If they refused to leave your front door or kept knocking on it, can you call the police and get them arrested?

can't you take legal action or something against them because they would have to be lying if they tried to convince you that they had the right to gain access to your house.

Also, I think someone here said that the only way in which you would have to obliged and let them come in, is when they have a warrant. How and in what scenario would they be given a warrant?

Reply 43

itsmehere

6

You need to be careful if you're out of your house and it isn't locked. There is legislation known as "implied right of access" which covers things like TV licensing, postman, electricity meter readers etc which means they aren't liable to prosecution for trespass unless you expressly state that you do not allow them on your premises.

A quick letter (or locking your house) will get round this

Reply 44

Tuppenny

11

TShadow383

See, I actually WISH they would visit.
Just so I can see how they react when they're not allowed in :biggrin:

Me too! No-one ever comes to bother me :frown:

Although a lady did turn up at our door the other day claiming she was from a charity and was most put out when my boyfriend wouldn't give her his credit card details. That was funny.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 45

Psyk

16

itsmehere

You need to be careful if you're out of your house and it isn't locked. There is legislation known as "implied right of access" which covers things like TV licensing, postman, electricity meter readers etc which means they aren't liable to prosecution for trespass unless you expressly state that you do not allow them on your premises.

A quick letter (or locking your house) will get round this

That sounds like total BS. I'm pretty sure "implied right of access" only applies to walking onto your property to reach your front door. It doesn't mean they are allowed to walk right into your house if the door is unlocked. Think about it, it's not exactly normal to leave your door unlocked so the gas man or whoever can come in when you're not there. If it's not normal behaviour then there's no way you can argue that permission to be there is implied.

Reply 46

River85

17

Psyk

That sounds like total BS. I'm pretty sure "implied right of access" only applies to walking onto your property to reach your front door. It doesn't mean they are allowed to walk right into your house if the door is unlocked. Think about it, it's not exactly normal to leave your door unlocked so the gas man or whoever can come in when you're not there. If it's not normal behaviour then there's no way you can argue that permission to be there is implied.

Excactly.

As far as I'm aware a police officer can techincally enter a house without a warrant, providing that house has an unlocked door or open window.

But this does not extend to any one else. Implied right of access is what any member of the public has and allows a person to approach another person's front door (to visit or post something). It does not mean a postman or licence fee "agent" can just enter your property.

Reply 47

Delaney

16

itsmehere

You need to be careful if you're out of your house and it isn't locked. There is legislation known as "implied right of access" which covers things like TV licensing, postman, electricity meter readers etc which means they aren't liable to prosecution for trespass unless you expressly state that you do not allow them on your premises.

A quick letter (or locking your house) will get round this

You leave your house unlocked? Where do you live? (specifically) :rolleyes:

Reply 48

River85

17

Delaney

You leave your house unlocked? Where do you live? (specifically) :rolleyes:

I leave mine ("mine" being my parents') house unlocked when going next door to my grandmother's. I could leave it open all day and all night and it's exceptionally, exceptionally unlikley anything will happen (although at Christmas time there can be a handful of walk in burglaries nearby as you get everywhere).

I obviously won't take the risk. That would be silly. But let's just say the doors, even the patio doors, have been left open and people have left the house.

But that's the middle aged for you. Forgetful buggers.

I wouldn't leave the student house I rent unlocked.

Reply 49

L i b

19

Delaney

You leave your house unlocked? Where do you live? (specifically) :rolleyes:

The house I grew up in was hardly ever locked. I lived in a village in Scotland. No-one ever had any idea whether or not there was another family member in. I doubt anyone would've hoofed it up the driveway on the off chance someone had left the door open anyway...

I remember being shocked when I saw a Michael Moore "documentary" where he went up and tried to open people's front doors in Canada - and was amazed that they were unlocked when the person was in the house.

Reply 50

jedpea

8

We never had a telly at home so when the tv inspectorts came round and asked if we had a television we said yes when they asked to see it father invited them and showed them our telelvision which at the time io belive contained some flowers it was quite funny. You should have just let them in and shown that you didnt have a telelvsion.

Reply 51

Formerly LieDown

13

I hate that our halls just used to get blanketed with letters from TV License people. Alright sending out letters to students warning them not to, but the wording of the letter made it look as though everybody were doing something wrong automatically, i.e. not warning but accusing. It freaked out a lot of people who didn't know the rules as they thought they were being done for watching iPlayer without a license etc.

Guilty until proven innocent, and all that.

Reply 52

Iche

Hahaha, this reminds me of the virgin media people on the phone who always try to convince me or my mum to 'confirm' our details.
Yeah like I'm giving out my address over the phone to some caller with an unverified number.
We seem to cause them a lot of stress & I think my mum gets a real kick out of it...I love it when you know your rights and can tell when a threat is empty :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 53

mfaxford

1

I'd have probably asked the guy to hang on whilst I grabbed a pen and paper so I could make a note of his name and badge number before talking to Trading Standards about a case of Harassment.

Would be interesting to see how quickly they can run.

Reply 54

Its_Miller_Time

I have had people like that at my door before. Despite telling them I have paid my license and am up to date they still have tried to force their way in. Lol once I closed the door on them, literally on them.

It's not so bad now but in the past they have disturbed me during my work hours which is really annoying.

Reply 55

MrCasperTom

13

Iche

Hahaha, this reminds me of the virgin media people on the phone who always try to convince me or my mum to 'confirm' our details.
Yeah like I'm giving out my address over the phone to some caller with an unverified number.
We seem to cause them a lot of stress & I think my mum gets a real kick out of it...I love it when you know your rights and can tell when a threat is empty :smile:

Haha I had something like that:

Caller: So if you could give your name and address to us we'll be able to confirm your details.
Me: So you want me to just tell you a load of details over the phone without any proof of who you are
Caller: I am from [where ever it actually was] sir.
Me: Can I see your ID then
Caller: We're over the phone sir. That it impossible
Me: Well you see my predicament now don't you.
Caller: ...

Reply 56

Formerly LieDown

13

MrCasperTom

Haha I had something like that:

Caller: So if you could give your name and address to us we'll be able to confirm your details.
Me: So you want me to just tell you a load of details over the phone without any proof of who you are
Caller: I am from [where ever it actually was] sir.
Me: Can I see your ID then
Caller: We're over the phone sir. That it impossible
Me: Well you see my predicament now don't you.
Caller: ...

One of the best things about moving to France is being able to just say 'I don't understand' in broken French with a very strong English accent, and they usually hang up eventually rather than go through the torture of trying to get you to understand what they want.

Reply 57

Iche

MrCasperTom

Haha I had something like that:

Caller: So if you could give your name and address to us we'll be able to confirm your details.
Me: So you want me to just tell you a load of details over the phone without any proof of who you are
Caller: I am from [where ever it actually was] sir.
Me: Can I see your ID then
Caller: We're over the phone sir. That it impossible
Me: Well you see my predicament now don't you.
Caller: ...

Haha that is always the problem, it's ridiculous! How can anyone expect you to 'prove' who you are over the phone if you have no way of knowing who they are?! :rofl:

I do feel bad though hearing the frustration in the person's voice :o:

I don't envy them their jobs!

Reply 58

Its A Catch 22

10

I am sincerely looking forward to declining them entry to my flat when I head off to university.
Your FAQ is impressive too. Cleared a few things up for me that might have taken a while finding out for myself. :yep:

Reply 59

WelshBluebird

16

jedpea

You should have just let them in and shown that you didnt have a telelvsion.

Why? They have no right to enter your property.
And if you do have a TV, but don't use it to watch live TV, then they may bully you into paying the license. Many people don't know that the inspectors are often spouting rubbish, and will pay to stop any possible repercussions (of which there are none, but they are led to believe they will be fined etc).

Reue gets visited by the tv licence inspectors

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