Are TV licences really necessary?

[Resurrection Man]

allegedly

My wifi network is called "house of cheese" but the house is made of bricks

The seedy looking individual in the van gave it away...as did the signal fade as he disappeared down the road!

[mangerton]

I pay my licence via direct debit, £12.12 a month, fixed until 2016.

I just checked, and I'm paying £12.12 a month too. But fixed until 2016? Do you perchance mean 2013? If 2016 is correct, please tell us more.

(You will understand that, as a Scot, these things are important to me. )

[french frank]

I just checked, and I'm paying £12.12 a month too. But fixed until 2016? Do you perchance mean 2013? If 2016 is correct, please tell us more.

(You will understand that, as a Scot, these things are important to me. )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11572171

[mangerton]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11572171

Ah. Thank you, ff, and apologies to Anna. I didn't realise the licence freeze was as long as that.

About as long as my pay freeze is likely to be.

[Vile Consort]

It doesn't stop at a warning of a house inspection. I received one of those (a warning) some time ago. They did follow this up with a visit, but I was out at the time so they just put a note through the door threatening to come again.

More recently I have been notified that I am now "Under Investigation." Apparently I can stop The Investigation by doing something or other, but as there is nothing in it for me, I won't be bothering. Of course, it may be in the interests of Messrs. TV Licensing for me to stop it, but I don't owe them a duty of care.

[Simon]

It doesn't stop at a warning of a house inspection. I received one of those (a warning) some time ago. They did follow this up with a visit, but I was out at the time so they just put a note through the door threatening to come again.

More recently I have been notified that I am now "Under Investigation." Apparently I can stop The Investigation by doing something or other, but as there is nothing in it for me, I won't be bothering. Of course, it may be in the interests of Messrs. TV Licensing for me to stop it, but I don't owe them a duty of care.

No, but why be awkward, just for the sake of it? Why let people waste their time, when that time could be better spent chasing those who ARE avoiding the payment? We don't have a TV either, but I just let them know after a letter came and they then wrote to thank me politely. They have a job to do, and it's only right they should pursue those who intend to be dishonest.

[MrGongGong]

No, but why be awkward, just for the sake of it? .

Oh Prof how we missed you

[Bryn]

I just checked, and I'm paying £12.12 a month too. But fixed until 2016? Do you perchance mean 2013? If 2016 is correct, please tell us more.

(You will understand that, as a Scot, these things are important to me. )

You will, of course, have noted that by paying by direct debit one appears to save 6p per year, compared to an annual payment of £145.50.

[Vile Consort]

I've been going through the rigmarole of telling them I haven't got an idiot's lantern for the better part of forty years. About a year after you get the letter thanking you politely for telling them, they resume sending you letters suggesting that you are committing an offence by not having a TV licence.

It is very un-British to have to keep registering with the authorities to avoid being put under investigation for an offence you haven't committed.

And I like to think I am keeping those people in their jobs rather than allowing them to become a burden on the tax-payer.

[mangerton]

You will, of course, have noted that by paying by direct debit one appears to save 6p per year, compared to an annual payment of £145.50.

No such luck, I'm afraid. This month I'm paying £12.18, so I'm having to economise in other areas.

[Resurrection Man]

No, but why be awkward, just for the sake of it? Why let people waste their time, when that time could be better spent chasing those who ARE avoiding the payment? We don't have a TV either, but I just let them know after a letter came and they then wrote to thank me politely. They have a job to do, and it's only right they should pursue those who intend to be dishonest.

Because it's pointless, Simon. One can write and tell them that you don't have a TV but they will still come round to check. They have to. Otherwise all that the evaders have to do is write and tell them the same thing! It's a bit like all those 'surveys' one is asked to complete post-purchase, whatever. If there's nothing in it for me then I usually don't bother. Unless it's Orange where for some strange reason I find the helpfulness and general perkiness of their customer service (mobile phone) department delightfully refreshing and so surveys do get replied to.

[Flosshilde]

Because it's pointless, Simon. One can write and tell them that you don't have a TV but they will still come round to check. They have to. Otherwise all that the evaders have to do is write and tell them the same thing!

But in Simon's paralel world his letters work & everybody's polite to him (strange that he doesn't extend the same degree of politeness to people on this board). He doesn't get a reply saying that they absolutely believe him - but they want to visit just to make sure.

[MrGongGong]

But in Simon's paralel world his letters work & everybody's polite to him (strange that he doesn't extend the same degree of politeness to people on this board). He doesn't get a reply saying that they absolutely believe him - but they want to visit just to make sure.

I think the key to getting this treatment is to sign your letters "Professor" and use the headed notepaper of your university (I feel another "wood" coming on ................. )

[Resurrection Man]

Flosshilde and Mr GG...why the aggression towards a reasonable post made by Simon?

Mr GG...why the pejoration of the fact that Simon is (I am assuming) a Professor? Jealousy? You feel that maybe you should have worked just that teensy-weensy bit harder in school? That is how you come across.

[MrGongGong]

Flosshilde and Mr GG...why the aggression towards a reasonable post made by Simon?

Mr GG...why the pejoration of the fact that Simon is (I am assuming) a Professor? Jealousy? You feel that maybe you should have worked just that teensy-weensy bit harder in school? That is how you come across.

It's an old joke .........

as is the phrase "a reasonable post made by Simon"

nuff said methinks French