Freedom from TV license oppression
Discussion
Cotty said:
This is the bit I don't get, why get a warrant to access the house. If you only need a licence to watch live TV what do they hope to achieve by gaining access, to catch you in the act.
If its to check whether you can receive a live signal. What is the point if the law only covers watching not having the ability to receive. So they check that you can receive but you are not actually watching.
Thousands of people get done for dodging the TV license every year. Even if an inspector saw you watching TV through a window how is this admissible as evidence ? It's your word against theirs. I suspect either people get busted out of self-incrimination or the legal system is broke and will happily convict people on hearsay.If its to check whether you can receive a live signal. What is the point if the law only covers watching not having the ability to receive. So they check that you can receive but you are not actually watching.
Cotty said:
This is the bit I don't get, why get a warrant to access the house. If you only need a licence to watch live TV what do they hope to achieve by gaining access, to catch you in the act.
If its to check whether you can receive a live signal. What is the point if the law only covers watching not having the ability to receive. So they check that you can receive but you are not actually watching.
Historically it was due to the fact that most people who claimed they didn't need a license did so by stating that they did not own a TV or have a working aerial. The reason to enter the property was to verify this. If its to check whether you can receive a live signal. What is the point if the law only covers watching not having the ability to receive. So they check that you can receive but you are not actually watching.
The reality is that this is somewhat void these days. It's a core reason why the license reminder process is excessively aggressive because fear is a cost effective mechanism for ensuring compliance.
Cheese Mechanic said:
DonkeyApple said:
That'll be because it is a license specifically to enable the watching of any live broadcast TV on a device.
This makes it totally voluntary.
Thats why people end up in prison because its voluntary eh? Certainly twisted reasoning. This makes it totally voluntary.
If you do not watch live broadcast TV and you pay for a license in order to watch live broadcast TV then two things are relevant, firstly you are volunteering to pay and secondly you are an idiot.
Cheese Mechanic said:
oyster said:
It's no different than me paying for fire services even though I take more precautions to avoid fire. And no different than paying lots of taxes that go to the NHS even though I eat healthily, exercise lots and don't have a dangerous job.
Actually, totally wrong, Fire services, NHS etc are vital services, the BBC is just another media comapny. There are, however, hundreds of less than useful services which we all pay for via taxes. And of the tens of thousands I pay in tax a year, I don't begrudge the £145 I pay for decent television and online media we get from the BBC. Yes it's a bit biased, but so what. It's still great quality and there's less adverts.
oyster said:
Fair point on those.
There are, however, hundreds of less than useful services which we all pay for via taxes. And of the tens of thousands I pay in tax a year, I don't begrudge the £145 I pay for decent television and online media we get from the BBC. Yes it's a bit biased, but so what. It's still great quality and there's less adverts.
Right. But lots of people don't think the BBC is decent television, nor do they use the BBCs online services. But they are hounded for a non-mandatory payment for something they don't want and don't use. The TV Licence is not a tax it's a fee for using a damn service and the treatment the BBC dishes out/condones to legitimate non-payers is a disgrace.There are, however, hundreds of less than useful services which we all pay for via taxes. And of the tens of thousands I pay in tax a year, I don't begrudge the £145 I pay for decent television and online media we get from the BBC. Yes it's a bit biased, but so what. It's still great quality and there's less adverts.
goldblum said:
oyster said:
Fair point on those.
There are, however, hundreds of less than useful services which we all pay for via taxes. And of the tens of thousands I pay in tax a year, I don't begrudge the £145 I pay for decent television and online media we get from the BBC. Yes it's a bit biased, but so what. It's still great quality and there's less adverts.
Right. But lots of people don't think the BBC is decent television, nor do they use the BBCs online services. But they are hounded for a non-mandatory payment for something they don't want and don't use. The TV Licence is not a tax it's a fee for using a damn service and the treatment the BBC dishes out/condones to legitimate non-payers is a disgrace.There are, however, hundreds of less than useful services which we all pay for via taxes. And of the tens of thousands I pay in tax a year, I don't begrudge the £145 I pay for decent television and online media we get from the BBC. Yes it's a bit biased, but so what. It's still great quality and there's less adverts.
IF YOU DO NOT WATCH LIVE BROADCAST TV THEN YOU DO NOT REQUIRE A TV LICENSE.
You can watch BBC for free if you do so on demand. As you can any media.
And what is the treatment the BBC dishes out to people who legitimately do not require a TV license?
Bill said:
goldblum said:
the treatment the BBC dishes out/condones to legitimate non-payers is a disgrace.
I've always found it utterly painless. Bin the letters and if someone actually turns up on the doorstep tell them you don't watch live telly. It's really not hard.Bill said:
Funk said:
What right do they have to harass you on your own doorstep, or to send intimidating/threatening letters to you?
In what way are they harassing/intimidating etc? If you don't watch live tv then they're an irrelevance.Do you really think that because you see it that way everyone else must? I'm sure the hundreds of complaints filed against the TV License collection Stasi are all fictional/products of delusional minds though. I've had first hand experience of them, and I know a number of friends who have had the same. I've posted to this affect earlier on this thread or a similar one a few months ago.
Ha, yes perhaps.
Perhaps they also target certain areas, postcodes etc to be treated with more aggression. Consensus among friends seems to indicate there's a standard course of harassment... .
1.Reminder
2.Reminder
At this point you ring them to say you don't want to renew because etc etc
3.Reminder and slightly threatening letter reminding you that you can be prosecuted, as are X amount of people every year etc etc
4.No reminder, just a threatening letter.
5.Another threatening letter.
You ring them again and ask politely if they'll stop sending letters that drop through your letterbox with "WARNING THIS PROPERTY IS LIABLE FOR PROSECUTION" or somesuch. At this point it's water off a duck's back.
6.Threatening letter asking for access to the property to 'check' you're not using your TV.
You ring them again, irritated. They listen and say right we'll leave you alone for two years sir.
7.4 weeks later. Knock on the door. Bloke with clipboard and ID tag standing outside. "I've just come to check you're not using a TV" Me:"Have you now" Bloke:"May I come in?" Me:"You may not. Please get off my property."
Perhaps they also target certain areas, postcodes etc to be treated with more aggression. Consensus among friends seems to indicate there's a standard course of harassment... .
1.Reminder
2.Reminder
At this point you ring them to say you don't want to renew because etc etc
3.Reminder and slightly threatening letter reminding you that you can be prosecuted, as are X amount of people every year etc etc
4.No reminder, just a threatening letter.
5.Another threatening letter.
You ring them again and ask politely if they'll stop sending letters that drop through your letterbox with "WARNING THIS PROPERTY IS LIABLE FOR PROSECUTION" or somesuch. At this point it's water off a duck's back.
6.Threatening letter asking for access to the property to 'check' you're not using your TV.
You ring them again, irritated. They listen and say right we'll leave you alone for two years sir.
7.4 weeks later. Knock on the door. Bloke with clipboard and ID tag standing outside. "I've just come to check you're not using a TV" Me:"Have you now" Bloke:"May I come in?" Me:"You may not. Please get off my property."
goldblum said:
Ha, yes perhaps.
Perhaps they also target certain areas, postcodes etc to be treated with more aggression. Consensus among friends seems to indicate there's a standard course of harassment... .
1.Reminder
2.Reminder
At this point you ring them to say you don't want to renew because etc etc
3.Reminder and slightly threatening letter reminding you that you can be prosecuted, as are X amount of people every year etc etc
4.No reminder, just a threatening letter.
5.Another threatening letter.
You ring them again and ask politely if they'll stop sending letters that drop through your letterbox with "WARNING THIS PROPERTY IS LIABLE FOR PROSECUTION" or somesuch. At this point it's water off a duck's back.
6.Threatening letter asking for access to the property to 'check' you're not using your TV.
You ring them again, irritated. They listen and say right we'll leave you alone for two years sir.
7.4 weeks later. Knock on the door. Bloke with clipboard and ID tag standing outside. "I've just come to check you're not using a TV" Me:"Have you now" Bloke:"May I come in?" Me:"You may not. Please get off my property."
According to evidence on youtube it then goes:Perhaps they also target certain areas, postcodes etc to be treated with more aggression. Consensus among friends seems to indicate there's a standard course of harassment... .
1.Reminder
2.Reminder
At this point you ring them to say you don't want to renew because etc etc
3.Reminder and slightly threatening letter reminding you that you can be prosecuted, as are X amount of people every year etc etc
4.No reminder, just a threatening letter.
5.Another threatening letter.
You ring them again and ask politely if they'll stop sending letters that drop through your letterbox with "WARNING THIS PROPERTY IS LIABLE FOR PROSECUTION" or somesuch. At this point it's water off a duck's back.
6.Threatening letter asking for access to the property to 'check' you're not using your TV.
You ring them again, irritated. They listen and say right we'll leave you alone for two years sir.
7.4 weeks later. Knock on the door. Bloke with clipboard and ID tag standing outside. "I've just come to check you're not using a TV" Me:"Have you now" Bloke:"May I come in?" Me:"You may not. Please get off my property."
8. Number of weeks later crapita and police turn up at doorstep with dodgy warrant based on made up evidence. Police force entry and allow crapita goons to look around. Crapita goons then state "you have the ability to receive live TV" and issue court proceedings against you.
As a student I declined to pay it (as I did not watch it anyway - it was fully legal).
I was asked to show that I didn't watch live TV, and I just said that although I had a TV, I just used it for video cassettes, which was the truth (we didn't have a f
king aerial).
They never bothered to ask for any actual proof or to come and check.
I was asked to show that I didn't watch live TV, and I just said that although I had a TV, I just used it for video cassettes, which was the truth (we didn't have a f
king aerial).They never bothered to ask for any actual proof or to come and check.
Why do you think the BBC pushed for freeview so hard, it was to get the set top boxes out there subscription free. If it would have carried on along the lines of On Digital then there would have been an encryption device built into the boxes, as it is there are millions out there with no way to pay for BBC services, very well engineered by PRAVDA to continue their leeching existence.
NH1 said:
Why do you think the BBC pushed for freeview so hard, it was to get the set top boxes out there subscription free. If it would have carried on along the lines of On Digital then there would have been an encryption device built into the boxes, as it is there are millions out there with no way to pay for BBC services, very well engineered by PRAVDA to continue their leeching existence.
Greg Dyke even admitted this after he left the BBC:Wiki said:
After leaving the BBC, he said that he always realised that the introduction of Freeview helped to prevent a subscription funding model for the BBC gain traction, because it is impossible for broadcasters to switch off the signal to individual Freeview boxes.
They didn't want devices out there that were capable of having the BBC channels switched off.oyster said:
Cheese Mechanic said:
oyster said:
It's no different than me paying for fire services even though I take more precautions to avoid fire. And no different than paying lots of taxes that go to the NHS even though I eat healthily, exercise lots and don't have a dangerous job.
Actually, totally wrong, Fire services, NHS etc are vital services, the BBC is just another media comapny. There are, however, hundreds of less than useful services which we all pay for via taxes. And of the tens of thousands I pay in tax a year, I don't begrudge the £145 I pay for decent television and online media we get from the BBC. Yes it's a bit biased, but so what. It's still great quality and there's less adverts.
4v6 said:
The whole situation stinks.
If you went to B+Q and bought an electric drill would you expect them to keep coming to your house to see if you were using it in accordance with the manufacturers reccomendations?
an interesting analogy, given the OPC extended warranty stuff discussed at length elsewhere on PH or the situation many workplaces find themselves in ... If you went to B+Q and bought an electric drill would you expect them to keep coming to your house to see if you were using it in accordance with the manufacturers reccomendations?
4v6 said:
I can think of no other company that has a hogtied "customer" base.
the classic PH 'poewerfully built' over simplification 4v6 said:
If the bbc wants to maximise its revenues then it should encrypt its content and make people pay to see it, just like any other company does.
and to hell with the universal service obligation, to hell with public service broadcasting and so on ... 4v6 said:
I dont see why they should be allowed to benefit from a law that allows them to parasitically suck off of people who dont want to see their sh*t and then constantly harass them for having the temerity, the absolute cheek to say " Dont watch it, dont want it".
Theres a few videos doing the rounds but one made the very good point that if drug dealers came to your house and wouldnt take no for an answer then youd go to the police and report them for harrassment.
I dont see as the bbc is any different, theyre selling a drug of sorts and keep going back to try and hook people on their product.
Its about time the bbc was broken up and forced ( they like using force) to make its own bloody way in life, but they know full well how long theyd last, about 5 minutes.
Knock them on the head, the biased broadcasting company is way past their sell by date.
have you ever seen the bilge that passes for television in purely commercial places ? Theres a few videos doing the rounds but one made the very good point that if drug dealers came to your house and wouldnt take no for an answer then youd go to the police and report them for harrassment.
I dont see as the bbc is any different, theyre selling a drug of sorts and keep going back to try and hook people on their product.
Its about time the bbc was broken up and forced ( they like using force) to make its own bloody way in life, but they know full well how long theyd last, about 5 minutes.
Knock them on the head, the biased broadcasting company is way past their sell by date.
before people cite various US productions - how many of those were created by or for permium services ..
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