TV Licence Question

[Negative Creep]

I moved into a new house last weekend and had a visit from the TV Licensing person today. Basically I think I stitched myself up by being honest - I said I used the TV on Wednesday evening but due to all the chaos of moving hadn't gotten round to sorting it, especially as I barely ever watch live TV (yes, I appreciate I should have sorted it out first). I sorted out the payments there and then, and when I asked if it would backdate to me moving in he said yes. I assumed the form he was filling in was just for setting it up, but looking at the TVL138 form he's given me it states I've been cautioned, when he never mentioned anything of the sort whilst at the door, just that I'll get confirmation it's in place within 10 working days. The back of the form states I may still be liable to prosecution even though I've paid for the whole month.

Having thought about it I know I should have dealt with it differently, and am worried they might take it further. Should I be worried that I just admitted to going 72 hours without one?

[clockworks]

Not sure, as it's been 40 years since I had a visit from the licensing guys, but did you have a licence at your previous house? When I have moved, I've just phoned them up and given them the new address. Not always done it straught away, never had a problem.

[Negative Creep]

I never had one at my last house since I had no aerial and the only TV that received live programmes was in the communal area

[SpeedMattersNot]

I wouldn't be, honestly.

The TV license people have been round here once a year knocking whether or not we're watching live TV, which I think is out of order because each year I reply to their letters saying I am still not in need of one.

[Slidingpillar]

Can't speak for Capita enforcement, but almost the same thing happened to me years ago at the present address. The TV licence dude turned up while the moving van was here, so he could see I was in the process of moving in.

Doubt anything will come of this to be truthful, there is no intent to commit an offence and they do now have the money for the period in question. If it did, try ringing them and explaining, they'd look pretty silly in court with this.

[Fozziebear]

I wouldn't worry, you have a valid licence in place and you have back dated to when you moved in. They should have read the caution to you, not just handed you the form. They also need to actually see the tv on and showing live TV, without actually seeing it and also putting on the form what channels they viewed it's just you're admission. They won't take it any further as they have the money, the copy of the form gets logged at Darwen and then filled.

[the_lone_wolf]

Don't worry about it - The Capita bloke is more of a salesman than any kind of enforcer, their job is to sign you up, not gather evidence for prosecution, which they're notoriously bad at anyway

The mistake you made was engaging them, we don't watch TV in our house, get everything through on demand and Netflix etc, when I tried to inform them I either had to call a non-freephone number or give them a bunch of my personal information online, this combined with how they'd mistreated and bullied a relative of mine meant they could do the legwork for me...

We had a handful of the threatening letters with increasingly large red type and threatening ambiguous language - you "may" be taken to court etc etc, followed by one visit from an "Enforcement Officer" which lasted all of about ten seconds and me telling him we didn't need a licence and closing the door before he'd even managed to get my name, not heard anything since then but we're moving so I suspect the entire process will start over and I'll have to ignore them to death again...

Few facts:
-You have no legal duty to tell them you don't need a licence
-You don't have to engage with any Capita "enforcement officers" who visit your house, you can just shut the door
-They cannot enter your property without a warrant, which they can only get if they show a judge that you've refused all future entry to them

[dmitsi]

We get the scary letters addressed to 'the occupier', I file them in the bin. I've always wanted a visit from an actual person but the two times they'e left a calling card is during working hours, so never about. I still hold onto hope they'll call round whilst I'm off work one day so I cant stare blankly at them and tell them not today thank you. When I've had chuggers called round in the evening I'm always disappointed it's not the tv people.