TV Licensing's caustic correspondence is putting innocent pensioners in fear, according to recent media reports.
TV Licensing is well known for adopting the "stick" instead of "carrot" approach to enforcing the TV licence fee. Over the years, and we've been here quite a while, we have seen numerous examples of TV Licensing sending its trademark caustic correspondence to the most vulnerable members of society. Worse still, TV Licensing persists in threatening many households that have gone to the trouble of declaring their No Licence Needed status - a legally baseless and futile exercise, which the TV Licensing Blog would discourage.
TV Licensing routinely sends menacing letters to unlicensed properties in an effort to coerce the recipients into paying for a TV licence they might not legally need. It's far cheaper for TV Licensing to use this tactic, as it is generally cheaper and more effective at securing payment than any actual investigation work.
Such sternly-worded, threatening letters really have a negative impact on some recipients. Worse still, because they are perceived by many as being "official", a lot of people really are taken in by the copious amounts of bullshit that they tend to contain. In reality, TV Licensing letters are riddled with downright lies and innuendo - all of which is thoroughly approved by the BBC, as Licensing Authority.
An 84-year-old lady recently recounted her experiences of dealing with TV Licensing. She told GB News that she never watched BBC programmes, so was under the misapprehension she didn't need a TV licence. Reading between the lines, it would appear the lady was still watching other licensable programmes.
TV Licensing sent the lady two of its caustic missives, which spurred her into contacting GB News.
The identical letters read: "Your TV Licence has been cancelled because you have not paid for it. Now time is running out. You can make a fresh start by joining the Simple Payment Plan. But if we don't hear from you as soon as possible, we will pass your details to one of our Enforcement Teams. If they find evidence you're breaking the law, you risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000."
She told GB News: "As soon as you pointed that out to me in an email, I arranged to have a TV licence but prior to that, I had two of these have these nasty letters arrive.
"I rang up TV Licencing to tell them I didn't like the tone of these letters that were coming. He didn’t sound interested at all that I was upset by the tone of the letters. He also didn't go into any detail or explain more about what I would have to pay."
The 84-year-old, who does not qualify for a free over-75 TV licence, conceded that her initial understanding of the rules had been wrong, which is why she has now paid for a TV licence. She said the letters were needlessly "putting fear into people".
She added: "A lot of us old people are unaware that we need a licence, and some are annoyed we don't qualify for a free one.
"I just think it's just not very good for older people, they live on their own and they get frightened when they get letters like that. I think if they could explain it a bit better, in a kindly fashion, just say ‘if you have any doubts about whether you should have a licence, you can ring this number and we can talk this through’, rather than an enforcement order."
Responding to an article on the GB News website, a commentator recounted their recent experience of a TV Licensing goon trying to enter an elderly neighbour's property. Fortunately, the neighbour's grown-up son was present and gave the goon short shrift.
The commentator said: "TV licence goons were in our street yesterday trying their luck again, tried to tell one of my elderly neighbours that they had the authority to enter their property to see if they are watching or recording live TV programmes without the permission of the person living there.
"Shame on them trying to use their scaremongering tactics on an old couple. It's shocking, makes you wonder how many other poor souls they are doing this to every day, making threats and trying to use underhand tactics to gain entry to people's property."
It is a regrettable fact that TV Licensing behaves in a similar manner day in, day out - all fully condoned by the BBC. It has no qualms at all about terrorising decent people, just as long as they pay up for a TV licence.
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