They indicate I should ring them and confirm I have no TV by having someone round to check .... I don't think it's any of their business. Why should they treat me like a liar and a criminal just because I don't watch TV.
2006-07-11 23:17:15 · 16 answers · asked by jubilation 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Yes. The suggestion that you should get a solicitor to notarise your letter is a good one. Be very firm with them as they are very persistent.
The way the TVLA treat non-TV owners is an invasion of privacy and I suspect often harrassment. Doubtless they have fixed UK law so that its OK for them but I wonder whether they are in contravention of human rights legislation.
The concept of a TV licence is ludicrous in this age of portable televisons, phones with television, cable television and television services over the internet. It is high time this poll tax was abolished, but of course the politicans are money grabbing.
I thknk it is particularly disgusting that the BBC is getting money specifcally from people in the UK, via a form of (in effect) taxation that ignores income or other wealth, when services such as their website are equally available to people worldwide. Commerical information service providers also have reason to complain on grounds of unfair competition.
Why not write to your MP and ask him or her what (s)he will do about this? Nothing will happen until TV licences become as big a nuisance, and vote loser, for politicians as for ordinary decent people who choose not to have a television.
2006-07-12 03:44:03 · answer #1 · answered by Philosophical Fred 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would just ignore, they have ways and means of detecting TV signals without having to visit you... don't be so touchy they will not be intending you to feel the way you do, will merely be checking records. Lets be honest back in the 50s/60s TV's were not in every household by nowadays it is the opposite.. 95% of a vast population wouldn't be able to live without one.
2006-07-11 23:22:52 · answer #2 · answered by missjeanstewart 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just send them a letter explaining that you do not have a TV and they will leave you alone. I did that when I was getting threatening letters from the TVLA and after sending them a letter they never contacted me again.
2006-07-12 05:34:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those of us who don't watch television are considered "abnormal." Beyond that, someone may have signed up for service in your name. Maybe you should explore it a bit further and find out why they think you have a television. I'm not sure why that would require someone coming to your home, but a certified letter to a manager should get some results. Good luck.
2006-07-11 23:21:36 · answer #4 · answered by jd 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No...absolutely not!!....The BBC make miilions and give shoddy service (repeats) They cant/wont even spend money on decent servers for their football forums on the net. Then they send round little hitlers to waltz into your house when they feel like it and threaten people to pay for their crappy service. You cant even buy a tv without their channels on it, talk about forcing things on you!!
I would wait until they had threatened you enough so you could at worst report them to trading standards or at best take them to court for harrassment.
2006-07-12 02:07:30 · answer #5 · answered by mrogynist 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm confused. TVLA is a research group. They have no need to know whether or not you have a TV. If someone is claiming to be them and insisting that they come into your home to check anything, call the cops.
2006-07-11 23:29:19 · answer #6 · answered by CarolO 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd write to them, you can get a solicitor to notarise your letter for a fiver.
They used to send a form for "Why Don't You Have A T.V. License?" with a variety of tick boxes auch as I Just Moved Here, Honest.
There was no tick box for Because I Don't Have A T.V.
You are guilty until proven innocent as far as they are concerned; but if you have a radio or a pc that can get T.V. you also need a license.
2006-07-11 23:27:58 · answer #7 · answered by sarah c 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The way things are nowadays they find it incredibly hard to believe you don't have a TV and have probably heard this excuse hundreds of times which is why they need to check.
2006-07-11 23:22:28 · answer #8 · answered by ehc11 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you
131 quid to watch 2 bloody channels, and if you dont pay it you go to jail, yet another way for our government to hump us at every chance they get.
Down with tv, long live the web.
And why if you only watch dvd's/games consoles on your tv (and have no ariel) do they still insist you pay.
2006-07-11 23:35:50 · answer #9 · answered by Dark Angel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have the power of access meaning they could simply break in - at your expense. They are just asking your permission first, so make sure you hide the video recorder as well.
If you do not have a TV then you have nothing to worry about.
2006-07-11 23:25:52 · answer #10 · answered by Boris 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋