woolley Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 We've had a TV for six months and, decided to set up the direct debit thing for the licence as, to be honest, couldn't cope with all the red letters coming through the door. We've decided now that the TV just isn't for us so it's going in the New Year. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the telephone calls to the licence people to tell them we want to cancel. Anyone care to wager a bet about how long it's going to take to get it sorted" If my experiences 'across' are anything to go by they will continue to pester you , and contacting them is a complete waste of time. Yep, probably best to just cancel the DD at your bank and wait for the licence people to contact you, and they will. If you're really not using your telly, you have nothing to worry about. Tell them to take a running leap. Apparently, if you do that, they can just set DD up again because they have your original authority. Best to send a letter of cancellation so that you can give them both barrels when they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Roxanne, I was pestered by them for 18 months including evening phone calls and threats of court etc. Every time I explained the situation and they agreed that did not need a license for that property anymore, I would still get more letters and more phone calls. I finally sorted it by following the instructions on their website, search the complaints section and you have to start a message with the words "Official Complaint" - it is set up to make it hard to complain TBH but that is another story. Having done this and explained again in the Form, what the problem was I got a nice reply and fingers crossed no more phone calls or letters. Alternatively, just send their envelope back containing a couple of soggy tea-bags, old fag ends and carrot peelings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I had an odd time with the TV taxman....Strictly speaking I should pay the full fee because my retirement accommodation has a warden for 30 hours a week and to get the cheap rate of £7.50 a year the warden must be on-site for 35 hours...I had been three years on the £7.50 rate but they agreed that as it was their mistake then I could stay paying £7.50 a year unless I moved to another flat/address...Otherwise you have to be older than I am to get the cheap rate apparently but you can get into these retirement flats from age 55...This is what they TV taxman told me anyway! So maybe they are a little bit human? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarley Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Apparently, if you do that, they can just set DD up again because they have your original authority. Best to send a letter of cancellation so that you can give them both barrels when they do. Can't you revoke your "original authority" with the bank? Can banks really honour DDs that you have cancelled? I suppose if you really wanted to get mercenary about it, you could have your account details changed. A mate of mine did that due to an online-firm who insisted on continuing a subscription he no longer wanted; I suppose it's pretty much the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Not using the telly is no excuse. It is a tax on owning a receiver capable of receiving live broadcasts...I do not own a television although I pay the £7.50 a year tax...I use the Internet BBC site and strictly speaking I do not need a ticket to watch recorded programmes. I do not to pay the tax to watch live transmissions. The only reason I pay is because at £7.50 it is nothing and if I am the odd man out from the 15 other tenants it only attracts investigations and so I pay to keep everyone happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I managed to get a DD cancelled with the bank after the supplier changed the T&C of the agreement and I no longer wanted to subscribe. It took some persuading for them to do it, but the key words to use were "in dispute". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Apparently, if you do that, they can just set DD up again because they have your original authority. Best to send a letter of cancellation so that you can give them both barrels when they do. Can't you revoke your "original authority" with the bank? Can banks really honour DDs that you have cancelled? I suppose if you really wanted to get mercenary about it, you could have your account details changed. A mate of mine did that due to an online-firm who insisted on continuing a subscription he no longer wanted; I suppose it's pretty much the same thing. This is from the IOM Bank online banking site, so obviously they are saying do it through the payee. "Please note, when cancelling direct debits it’s advised that you inform the originator as they may set up new direct debits if they are not expecting the payments to stop." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarley Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Apparently, if you do that, they can just set DD up again because they have your original authority. Best to send a letter of cancellation so that you can give them both barrels when they do. Can't you revoke your "original authority" with the bank? Can banks really honour DDs that you have cancelled? I suppose if you really wanted to get mercenary about it, you could have your account details changed. A mate of mine did that due to an online-firm who insisted on continuing a subscription he no longer wanted; I suppose it's pretty much the same thing. This is from the IOM Bank online banking site, so obviously they are saying do it through the payee. "Please note, when cancelling direct debits it’s advised that you inform the originator as they may set up new direct debits if they are not expecting the payments to stop." Thank you; forewarned is forearmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxmonk Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 This is the treatment tv licensing gave this chap for cancelling his tv licence and going legally licence free. No matter what you tell them they will still see you as guilty of wrong doing and will continue to harass and threaten you with letters and the occasional doorstep visit from their goons. The best thing to do is have zero contact with them. Bin any threat letters they send and close the door immediately on any goon that might turn up at the door. All the advice and help you will ever need about dealing with tv licensing can be found on www.tvlicenceresistance.info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piebaps Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 To be fair to the licence guys, if they believed every story at face value they'd collect nothing. If everyone who should pay, paid, and didn't try to weasel out of it, they wouldn't be so persistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Border Terrier Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 To be fair to the licence guys, if they believed every story at face value they'd collect nothing. If everyone who should pay, paid, and didn't try to weasel out of it, they wouldn't be so persistent. The BBC outsource their fee collection to Capita. BBC provide a list of properties (out of the approx. 25 million in Britain) that don't have a licence and Capita do the rest. The Capita agents calling at your door are on commission for every licence they subsequently 'sell' - it's said to be £20 for every licence purchased within 14 days of an inspector visiting. They have all the legal rights as does the Avon lady. I haven't received a live broadcast since the late 1980's and still receive around 8-10 letters per year. I've had around a dozen visits in that time. The last being in June of this year (2013). They will NOT stop calling; just accept it. Do NOT give them your details or sign any paperwork. Put the letters in the bin and let the inspectors know that you have "refused implied rights of access" when they call. This prevents them from accessing your property legally. So any future visit will require a search warrant. I did have a Doberman (Chester, 1979-91) and he once deterred a wheel clamper from immobilising my car using a low pitched growl to very good effect. I see no reason why that approach wouldn't work on some 'Johnny come lately' after the BBC's shilling. As for the van driving around with the coat hangar protruding from the roof...never has any Court case, either here or in the UK, had any evidence submitted by this method. Plenty of those on here think that they're sponsoring non-licence payers; just stick with radio or download and their argument evaporates. After 20 years I find Capitas' approach faintly amusing...it's costing them much more than it's costing me...result. If you watch live broadcasts...buy a licence. TBT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballaughbiker Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Who issues these warrants ? What evidence is required for their issue.? Not just a suspicion based on f.all surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxmonk Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Totally agree with you TBT. But removing the right of access to the property ain't such a good idea these days. Nearly every search warrant I know of thats been used in the uk by tv licensing, has been used on the occupiers who have removed the right of access to their property. It basically puts a flag on your addresse and tv licensing will apply to the court for a search warrant because they have no other way of visiting the property. Better to just ignore the letters an close the door on the goons if they turn up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxmonk Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Who issues these warrants ? What evidence is required for their issue.? No just a suspicion based on f.all surely? Its generally the magistrates who issue the search warrants. The evidence used to obtain these search warrants are often based on the following claims. 1, the implied right of access to the property has been removed by the occupier. 2, the goon says he/she thought they heard a tv whilst visiting the property. 3, the goon claims to have seen a tv or the flickering light produced by a tv through the windows of the property 4, they detected a tv within the property with their van or handheld detector ha ha. (Equipment that doesn't even exist) No one has ever in the history of the tv licence, ever been convicted on evidence obtained from so called detection equipment. Its a scare tactic because it doesn't exist. If they had this technology there would be no need for them to call at the door and question people. They would simply know if you were evading and confront you with their evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxmonk Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxCmKxeF788 This is how my mate handled his tv licence goon visit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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