On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 15:53:39 +0000, Kalico wrote:

For about the past year or so I have been receiving increasingly
threatening letters from the TV licensing people about the fact I do
not have a license.

I'm not too fussed about buying one since I do not use the TV for
anything other than watching the occasional video. Indeed, there is
no TV in the main living room and no aerial lead on the TV that is
upstairs.

The 'notices' are sounding increasingly nasty. If I do not get a
license OR write to tell them I do not use a TV, then it is likely
that the skies will darken and the seas will boil etc etc.

My first question is whether I have to tell them that I do not watch
regular TV programmes? I know you can get a fine now for not
declaring SORN on a vehicle if it is off the road, but is TV licensing
as bad as that?

Secondly, does anyone have any experience of what happens when the
inspectors call at your house? They surely will at some point. I
could write to tell them what they want to know, but there is that
little bit of rebel still left in me that hates conforming to the
nanny state's big brother-esque dictats.

Does the inspector actually have to register radiation, or similar,
coming from the back of my TV set to 'prove' I am watching it (not
sure how they would get on with an LCD tv)? If so, surely I would
have to let them into my house. Do I have to?

Also, can they tell the difference between me watching a video and a
regular TV programme? It would be rare that my girlfriend and I would
put a video on before 11pm (sounds fun doesn't it? - the reality is
less exciting). Surely they would not start to bang on the door at
that hour and I could be forgiven for not answering it if they did?

Cheers
Rob


Replace 'spam' with 'org' to reply

You have to have a licence if you have equipment capable of receiving
a signal. I argued sucessfully, that I don't have this. I do have a
TV, and Video, and a Massive Video collection, but the TV in the house
is not capable of receiving a signal, as one does not reach the house.

We don't get radio inside either, the walls are simply too thick, and
the signal too week.

I phoned up the TV people and told them this, they agreed I was right,
the bad letters stopped. Just for good measure they sent the detector
van down to my place, got the damm thing stuck, and let all the sheep
out on the road. The farmer was ****ed off big time. I don't think I
will ever see them again.

I am in N Wales, just oustide the National Park.

Rick