TV License

leedsfan88

Hey i've just got an notice of legal proceedings about my TV License,

My TV License is in date until August 2010, and i just rang them up and they said they made a mistake and i need to purchase one, or else face a day in court.

The License was purchased September 2009 and valid until August 2010.

What can i do? Can they make me pay to fine even tho its in date?

sexdwarf

This doesn't make any sense. How can it be out of date if you bought it in September '09?

leedsfan88

I don't know that's what i said, but the license name has changed from my mother to me since the last license

biko

AH -> Consumer Issues.

sexdwarf

The TV licence covers the house though so it shouldn't matter whose name it's in. If you're living in a house with a valid in-date TV licence I can't see how they can take any kind of legal action against you.

NuMarvel

Did they say what mistake they made? E.g. did they somehow give you a licence without making you pay?

The only thing I can think of is that you are paying by direct debit and for whatever reasons the direct debits haven't gone through to them.

Wazdakka

It's all part of a new field of research in TV licence collection.

It's called a Quantum licence.
Your TV licence can be both in and out of date at exactly the same time.

It's all very exciting but it has of course made fee collection a bit tricky,
That is why there are now Quantum licence inspecters...

They have a really spiffy uniform and theire job is to issue fines to people who's licence might be in date at the same time as having obviously expired,

I think all this info was published under the famous government funded science paper, "I can't believe they're paying for this crap... Lets see what we can get away with"

syklops

Talk to a lawyer but it sounds like a cock up on their side. I would say go to court and have the lawyer take them apart.

Feck them.

NuMarvel

Wazdakka wrote: »

It's all part of a new field of research in TV licence collection.

It's called a Quantum licence.
Your TV licence can be both in and out of date at exactly the same time.

It's all very exciting but it has of course made fee collection a bit tricky,
That is why there are now Quantum licence inspecters...

They have a really spiffy uniform and theire job is to issue fines to people who's licence might be in date at the same time as having obviously expired,

I think all this info was published under the famous government funded science paper, "I can't believe they're paying for this crap... Lets see what we can get away with"

That's what we get for voting Mr Schroedinger in as a TD

OP - Is the address on the TV licence the same as where you're living?

sexdwarf

OP is it a summons you got or a 'last warning' big red letter? If its not a summons I'd go down to the local post office with my valid licence and the letter and ask their advice. If it is a summons you'll still have to go to court but just bring your licence with you and tell them that you're clearly covered for the year.

Cabaal

Ifb you have a license in date don't go buying a new one, what I would do is record the next call you make where they suggest you do then I'd leave it go to court and produce the valid license and the recording.

The recording showed you made them aware of the issue but they failed to resolve it and wasted the courts time bringing it to court, I'd then seek costs for a lost day of work as well as transport as you had to go to court.

sexdwarf

NuMarvel wrote: »

That's what we get for voting Mr Schroedinger in as a TD

Lol!

Xcellor

It's because they have heard all the excuses and none of them work. Duh...

Fey!

If you let the license lapse and then renewed, they backdate it to whenever you let it lapse, despite not being able to prove whether or not you had a TV for that period.

ie. License from Jan 2006 to December 2006. Renew in June 2007 to May 2008.

They then send you out a letter saying that your new license, despite the date on it, is only good to December 2007.

Aroun March 2008 you start getting threatening letters from them, saying that you have no license and owe fines.

You renew in June 2008 to May 2009.

Another letter arrives telling you that your new license expires in December 2008, despite the date on it.

And so on...

seagull

They'd get a letter stating I had no TV between the expiry and the renewal, and it's up to them to prove otherwise. If they are unable to prove it, I'm sticking with the original expiry date.

calex71

Fey! wrote: »

If you let the license lapse and then renewed, they backdate it to whenever you let it lapse, despite not being able to prove whether or not you had a TV for that period.

ie. License from Jan 2006 to December 2006. Renew in June 2007 to May 2008.

They then send you out a letter saying that your new license, despite the date on it, is only good to December 2007.

Aroun March 2008 you start getting threatening letters from them, saying that you have no license and owe fines.

You renew in June 2008 to May 2009.

Another letter arrives telling you that your new license expires in December 2008, despite the date on it.

And so on...

That's incorrect, at least in my case. I let mine lapse last year in may and it was October by the time I got around to renewing it, the license still says May 2009 to May 2010

txt_mess

calex71 wrote: »

That's incorrect, at least in my case. I let mine lapse last year in may and it was October by the time I got around to renewing it, the license still says May 2009 to May 2010

Yep that what I got the renewal on my licence was from the date it expired. What the post office person told me at the time was to switch the licence to my wife's name and then it would be issue from the date bought instead of back dated to the expiry. Didn't at the time as my wife wasn't there and not a fan of forgery of signatures.

faceman

Presuming the address on your license is the address for where the legal proceedings was issued to, reply in writing to the relevent body detailing you have a license. evne if it does go to court, you are covered because you have a license. Nothing to sweat about.

cojomo2

can they send a summons to an address, without knowing the name of the occupier?



Also, if they catch you for not having a license can they charge you 3 years back (assuming that address has no record of having a license for the previous 3 years) even if you have a lease showing you only moved in 3-4 weeks ago?

Thanks

leedsfan88

i have the license, its in date so my attitude now is feck them and their letter i'll pop into citizens advice on Friday and asked them

Shelflife

leedsfan88 wrote: »

i have the license, its in date so my attitude now is feck them and their letter i'll pop into citizens advice on Friday and asked them

Op does the licence have your address on it .ie the same address that you are living in at the moment?

Fey!

calex71 wrote: »

That's incorrect, at least in my case. I let mine lapse last year in may and it was October by the time I got around to renewing it, the license still says May 2009 to May 2010

txt_mess wrote: »

Yep that what I got the renewal on my licence was from the date it expired. What the post office person told me at the time was to switch the licence to my wife's name and then it would be issue from the date bought instead of back dated to the expiry. Didn't at the time as my wife wasn't there and not a fan of forgery of signatures.

Obviouly both of your experiences have differed to mine.

leedsfan88

Shelflife wrote: »

Op does the licence have your address on it .ie the same address that you are living in at the moment?

Yeah the same address

anotherlostie

leedsfan88 wrote: »

Hey i've just got an notice of legal proceedings about my TV License,

My TV License is in date until August 2010, and i just rang them up and they said they made a mistake and i need to purchase one, or else face a day in court.

The License was purchased September 2009 and valid until August 2010.

What can i do? Can they make me pay to fine even tho its in date?

I think you need to ring again and if you get the same answer, ask to speak to their supervisor. What they said to you makes no sense, tbh.

jimoc

I'm afraid having a valid up to date TV licence will not save you.

After all, as the man says :
'We've heard all the excuses, and none of them work'

leedsfan88

jimoc wrote: »

I'm afraid having a valid up to date TV licence will not save you.

After all, as the man says :
'We've heard all the excuses, and none of them work'

ha ha

anotherlostie

jimoc wrote: »

I'm afraid having a valid up to date TV licence will not save you.

After all, as the man says :
'We've heard all the excuses, and none of them work'

Might have been funny if someone else hadn't got there 10hrs before you.;)

jimoc

anotherlostie wrote: »

Might have been funny if someone else hadn't got there 10hrs before you.;)

Thats what my wife meant when she said I was slow!!!

wmpdd3

calex71 wrote: »

That's incorrect, at least in my case. I let mine lapse last year in may and it was October by the time I got around to renewing it, the license still says May 2009 to May 2010

I was late buying mine, it was up in August,but I didn't buy it until Dec and I as delighted to see the new one said valid till Dec 2009 but a few weeks later i got a letter saying that their records showed that my liecence is only valid until August.

This has to be the issue, I agree it's confusing but it's clear the post office isn't hooked up the TV section in real time.

Strange you didn't get the almost daily reminders though when they thought your liecence was up.

Shelflife

wmpdd3 wrote: »

I was late buying mine, it was up in August,but I didn't buy it until Dec and I as delighted to see the new one said valid till Dec 2009 but a few weeks later i got a letter saying that their records showed that my liecence is only valid until August.

This has to be the issue, I agree it's confusing but it's clear the post office isn't hooked up the TV section in real time.

Strange you didn't get the almost daily reminders though when they thought your liecence was up.

I would say that maybe you didnt use the renewal form and just bought a new licence?
if the renewal letter is scanned in the PO then it backdates it automatically.

Cabaal

Shelflife wrote: »

I would say that maybe you didnt use the renewal form and just bought a new licence?
if the renewal letter is scanned in the PO then it backdates it automatically.

This especially applys if its under the same name as the previous license as well,
next time perhaps use a new name