TV licence people – entering the house?

After 15 years of paying my TV licence I have stopped watching TV. I have informed the licence people I will not be renewing for the time being.

I see they have changed the rules from it being illegal to possess a TV set without a licence, to it only being illegal to actively use a real time broadcast (watch or record) on any form of equipment. Possessing TV equipment no longer seems to be a problem as long as its not used to view a broadcast (watching DVDs seems to be allowed etc).

Got a polite automated email back saying they might come round at some point to check I am not lying. I imagine its unlikely they will visit and I have nothing to hide – my ariel is bust so I cant even get a signal to start with.

Out of curiosity – can they legally demand to be let in these days or is it down to the householders good will?

can they legally demand to be let in these days

No

I believe they still have right of entry.

[edit] or maybe not

Anybody would need a warrant to enter your property. They’d have to be occompanied by a police office to gain entry.

I wouldn’t worry about it.

no right of entry without a warrant. we’ve had one visit, after telling them we didn’t have a tv for the 23rd time they asked if they could come in and see. i said no, they went away.

TV licensing enforcement is a hotbed of myths.

But yes, as others have said, they have no power of entry without a court order, and they’ll only get a court order if they have reason to suspect you’re watching TV illicitly (and “but guv, he’s not got a licence, he must be a wrong un” isn’t good enough).

In the highly unlikely event of them turning up on your doorstep, they’re trespassing and should be gently reminded of this. (-:

I too gave up on a TV. £150 saved, and there was so little I wanted to watch, so I-Player and such are enough. I wonder how many others have done the same.

Perhaps we could/should charge a viewing fee?

I had a guy turn-up on my doorstep many years ago when I didn’t own a TV. He asked if he could inpsect the property so I stood back and told him to knock himself out. He simply smiled, scribbled something on his clipboard, looked up and said “Checked!”.

That was that…

How can you “prove” that you’re not watching any real-time broadcasts?

No wonder there’s so many bloody reality shows and repeats with people like you around.

Not worried, I really don’t have anything to hide. I have always been happy to contribute to the BBC and people who duck their license fees have always annoyed me – I don’t see why I should pay higher license fees to subsidise cheaters who then boast how clever they are. Equipment breakage has co-coincided with declining quality of signal where I live (trees growing, high building works), too many reality and lifestyle TV shows and my loosing my job so being shorter on money. I will buy a new license if/when I take TV up again.

I am mostly curious, as civil liberties seem to be changing lots these days, what the rules are for TV people demanding to search the house. It was never an issue for me but its caused me to wonder now. Anyone got any links to a legal statement about house entry?

This might be me imagining things but I thought if you had a internet connection and a computer you had to have a TV license now a days?

we had one come round. he took a quick look and saw that we only had consoles and went. If you are not watching tv illegally then you have nothing to hide anyway

They do not have the rigth to Enter you home at their demand.

They’d need a court ruling / warrant to do so, etc.

I’ve had the request from one or two inspectors to enter.
I refuse, they go away.

I totally dislike the TVLA and their default, bully boy stance, towards people, yadda, yadda.

This might be me imagining things but I thought if you had a internet connection and a computer you had to have a TV license now a days?

You need a licence to watch (or record) broadcast TV, be that with a TV or a computer. You don’t need one to watch TV post-broadcast on iPlayer or wherever.

If you are not watching tv illegally then you have nothing to hide anyway

Missing the point, imo.

Nobody, Nooobody rocks up to me on my front door step and just walks in at their discretion.

I totally dislike the TVLA and their default, bully boy stance

Me too.

I have a licence; I’m happy to pay it, I think it’s worth the money. However, I abhor the ‘guilty until proven innocent’ approach of the licensing authority.

“If you don’t have a TV, let us know.” No, if I don’t have a TV then I’m having nothing to do with you. I don’t notify the DVLA that I haven’t got a car, the police that I don’t have a firearm, the local trout farm that I’m not fishing; why should you lot be any different?

From the licensing site, bold bits are highlighted by me not them:

“You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it’s being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder.”

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/%5B/url%5D

There is no longer any statement about it being illegal to own a TV itself without a licence.

its a toaster 😉

So, erm, how do you “prove” you haven’t been watching real-time broadcasts?

Nobody, Nooobody rocks up to me on my front door step and just walks in at their discretion.

Only Customs & Excise can enter your home without a warrant. TV Licensing folk can be regarded in the same way as double-glazing salesmen and knife-sharpeners.

No license and don’t watch live broadcasts (News 24 online for example). Use iPlayer, 4oD, ITV Player etc.

Wrote the licensing people a letter (recorded delivery) saying they were welcome to inspect the property, but only under the following conditions (for ‘security reasons’ – useful clause!)

1. Two weeks written notice of date and time of inspection.
2. Only available Saturday or Sunday, unless they are willing to reimburse me for time taken off work.
3. Name and ID number of inspector – anybody else will be denied entry.

Not heard anything from them, probably realising they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if they tried any legal threats.

I have not denied them entry to our house – quite the opposite, I have welcomed them in….

wait, you will get loads and loads of threatening letters soon, worded badly with things like “YOU ARE GOING TO BE FINED £1000 (if you watch tv)” and “SOME INFORMATION YOU WILL REQUIRE WHEN YOU ARE IN COURT” following dozens of phone calls where I told them over and over that I didn’t watch TV I started sending their letters back with equally misleading messages such as “I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE” and “I ATE YOUR CAT!” It didn’t help, but made me feel better in a childish way!

Mr Woppit – Member
So, erm, how do you “prove” you haven’t been watching real-time broadcasts?

you don’t have to, the onus is on them to prove you have been, good luck to them with that.

think they’ve opened 15 investigations about me so far! 😀

Mr Woppit – Member
So, erm, how do you “prove” you haven’t been watching real-time broadcasts?

I dare say you can’t, but the onus would be on them to prove you had, not on you to prove you hadn’t.

Only Customs & Excise can enter your home without a warrant

Well, thats no reason not to ask nicely.

To arrive and enter unannouced might make things a tad messy.
😉

Only Customs & Excise can enter your home without a warrant.

So can the police. Not just because they feel like it mind, but in a number of scenarios they can.

but in a number of scenarios they can.

sorry for the hijack, do the reasons in these scenarios have to be cited beforehand or can they be made up written down in the paper work after the front door is in splinters and nefarious activities have/have not been ascertained? just wondering.

So can the police.

and the gas people IIRC

I don’t notify the DVLA that I haven’t got a car, the police that I don’t have a firearm, the local trout farm that I’m not fishing; why should you lot be any different?

good point

It’s English law isn’t it, so it’ll be something wooly like “reasonable suspicion” I expect.

and the gas people IIRC

I think I may have told a meter reader that now was not convenient, not the same thing tho I guess.

I had a guy turn-up on my doorstep many years ago when I didn’t own a TV. He asked if he could inpsect the property so I stood back and told him to knock himself out.

I had the samething. Hes still here, down in the cellar along with the Avon Lady. They don’t say much but the smells stopped.

In the highly unlikely event of them turning up on your doorstep, they’re trespassing and should be gently reminded of this

Legal BS of the week!

Have we covered the mystery TV detection vans yet in this topic?

http://www.bbctvlicence.com/Detector%20vans.htm

sorry for the hijack, do the reasons in these scenarios have to be cited beforehand or can they be made up written down in the paper work after the front door is in splinters and nefarious activities have/have not been ascertained? just wondering.

Well, the grounds for forcing entry have to be present beforehand, yes, although the occupier doesn’t necessarily have to be informed of what’s about to happen. It’s considered bad form to just put doors in for shits and giggles, then make up a reason afterwards.

If you’re interested, here’s a link explaining police powers of entry in E and W – CAB

I had this a couple of times ‘hello do you have a tv on the premises’?

No

‘Do you mind if I come in and check’

No you can’t. Bye.

…..then once I received a call at work ‘erm the TV licence man came and I erm let him in’. Do’h.

Ever since mrshora paid the fee 🙄

Is it wrong? Who cares.

Legal BS of the week!

Well, ok. If you ask them to leave and they refuse, they’re trespassing. As I understand it, anyway; quite happy to be proved wrong.

I’ve got a fun situation with the TV license people at the moment – I keep getting demands in the name of a business that previously occupied the address. I’ve got a perfectly valid license for the actual address but the people I’ve rung and written to appear to be unable to remove the non-existant address from the system.

I’ve given up; I hope they take me to court where I shall wear my perfectly valid license as a paper hat.