TV Licensing Hounds Bereaved Family Despite Being Told About Death of Licence Holder

TV Licensing has callously hounded a grieving son for the payment of his late father's TV licence fee.

Mike Groom, from Stockton-on-Tees, wrote to the TV Licensing Blog and explained how his father had sadly passed away at the start of October last year. The TV licence for the property was in his father's name and a few weeks later, when Mike's mother moved into a residential care home, there was no longer anyone there to receive TV programmes.

It fell to Mike to make contact with TV Licensing and explain the circumstances. Mike informed TV Licensing that he wished to cancel the TV licence for the property, which he actually owns. He also spoke to the bank and arranged for the monthly Direct Debit payments to be stopped.

A few weeks later Mike received the first of several telephone calls from TV Licensing asking for his father by name. It appears TV Licensing had kept a record of Mike's mobile number from his earlier contact with them. They had associated his mobile number with the account of his father, and had made contact to find out why the Direct Debit had been cancelled and demand he make up the "missed" payments. That tactless call, remember, came despite Mike having previously contacted TV Licensing to explain the situation.

Speaking to the TV Licensing Blog, Mike described his distress at heartless manner of TV Licensing's enquiries: "I was very upset and made that very clear, but still got calls increasingly indignant - they continued to aggressively pursue the amount even faced with the knowledge they had just called and asked a son for his recently passed father."

When TV Licensing did eventually take notice of what Mike was telling them, they demanded written confirmation that a TV licence was no longer required at the property.

Mike continued: "I objected, having already gone out of my way to call them. I said I didn't see why they had to have a letter, since it was easy to check the facts without further upsetting me.

"This went on ad nauseum, one department having seen this letter and another denying it existed.

"The way TV Licensing chased this was not delicate or dignified and was distressing to me during a difficult time in my life - they shouldn't get away with it."

As if TV Licensing harassing a family in mourning wasn't bad enough, it later transpired that Mike's father was actually in credit with his TV licence payments.

We offer our condolences to Mike and his family at this difficult time. We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the cold-hearted and incompetent manner in which TV Licensing has handled his situation.

Stories like Mike's are sadly quite common. Every week we hear how TV Licensing has attempted to bully payment from some of the most vulnerable people in society when they actually owe nothing at all. Worse still, TV Licensing is often made aware that nothing is owed, yet persists in issuing threats regardless.

TV Licensing's behaviour, which is fully endorsed and condoned by the BBC, is reprehensible. In 21st century Britain it is obscene that an organisation can terrorise people in their own homes on the basis of ZERO evidence of wrongdoing. That's exactly what TV Licensing does on a daily basis.

Enough is enough. It's time to press the standby button on TV Licensing for the final time.

Anyone who has experienced similar treatment by TV Licensing is asked to please contact us via the email address on the sidebar.