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Anyone been visited by TV licensing man yet?

Just wondering if anyones been visited by TV licensing man yet? Ive been hearing rumours about students being fined already .... :frown:

Reply 1

hypocriticaljap

2

rumours - that's all they are.
If one turns up feel free to use this quote.

"Go away, you have no right of access without a warrant and a police officer in attendance. I have no responsibility to prove I am not watching TV to you or anybody else."

Reply 2

melhunt

OP

What if they come back with a police officer ha. If I just hide my tv tuner, they cant check my laptop can they?! :s-smilie:

Reply 3

Ryouga

They still need a warrant, and I think even if they catch you they have to prove it, and I believe they have to give you a few warnings before taking you to court.

I think its a civil matter

Reply 4

melhunt

OP

Ryouga

They still need a warrant, and I think even if they catch you they have to prove it, and I believe they have to give you a few warnings before taking you to court.

I think its a civil matter

So they give me a warning before they fine me the £2000 right?! Coz i cant even afford the license let alone a fine :| Plus, im too nice to say no, i literally would just confess at the door

Reply 5

Ryouga

melhunt

So they give me a warning before they fine me the £2000 right?! Coz i cant even afford the license let alone a fine :| Plus, im too nice to say no, i literally would just confess at the door

I am not 100% certain but I believe so, and it should be enough that you dont have a aerial connected to a device if they come round and you let them in, but like already said you do no have to grant them access as they have no legal rights.

They are scummy though and will try and trick you or lie and say you need a license just to own a tv, there was that story abotu 2 years back about a block of halls with over 100 rooms where there was no tv signal so people just used them for dvds and gaming and a licensing guy was let in by accident then told everyone unless they paid there and then they would be arrested and fined! dozens of people paid and then found out they didnt need one and were refused a refund.

Reply 6

cybergrad

2

I did when I was a student. I had just moved in my rented house, he knocked on the door and asked me if I have a TV. I had no idea about TV licence because I had just arrived from abroad. All he asked was if he can see it and then asked me to set up the direct debit as soon as possible. That was it.

Another friend of mine was taken to court and charged £45 fine plus £60 court fees.

Reply 7

melhunt

OP

So if I manage to hide the TV tuner before he comes in, then he can see I dont have a tv, just a laptop ... then thats it?!

Reply 8

manderton

13

melhunt

So if I manage to hide the TV tuner before he comes in, then he can see I dont have a tv, just a laptop ... then thats it?!

just unplug your laptop from the mains and watch away perfectly legally.

Reply 9

PeterR

10

melhunt

So they give me a warning before they fine me the £2000 right?! Coz i cant even afford the license let alone a fine :| Plus, im too nice to say no, i literally would just confess at the door

For people like you, the fine should be £10,000.

Reply 10

melhunt

OP

PeterR

For people like you, the fine should be £10,000.

Now theres no need for that. Its the nice people who actually cant afford the license rather than just being greedy that deserve to pay less in my opinion. :smile:

Reply 11

PeterR

10

melhunt

Now theres no need for that. Its the nice people who actually cant afford the license rather than just being greedy that deserve to pay less in my opinion. :smile:

Sorry mummy :frown:

Reply 12

melhunt

OP

PeterR

Sorry mummy :frown:

Now theres a good boy :wink:

Reply 13

PeterR

10

melhunt

Now theres a good boy :wink:

Me?

No way!... :biggrin:

Reply 14

Hello Laura!

12

The TV licencing man turned up at my old flat one day, was a bit of a shock because we never thought he'd actually exist.

Flatmate let him in and showed him the telly in the kitchen.

He was asked to plug it in.

The cable wouldn't reach the socket.

"Ok, I believe you don't watch it."

We never got any bloody signal in that flat anyway, so there was no way we were paying for a TV licence.

Don't Let Them In!

Just don't let them in?

I never answer the door to anybody who I don't know, lets be honest if somebody random comes to your door how often is it for something that will benefit you? They are either salesmen, Jehovahs witnesses or pikey neighbours wanting to borrow something. We never had a TV license in our old house, they probably sent the TV license inspectors round various times but we never let them in, if we were all in the sitting room watching the TV we could never hear the door anyway, that would be ironic haha.

Reply 17

Reue

20

melhunt

So they give me a warning before they fine me the £2000 right?!

The average fine in the UK in 2007 (for when the figures were last avaliable) was the actual cost of a licence. So even if you are caught and fined and found guilty you will most likely only be fined the cost of the licence anyway.

No warning of a search is needed to be given however they do need a search warrent to do so. In order to obtain one of these from a court they need sufficient evidence against you, which is pretty much impossible for them to obtain if you havnt let them into your property.

If it were to go to court, it is on them to prove guilt, not you to prove innocence. Even if they were to mount a suitable case, there are many defences which have been used successfully in the past as they have to prove you were knowingly watching live television. Not something easy to achieve.

The most important thing is to never let them in your house without a search warrent. Never phone them or contact them.

Reply 18

CurlyBen

19

They're a persistent lot those TV licensing people. My parents got a letter demanding they buy a licence sent to them in China!

Reply 19

Moonbeam1991

10

MagicNMedicine

Just don't let them in?

I never answer the door to anybody who I don't know, lets be honest if somebody random comes to your door how often is it for something that will benefit you? They are either salesmen, Jehovahs witnesses or pikey neighbours wanting to borrow something. We never had a TV license in our old house, they probably sent the TV license inspectors round various times but we never let them in, if we were all in the sitting room watching the TV we could never hear the door anyway, that would be ironic haha.

LOL OMG Magic I love your style, if they knock and they are not expected **** em! Better yet chase em off with a shotgun! LOL!

Anyone been visited by TV licensing man yet?

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