Reader Letter: TV Licensing Goon Snooping Around Garden

In today's post we respond to an email received from one of our readers.

Leanne from Wolverhampton got in touch after finding a TV Licensing goon snooping about in her garden. The intruder made a quick get away when he was challenged.

Our reader writes:

Dear TV Licensing Blog,

I am worried that TV Licensing will return to my home after I challenged a salesman the other day.

I live in a 3-bed semi in a cul-de-sac in Wolverhampton. As well as the door at the front of the house, there is a door into the kitchen at the side of the house. There is a gate at the side of the house, which is to stop our young puppy from getting into the front garden and out onto the road. You need to open this gate to get to the door at the side of the house.

The other day I had popped across to my neighbour's house to deliver a package which I had accepted for them. We got talking, as you do, and she invited me in for a coffee. We were deep in conversation when her attention was drawn to the window. She stood up, looked out and asked me if I was expecting another delivery, as a man had just gone up the path to my front door. I said that I wasn't, but I would go to see who he was and what he wanted.

In the 30 seconds it took me to walk back to my house, the man had undone the garden gate and was stood at my side door having a good stare through to the glass panel. I was furious, so I shouted "who the hell are you?" He was clearly startled and quickly flashed a blue ID badge and said he was coming to set up a TV licence.

I told him that I didn't need a TV licence, adding "you can't come into my private garden and stare through my windows". He muttered something about "if you've nothing to hide, what's the problem?" and scurried away back down the garden path.

I listen to the radio and use the internet, but I never watch TV. I live alone and don't appreciate some stranger noseying around the side of my house. I could have been in the kitchen in my bathrobe or pyjamas. It's not right.

What are the rules about TV Licensing going into people's gardens? What are chances of the salesman returning?

Thank you.

Leanne

TV Licensing Blog replies:

Dear Leanne,

Thanks for emailing the TV Licensing Blog.

Due to the coronavirus restrictions, TV Licensing has scaled right back on its enforcement activities and visits to unlicensed properties. That being the case, you are quite unlucky to get a visit.

TV Licensing goons have no automatic rights of access to any property.

A common law right exists that allows delivery people and suchlike access from the garden gate to the front door by the most direct route, but it certainly does not allow them to open internal garden gates and go snooping around the side of the house or back garden.

There is no doubt in my mind that this TV Licensing goon was fishing for evidence of TV licence evasion. By trespassing beyond your internal garden gate, he was breaking the rules. You can be entirely confident that if you complain about his behaviour he will lie his face off in denial.

A TV licence is only required for those properties where equipment is installed or used for the purposes of receiving TV programmes or BBC on-demand programmes via the iPlayer. It sounds to me as if you don't legally need a TV licence, so you should not be overly concerned about TV Licensing.

It is possible TV Licensing might visit your property again, in which case you are fully within your rights to simply ignore them and close the door.

I recommend that you secure the side gate of your property. This should stop further instances of TV Licensing trespass and will also help protect your puppy from escape and theft.

If you ever see anyone snooping around the side of your house in the future, try to get a photograph of them and immediately call the police to report a suspected burglar.

For more information, please download our free ebook TV Licensing Laid Bare.

Best wishes

Peter

If you have any questions you would like answered on the TV Licensing Blog, please email us with the words "Reader Letter" in the subject line. Our email address is in the sidebar. As mentioned on the About page, we can't guarantee to respond to every email but will try our best.

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