BBC sends more than 40 million ‘enforcement letters’ to Brits over TV licence

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/bbc-sends-more-40-million-9933217

by pppppppppppppppppd

47 comments

  1. I’ve started a collection at this point. Going to stuff them in an envelope and give them back to the mysterious inspector that never turns up, if they ever actually knock on my door.

  2. When did the BBC become responsible for collecting the licence fee?   

    Or is this Reach failing to do even the most basic research?

  3. This just indicates that the whole system is broken. The TV licence has become unenforceable. Just my opinion, as a dutiful payer to the BBC and their celebrity payroll.

  4. My wife got one for her business…She runs a home decor shop there isn’t a TV on the premises and there hasn’t been for 15 years.

  5. Just think of all the money they could save without sending those letters and enforcement officers to harass people, or have a website with all the maintenance and support for people, who don’t need a license because they don’t want to watch the BBC

  6. They turned up at my door once maybe 10 years ago, I closed the door on them and then sent a template letter withdrawing right of implied access. Haven’t heard from them since.

  7. How much does it cost to generate all this paperwork, hire all the staff and manage all this… wonder if the enforcement action covers it or if it eats in the fee they are pushing on people.

  8. And they are wasting there money as they will all go in the bin lol

  9. It’s now the tenth year they’ve been sending me these. They used to come every couple of weeks but today was the first one for a few months.

  10. It’s about time the BBC just became a subscription service. The people who want it can pay for it. The people who don’t don’t.
    That works for Netflix and all the other streaming services.

  11. When I lived in a flat I got one every month and a half or so to “the occupier” threatening all sorts of investigations and actions. Lived there for 3 years, nothing happened. 

    Since I’ve move to a house in a nicer part of town I’ve not received any despite not having a licence. Not sure if they focus on properties that have lower council tax bands or it’s just a coincidence.

  12. I must have received 50 over the last 2 years. I wish I’d kept them all, I could hand them to the investigation officer if they ever actually turn up.

  13. I had an inspector turn up at my flat years ago which was really surprising because he got through the outer door without me buzzing him up. Always felt unusually intrusive for him to knock straight on my flat door. I let him in anyway because I didn’t have a TV. My laptop was on the table and he asked if I used it to watch TV and I just said no. That was that.

  15. Turned up to pay a visit to my downstairs neighbour who a) hasn’t lived there in about a year b) is 90 and c) assumed I’d be okay giving them my name and so on.

    Bastards had the cheek to follow me to my flat and try and get in.

    Oddly enough I do have a tv license for live sport it fuck me. Fucking chancers

  16. I’ve had a few recently. The way it’s worded makes you feel like you’re being accused of murder. I got rid of my TV licence because I just don’t watch much TV, and they seemed to take personal offence at that.

    They have come knocking before. I wasn’t in.

    It’s such an enormous collective waste of time and money.

  17. Is this the money they’ve saved from not paying Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball anymore being put to good use?

  18. Run ads. Offer a subscription. I find it fucking embarrassing that the BBC are not forced to compete in the free market of entertainment. Instead, they’re entirely free to focus on racist vanity projects and hound the public. This is all so disgusting. 

  19. It should be illegal threatening people for no reason and scamming out their money.

  20. The more letters they send the more money they waste, which is why I don’t intend to opt out even though I don’t own or watch TV.

  21. >The TV Licensing site notes: “We write to all addresses where there is no TV Licence or a current declaration to say that one isn’t needed. If you tell us you don’t need a TV Licence, we will stop sending you letters. We may confirm this with a visit.”

    This is actually true. After I filled out the declaration they stopped sending me letters with my name on it and started sending letters addressed to “The Occupier”.

    Thanks, BBC!

  22. Apparently they’ve been in my area for so long I’m honestly surprised they get to other areas

  23. Obligatory reminder that your license fee doesn’t just fund Lineker’s salary or episodes of Strictly. If you’ve ever used BBC News online to find legit, trustworthy facts, or listened to local radio, or know anyone with kids who watch CBeebies instead of whatever algorithmic shit YouTube is offering, then you can be happy knowing your license fee is funding stuff that nobody else can or will do. Look at the World Service, operating in countries without reliable, objective news.

    Obviously the Beeb’s not perfect and I suspect the license fee in its current form can’t really continue, but if we lose it, nobody will ever create anything like it again – it’s an overall force for good amid so much other, enshittified things.

    Note that supporting the continued existence of the BBC is *not* an endorsement of its every editorial decision or choice of content. Likewise it’s not an endorsement of sending enforcement officers to chase non-viewers for money. I think we can reform license fees while acknowledging that it’s a unique public service that we would be collectively the poorer for if it disappeared.

  24. It’s a racket and an absolute joke. The unnecessarily hostile tone is revolting. You’re made to feel as if you’ve done something wrong. They could seriously agitate vulnerable recipients.

  25. They need to get on with the times and stop living in the past. Those envelopes go unopened straight into the recycling bin.

  26. If you mark their letters as return to sender, does it cost them?

  27. Sent one to my dead relative. They already have been notified of his passing.

  28. Would still rather watch BBC than read anything from the Bristol Post, or any other Reach Media PLC site.

  29. I had a tv inspector come to my property two weeks back.

    I wasn’t expecting them but I was expecting a parcel and so when my buzzer went I had foolishly let them in. They wore a camera vest and asked if I needed tv license. I said no, I don’t watch live tv, live shows on YouTube or use iplayer. He was cool with it, didn’t scrutinise.

    He then asked to come in and check what my tv was connected too. I hesitated but allowed it. (You don’t have to let them in if they ask, they can’t enforce entry so don’t feel obliged).
    They saw my pc with YouTube on, it wasn’t a live show so no panic, showed him my living room tv that wasn’t connected to anything and told him I use it for my Xbox occasionally to play games.

    He ticked a few boxes and said thanks and left. Mentioning on the way out that they will check if I need one again in one years time. I won’t be as hospitable then however.
    I expect them to be satisfied at this point after I did let them in, which is far more than most are willing.

    I feel sorry for those who choose that line of work as employment. Less popular than ticket inspectors.

  30. Letters on the bin and the one and only time someone came and knocked on, they swiftly got told to fuck off and door slammed in their face.

  31. It doesn’t really bother me, but I find it amusing that they way to deal with the BBC is basically the same as how one should deal with cold callers, scammers and debt collectors – i.e. ignore them til they fuck off

  32. Is Scott Robson (Regional Manager – Enforcement) even a real person?

    He seems to be everyone’s regional manager no matter what region they are from.

  33. I ended my TV licence properly, notified them fully and they tried to delay/stall me, but after a couple back & forths I told them in a strongly worded email to cancel it, and they informed me they’ve attached a NLN (No Licence Needed) to my address so I won’t be contacted by them again, with the exception that in 2(? I think) years time I’ll get a reminder, and I got a refund a few weeks later.

    Now, rather than my name on the envelopes I get 1-2 letters a month addressed to “Occupier” telling me I need a licence, they’ve had no choice but to open an investigation, an investigation is underway, expect a visit, am I home on this date because an inspector may appear etc… red envelopes, bold intimidating text telling me I’ll be fined up to £10,000 etc

    I’m saving all mine in a folder so when the day comes the obvious intimidation/threatening letters are deemed illegal (as they should be) I can join the claim against them.

    Honestly just the letters I get are absolutely disgusting clearly intimidating and flat out wrong & the people who read the letters they send me are more often than not like holy shit mate you should pay it, not worth all that risk!…. Or they agree with me but can’t end there’s because they don’t want wife/kids having people knock on door.

    Infact I knew a girl last year (she moved out now/lost contact) who didn’t have a TV and just read books every evening or went out to fancy dinner events with friends, yet she paid for TV licence because she doesn’t want the anxiety of them knocking.

  34. We need an AMA from Reddit’s enforcement officers for TV licenses

  35. If there is a chance we might find out that you may not have a TV License then it is possible we may pursue legal action against someone who possibly lives at your residence and could, perhaps, probably send an enforcement agent to ask whether or not you are willing to speak to them about the TV License you might not have. Maybe.

  36. I return them singly in an envelope with the TV licensing address. In case they are refused I put a return address of Capita’s head office in the back.

  37. They’ve sent my mother in law about 20 in the past 2 years. Shes been dead for 3 so the visit should be a treat for both sides.

  38. My favorite part is the webpage to notify them you don’t need a license. Asks every piece of personal information about you.

  39. Why don’t people just sign the declaration that they don’t watch live TV?

  40. They are making some dreadful programming at the moment. The recent Panorama programme on mouldy rental houses a prime example.

  41. I actually had an ‘inspector’ turn up at my house. I looked up one day and he was just staring through my window. Then tried talking to me through the window and asked me if I was watching live TV and could I let him in so he can confirm I am not and tick me off his list.

    Told him no, closed the blinds and shouted he was very creepy for just looking through windows without knocking first.

  42. My wife will have sky news on in the background for maybe an hour a day and might watch the occasional show on iPlayer. I only pay the licence fee out of paranoia over the fact they may be able to prove that she uses iPlayer.

  43. Ive had about half of them it seems.

    Good luck getting in my flat for a swatch ya kents.

  44. Imagine applying the TV licensing logic to other areas… like being harassed to prove you don’t need a Fishing license, and having to tell them every 2 years you don’t fish or have any fishing gear in the house

    It’s just so stupid

  45. Cancelled my licence, even got a refund. Fuck the BBC.

  46. I can attest to this, having personally received at least half that figure despite never owning a television set

  47. When I was too poor for a tv I wrote back to them to tell them I had no tv. They still turned up to check. But the bloke took one look at me and realised I wasn’t likely to be a hardened criminal hiding a tv under the bed.

    They did keep asking each year if I was watching live tv thereafter, but I kept saying nope.

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