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This blog is to highlight the unjust persecution of legitimate non-TV users at the hands of TV Licensing. These people do not require a licence and are entitled to live without the unnecessary stress and inconvenience caused by TV Licensing's correspondence and employees.

If you use equipment to receive live broadcast TV programmes, or to watch or download BBC on-demand programmes via the iPlayer, then the law requires you to have a TV licence and we encourage you to buy one.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

TV Licensing Goon Visiting Hours


A short but informative post today.

People often ask us about the times of the day that TV Licensing goons carry out their visits. The BBC and TV Licensing do not openly reveal this information, but we have no qualms whatsoever about doing so.

Chapter 2 section 2 of the TV Licensing Visiting Procedures, which is normally redacted by the BBC, says the following: "Visiting will normally take place between 08.00 and 21.00 Monday to Saturday and 09.00 to 18.00 Sunday and Bank Holidays as directed by the Enforcement Manager. Visits outside these times may only take place with the authority of the Enforcement Manager.

"Prime time visiting hours are 16.00 to 21.00 weekdays and all day at weekends."

Remember that a TV licence is only needed for those properties where equipment is used to receive TV programmes at the same time (or virtually the same time) as they are broadcast.

Anyone who does not need a TV licence is under no legal obligation whatsoever to assist TV Licensing and we discourage them from doing so.

TV Licensing goons have no more rights than any other visitor to your property. If a goon calls, the best option is to say nothing and close the door. By keeping quiet you are depriving TV Licensing of information they are not legally entitled to, but arrogantly assume they are.

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9 comments:

Fred Bear said...

They haven't called on me for years now but when they did knock on my door it was on weekdays, between about 10am-3pm. They never called evenings or at the weekend.

The 'Officers' are after easy pickings - people on benefits or stay-at-home mothers. Not that those groups are any more likely to be evading the TV Licence - on TVL's own admission there are likely to be just as many professional people evading the TV licence as people on benefits -it's just that those are the people they like to pick on.

Unknown said...

"Sunday and Bank Holidays as directed by the Enforcement Manager. Visits outside these times may only take place with the authority of the Enforcement Manager."

The fact that TV licence enforcement is being run as a sales operation together with the types of "Enforcement Managers" we have seen on certain search warrant videos in the past I think it's safe to conclude that the above is being quietly ignored by some Enforcement Divisions who will be pushing those staff they deem as under performing to increase their sales.

Useful information though.

Unknown said...

@ Fred Bear people on benefits or stay-at-home mothers are also on low incomes and therefore less likely to be able to pay costly legal fees to defend themselves in court against any dubious evidence where TVL claim licence fee evasion has taken place.

Faced with the prospect of a huge legal bill some of those on low incomes and wrongly accused of licence fee evasion opt to plead guilty by post and just pay the fine unchallanged as in some instances it is the cheapest option for them.

Anonymous said...

Götter Dämmerung, good point. I imagine there's a hell of a lot of the old "What the eye don't see, the heart don't breath about" mentality going on within BBC/Crapita/TVL. Also, shame to see you got banned from TVLR. Sao Paulo really doesn't like being shown up for being incapable of having a reasoned and intelligent debate.

Fred Bear said...

Yes, Götter Dämmerung, although very few people actually attend court.

There is one other advantage that wealthier people have - they can more easily take advantage of the BBC's prosecution policy. According to a briefing for Welsh magistrates that was obtained by Whatdotheyknow.com, first time 'evaders' usually escape prosecution if they pay up reasonably promptly (within 20 weeks according to the briefing)and keep up payments.

So if you can whip out a debit card to pay the full amount or can set up a direct debit then you can escape prosecution if they don't have you down as a prior offender.

Unknown said...

@ Anonymous thank you for your words of support regarding recent events involving myself over at a popular well known resistance forum.

It is a shame that the admin of that forum chose to terminate my membership in the way that they did however I bear them no ill will and wish them and their members all the best for the future and look forward to being a valued member of other forums elsewhere.

master mike said...

Used be a "Visiting Officer". Know all the tricks. It's simple. Do as your mom said:
"Never talk to strangers."

Admin said...

You did Mike? Well if you ever have the urge to spill the beans, you know where we're at!

Shanon Roslyn said...

Not long ago i phoned tvl for the third time in less than a year and told them i work long hours and dont have a tv.I was told that not being at home constituted a deliberate evasion lolololol and failure to let them in was unlawful. Today i got the court threat letter. Please dont hurt me for not having a telly...ill get one i promise and ill buy the licrnse!So I'm giving in my notice at work and stopping in from this day forward, forever and ever amen...oh wait...I feel a small claim coming on... I ain't lyin'!