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Stop this persecution

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Published Date: 08 May 2008
In response to Fergus Reid, of TV Licensing (Letters, 5 May), as soon as an address is seen to be unregistered in respect of a TV licence, the occupant is subjected to an unending stream of letters, the constant message being that you are guilty of harbouring an unregistered TV. In the early stages, the letters are just accusatory but rapidly become bullying, insulting and finally intimidating and highly offensive.
What other government organisation, business or even court of law would send out a letter in an envelope adorned in large print with the message "Notice of impending prosecution" or "Your next appearance could be in court"? This, when no evidence whatsoever of TV possession exists.

Mr Reid's justification that one-third of households approached do need a licence is no justification. The poor success rate suggests the filtering mechanism used is highly suspect, as it means a majority of households under investigation are being needlessly harassed.

Persecution is not too strong a word to describe the actions of TV Licensing and it beggars belief that such practices should be acceptable in society today.

PETER G HILL
Cadogan Road
Edinburgh





Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 May 2008 8:44 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Colin Wilson,

Aberdeen 08/05/2008 06:43:13
In 2000, I too was getting this kind of treatment from the UK authorities' TV Licensing. One day I arrived to find a note saying that someone had been while I was away, to confront me on the doorstep. I wrote and told them that their actions amounted to harrassment of a law-abiding citizen. They obviously believed that no-one could survive without television.

I got one more insulting letter back, granting me a year's "grace" (i.e. "you're still in the wrong, but we'll let you off for now"). I didn't find out what would have happened in a year, as by then I'd sold the flat (which was empty) and moved on.
2

jj veritas,

08/05/2008 09:56:15
This persecution is the main (only?) real tool the authorities have. That is why they use it.
3

Upbeat,

08/05/2008 10:08:09
The TV licence harrassment is directed at Postcodes. Some years ago, when we moved here, we found out thanks to the TV licencing authorities persistent and annoying attentions that in the national database this house actually had two postcodes . Try explaining that to a call centre !
4

LuluB,

08/05/2008 13:19:24
We too received an avalanche of increasingly threatening offensive letters - each saying at the bottom that if we had renewed recently (which we had, and on time) we should ignore the letter! Only after our MSP intervened did we get anything like a result. Even then TV Licensing tried to blame it on their records having an incomplete Post Code - when the threatening letters had it correctly and in full.
We object to being treated like criminals, but this is becoming more and more frequent with so many things under this government. We were able to stand up for ourselves, but it was still a nasty experience - I dread to think what happens to the elderly and infirm. How dare a government body treat its citizens in this way.
5

Cauchy Riemann,

Wales 08/05/2008 16:04:35
Excellent letter.

It should be noted that 'TV licensing' is just a trading name used by the BBC. The BBC is the one responsible for collecting the licence fee. (They contract out a lot of the work to Capita, but the whole oversight is the BBC.)

The deliberate and knowing use of harassment by the BBC is disgusting. The sooner this tax is done away with the better.
6

Maryon Jeane,

Shropshire 08/05/2008 19:59:43
I too have been harassed by these people. I even, on one occasion, let them in to ascertain that, although I had a television (I watch videos and DVDs), I did not need a licence because the television was not used to receive broadcasts. They finally acknowledged this (although only because I insisted on amending the written account of the interview, which was incorrect, and because I fought the point in a series of letters after the interview), but it did not stop the harassment. It simply started again from the beginning.

Another thing which makes me angry is that if you wish to contact TV Licensing (and why are they called this when they license the receipt of broadcasts and NOT the possession of a television?) to explain, complain or in any other way stop their harassment, the numbers they provide are expensive 0870 ones - of which they take a cut.

If you do need to phone them to try and stop the harassment, at least make them pay: phone them on their freephone numbers (0800 551 550 or 0800 328 2020).

 

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