threatening letters from tv licence

[kingofswords]

i just posted this on mse but thought id try my luck on here as theyre so bitchy nowdays

i keep getting threatening letters from the tv licenseing ppl and even now theyre saying theyre taking me to court.

i moved into the property just over a year ago...i havent owned a tv since the 2oth centuary....i have a laptop and very slow net connection and watch eastenders about 11 oclock at night (wouldnt be able to watch liveeven if wanted to) and theyve been sending threatening letters to somebody called 'the legal occupier' ever since i moved in. i didnt like their bullying methods so didnt get in touch with them to tell them i dont have tv as theyre not a goverment institution.

now i understand i dont need a license if i dont have the abilty to watch live tv...where do i stand with the net connection? also is it possible for them to actually take me to court for not getting in touch with them....also i thought the fact they dont have my name mean they couldnt?

im guessing innocent til proven guilty has no bearing with tv license.

thanks for any help

[johnners]

Their bully boy tactics really anger me.
If you have no TV or means of watching live TV, you do not need a license.
They seem to send out those letters as a fishing exercise.

[Deleted]

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one
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.

[OneDay]

Everyone in the UK who watches or records "live TV" (content as it is broadcast) needs to be covered by a TV licence, regardless of what or how you're watching.

You do not need a TV licence if you only watch content after it's been shown on television. This includes TV programmes downloaded or streamed after broadcast using a catch-up service.

[djs]

Keep calm.

You are either right or (I'm afraid) wrong. If you have no telly and don't watch live broadcasts, bring it on. Tell them to sling their hook.

They tend to only push these things so far, so if your conscious is clean, hang in there.

Sooner or later, you will need to communicate with them though. If you ignore or it take offence, chances are they will take you to court.
They will lose, but you won't take any pleasure from it.... I can assure you. I happened to me in 1992.

[OneDay]

May 5, 2014 21:15:21 GMT kingofswords said:

theyve been sending threatening letters to somebody called 'the legal occupier' ever since i moved in. i didnt like their bullying methods so didnt get in touch with them to tell them i dont have tv

They will have records for the previous occupant and there was probably a licence issued for the property. If you got off your high horse and dropped them a line they will probably stop hassling you.

[dickyg]

You could just ring, have a chat and then know?

[collie2011]

They're actually fine when you call them. Just explain you only watch TV on catch up and do not watch or record live TV and they will back off and leave you alone.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using proboards

[kingofswords]

oneday its got nothing to do with high horse...as soon they have my name they will harass me even more plus they will actually be able to take me to court. the webs full of horror stories about these ppl

the problem is i have the 'ability to watch live tv' but choose not too(technically im on 3 internet and would never get good enough speed to watch anything live) and this is the bit that confuses me....weather its abilty or actually partakeing in the act ofwatching/recording

[ceedee]

I didn't replace my last tv when it died and informed them that I had no plans to replace it and didn't watch live tv via the internet when my old licence expired.

They hassled me like hell until I phoned them up and shouted at them.
All was peace and quiet for 3 or 4 years and in April it's started all over again.

[dickyg]

May 5, 2014 21:45:23 GMT kingofswords said:

oneday its got nothing to do with high horse...as soon they have my name they will harass me even more plus they will actually be able to take me to court. the webs full of horror stories about these ppl

the problem is i have the 'ability to watch live tv' but choose not too(technically im on 3 internet and would never get good enough speed to watch anything live) and this is the bit that confuses me....weather its abilty or actually partakeing in the act ofwatching/recording

If you're not doing anything wrong why does it matter if they have your name?

[OliverB]

May 5, 2014 21:45:23 GMT kingofswords said:

oneday its got nothing to do with high horse...as soon they have my name they will harass me even more plus they will actually be able to take me to court. the webs full of horror stories about these ppl

the problem is i have the 'ability to watch live tv' but choose not too(technically im on 3 internet and would never get good enough speed to watch anything live) and this is the bit that confuses me....weather its abilty or actually partakeing in the act ofwatching/recording

Google produces --

You only need a licence if you’re watching or recording programmes at the same time as they are being shown on TV. If that’s the case, whatever device you’re watching on (laptop, mobile, TV set etc) and however you’re receiving the programmes (terrestrial, satellite, internet etc), you must be covered by a TV Licence.



You don't need a licence for simply owning a TV set if you only use the set to play video games on an XBox/ watch DVDs, as long as you don't watch programmes on it as descibed above.



You can make an online declaration to say that you don't watch 'live' TV by going to www.bit.ly/nosetclaim.



Hope that answers your question – do check out this link for more info: www.bit.ly/tvlgeneral, or feel free to contact us at [e-mail].



Thanks,

TV Licensing Support

[e-mail]"

[dickyg]

Google said so that's ok

[greendollar]

If they don't have your name they can't prosecute you , simples & your under no obligation to talk to these people ( Capita are the private corporation that send these threats on behalf of the BBC I believe ) or provide them with any information whatsoever ...silence is golden

[Q]

I guess things must have changed then, it always used to be that the licence was for OWNING (or renting) equipment CAPABLE of recieving television broadcasts, the watching side of it didn't matter at all, if you had equipment CAPABLE of recieving then you HAD to have a licence