Cable Forum - They're at it again, part 326

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They're at it again, part 326

- at least, that's the way it feels.

Yes, folks, TV Licensing have sent me another 'Enforcement Visit' love letter! :p:

There're some impressively frightening statistics quoted: "Last year, we visited an address every 5 seconds" and every day they "knocked on over 10,000 doors".

Yeah. About the only way such feats might be accomplished is via teleportation and/or time travel. :rolleyes:

I can't see any point in taking even the small amount of time to visit their site and tell them I don't need a TV licence - because they'll still come anyway. Well, let 'em. I've never used iPlayer; I've only ever even visited the site once - and there's no longer even a record of that on my laptop following the recent nuke event (the remote access scam).

In fact I had another nuke event yesterday; after multiple failed attempts to remove 'Create shortcut' from the context menu (allegedly it is possible, but none of the utilities I tried worked), Windows got so peeved it decided not to let the taskbar work any more. Or the Control Panel. Or the Command Prompt. Or any icon. The only way to fix this was to reinstall again. Lesson learned. :dunce:

Hmm. I've just read in the letter that you need a licence if you access iPlayer via another provider such as Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT or Amazon. Now that's just puzzling; why would you even need to? Just go straight to the iPlayer site, surely?

Actually I'm not sure a TV would work even if I had one, because the aerial socket hasn't been upgraded to digital - I did get a letter about this from Bolton At Home a few years ago, but I didn't bother putting in for it because, of course, I didn't have or want a TV, so there was no need.

There's virtually nothing I'd want to watch on TV - and most of what I would watch I can get on DVD, or on Amazon Prime (I'm still debating about Netflix - how much is it now?).

I read. A lot. Over 40+ years I've accumulated over 1200 books. I have over 100 DVDs. I play retro computer games (arcade ROMs via MAME, X-Wing vs.TIE Fighter, and even the Windows games such as Solitaire, Minesweeper, Mahjong and even Pinball). Plus I write fanfiction, mostly UFO at the moment. Who needs TV for entertainment? I don't. :p:

Re: They're at it again, part 326

Love it if you could live stream the TV licencing officers visit. I always enjoy seeing a 'game, set and match' confrontation. :D

Re: They're at it again, part 326

Yep, every time I've bought a commercial or renovation property the licensing mob have sent out threatening letters which I so far haven't found a way to stop apart from waiting for the passing of a few years.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

It's all a load of lies and the letters come in a depressing cycle of about 6-8 variants. I have a stack of the nonsense about an inch thick. Occasionally they come up with a new wheeze but its transparent rubbish as usual.

We've not paid the BBC tax for the last 9 years. They've even given up sending a bozo out. Not that we'd be stupid enough to open the door to a complete stranger.

Most of our viewing is downloads, streams or DVDs. Apart from some selected foodie or documentary channels. We could probably get these on youtube.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

I thought even if you watch prime you need a TV licence.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r (Post 35937642)

I thought even if you watch prime you need a TV licence.

From their website

Quote:

Do I need a TV Licence to watch subscription services like Netflix, Amazon or Now TV?

You don’t need a TV Licence if you only ever use these services to watch on demand or catch up programmes except if you’re watching BBC programmes on iPlayer.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ104

Re: They're at it again, part 326

For years we were getting to the legal occupier and now for some reason they are coming in addressed to my wife although it says Miss. Have they gone through our bin to find mail or asked a neighbour??

Re: They're at it again, part 326

Quote:

Quote from Stephen:

For years we were getting to the legal occupier and now for some reason they are coming in addressed to my wife although it says Miss. Have they gone through our bin to find mail or asked a neighbour??

Did you remember to tick the box on the electoral register form to keep your names off the public copy?

Ours always says legal occupier. Especially silly on the one that says "What you need to know in court" since you cannot prosecute if you don't have a name.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

Yes always been that way.

That's why I am sure it must have been a neighbour as it's addressed to miss not Mrs.

There is no miss at the address lol.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

While I'm sure some people genuinely dont watch anything other than (non iplayer) streaming - I'm sure many go to a lot of effort to avoid something thats pretty trvial in the grand scheme of things - effort way out of proportion to what they save - its like £2.85 a week, barely enough to get a drink out these days.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

It's not the actual cost with which I have issues - it's their entire attitude. At one point way, way back in 2000 or thereabouts, I actually was going to get a TV, Sky etc. - but I got so ticked off I decided against!

To explain: my Mum, rest her soul, was recording things for me to watch when I stayed over at weekends. But her video recorder went and died on us. But I had a plan: I bought one, intending to lend it to Mum until she could afford to get a new one, then I would take mine home and get a TV - AND A LICENCE - to go with it. Since the plan was for me to eventually use it at my home, it only made sense to give my address when I was asked for it, in case it ever needed repair or whatever,

What I didn't know at the time was that high street shops (and now online ones) are required by law to give the name and address of the purchaser of any equipment capable of receiving TV transmissions...e.g. video recorders. So the next thing I know I'm receiving letters from TV Licensing saying I didn't have a licence...which I already knew, so I ignored them.

But they kept coming, thus ticking me off more and more. I couldn't understand why they were pursuing me (didn't find out till later).

End result: "Sod it!" I said. The recorder never made it to my flat. I didn't get a TV and abandoned all plans to do so.

Which brings us to now. Nothing's changed for me. Nothing's going to.

I refuse on principle to get a TV until this whole licensing thing has died the death it so richly deserves, which I suspect will be any year now. :p:

Re: They're at it again, part 326

I remember when I was about 18 and bought a basic DVD player in 2p00 for my bedroom at home. I got made to fill in a form at Argos with my details for a tv license.

Needless to say I used a made up name and address.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymouse (Post 35937753)

They won't know you have a TV now as you don't have to give your details.

Re: They're at it again, part 326

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M (Post 35937748)

Sometimes I go weeks without watching tv and never watch the BBC. I begrudge them every penny and don't like their bully boy ways one bit