I've been away travelling for a year, and never renewed my tv licence. The guy seemed pretty sure we were operating a tv in that time. Could the lodger we had staying have been using one and been caught out, and how? We stay in a block of flats.
2007-02-07 22:34:18 · 10 answers · asked by ? 4 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Television
They can pinpoint the room, the TV channel and the time of watching. Their equipment can read signals through thick concrete walls. You must prove you where away and that your lodger was responsible to fight this.
2007-02-07 22:39:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
It is likely the lodger has been using one.
Dont panic
What you need to do is prove that you were out of the country - shouldnt be hard - plane tickets, a passport stamp etc etc, even your banking transactions - if done abroad can help.
Do you have a written contract with the lodger? Just something that proves they were living there at the time - will make things alot easier and quicker.
If not, and the house is in your name - it could make things tricky in finding reasonable proof that the lodger is responsible - but not impossible - for example if the lodger was paying regular money (rent ) every month, or was he paying electricity for the house etc etc - if so lying on his part would be incredibly silly.
dont worry there are ways through it , dont give the tv licence people anything - good luck x
2007-02-07 22:50:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The guy assumes that you are guilty because that you don't have a TV license and the assumption that everyone has a TV. Usually they do not have proof, just the threat will be enough to scare most people. With modern TVs it is increasingly difficult to detect them electronically so they would have to resort to peering into windows.
Just tell them that you had rented out the place and show the rent book or whatever documents that you have. If they say they have proof of TV viewing then redirect them to the lodger.
2007-02-07 22:47:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will still be liable for the licence fee if you didn't specify in your rental agreement (you had one right?) with the lodger that he / she was liable to pay the TV Licence fee.
Not only can the detector van tell when the TV was on they can tell you which room and how many TV's are in a household, even which channel was being watched.
These days they specifically target addresses with no TV licence, not hard to do in this day and age of the computerised electoral role.
2007-02-07 22:45:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anchor Cranker 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A couple of things to remember; If you once had a TV license at that address and not renewed it, then TV Licensing will be curious and send an inspector. You need to have a license for any apparatus capable of receiving a transmitted signal - whether it's working or never turned on. By clever triangulation they could have detected the signal being received (right down to the room in a flat and the channel being watched at the time). Based on previous licensing they could have decided to send a detector van to check as it had not been renewed. Once on their list - you're theirs forever.
2007-02-07 22:48:38 · answer #5 · answered by stumpy0211 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes if you where on holiday and they have reported the tv being in use then may be your lodger was operating it whilst you where away. have you tryed explaining to them the following and have you any proof to your travelling if so then i could not see it being a problem and also providng your lodger is honest and will own up to it also
2007-02-07 22:39:51 · answer #6 · answered by charlene r 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unless you let them in and they see a TV, they can't prove anything. It's BBC scaremongering that they can detect every TV so people own up. I've got a licence by the way BBC!:-)
If they come again give them his name and have evidence of when you were out of the country (Hassle I know), be polite and get a current licence, most peeps are cool if you're honest!;-)
2007-02-07 23:32:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anyone can be caught out, so yes the lodger proberly has been using one.
2007-02-07 22:43:07 · answer #8 · answered by KITTY 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell them it was your lodger he has to get his own
2007-02-07 22:38:25 · answer #9 · answered by Sir Sidney Snot 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
although you have been away its the property thats registered not the person. so if they have had a tele there then you will be liable to pay
2007-02-07 22:43:56 · answer #10 · answered by Snot Me 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋