Smartphones, tablets and tv licences

[crank39]

Whats the situation?

Reason being is the other half runs a barbers shop which i sometimes frequent, yesterday she got a letter from the tv licensing people saying the premises aren't showing as being licensed. I don't really know how to take it because there is no tv in the premises at all BUT on the odd occasion i have watched live F1 qualifying on my laptop there so i'm confused really as who needs a licence.....if its me then surely i/we are covered by our house licence, or if because its a business premise and SOMEONE decides to crank up a tablet or smartphone and watch a bit of tv while waiting then she or the shop requires a licence...is that right?

I think its a bit unfair to penalise her because a customer decides he want's to watch tv on is own private device.

The letter does go on to say this only applies to LIVE tv, watching catch up tv does not require a licence and is totally ok.....so if i want to be really picky what do you class as live tv, ok watching sport thats live is a given as it live and the news also but waht about everything else, top gear won't be live...its a recording, only fools and horses isn't live...itsd a recording, jeremy kyle won't be live...its a recording.

If this went to court, it won't as i'll just refrain from watching tv there but whats the chances of winning?

This throws up another interesting debate, if you are prepared only to watch catch up tv at home then you don't need a licence......whos willing to try it and have their day in court?

 

[ImayKnow]

Whats the situation?
This throws up another interesting debate, if you are prepared only to watch catch up tv at home then you don't need a licence......whos willing to try it and have their day in court?

It wouldn't go to court, as you wouldn't need a licence

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-if-a-tv-licence-is-not-needed-top12/

 

[big-all]

just contact them
tell them there is no tv or aerial in the premises and you are not sure why they are sending you a notice

let them drag any information out off you do not volunteer more than nessisary

 

[ellal]

Date:

Dear TVL / BBC / Capita Business Systems Ltd

It is important that you take note of the following details and instructions
below:

1.
I hereby give notice that the implied right of access to the property known as ...................... has been removed in respect of the following:

a. Any employee, or agent or principal or any other person acting on behalf of the BBC or TVL.
b. Any employee or agent or principal or any other person acting as third party AGENTS for/or on behalf of the BBC or TVL.
c. Please also take notice that any transgression of this notice will be dealt with through the courts.

Please also note that there is no legal requirement on an individual to provide their name in order to remove implied rights of access, so do not send further correspondence to try and confirm my name. I expect confirmation in writing that you have (a) received the notification, and (b) you will adhere to the notification.

2.
Other than confirming my notice to remove your implied right of access, I no longer wish to receive any communications from BBC or TVL. I consider receiving unwanted letters from TVL / BBC / Capita Business Systems Ltd as harassment.

Yours Faithfully

The Present Occupier

Problem solved...

 

[ajstoneservices]

Are they asking if you view tv or listen to the radio on the premises? We all get letters saying we have to have a license to listen to the radio in business premises I ignore them.

 

[ellal]

Are they asking if you view tv or listen to the radio on the premises? We all get letters saying we have to have a license to listen to the radio in business premises I ignore them.

Thats a different issue - a PPL licence requirement.

 

[crank39]

Are they asking if you view tv or listen to the radio on the premises? We all get letters saying we have to have a license to listen to the radio in business premises I ignore them.

They are suggesting we have been watching tv in the shop, how they think this is the case i don't know, she already has a PPL licence for the playing of music on the radio, the letter goes on to say all unlicenced homes and premises are checked by mobile patrols with hand held devices and they are able to tell whether a tv set is being used! It also says its a good idea to have a tv for customers to watch while waiting....so they clearly know its a shop of some sort but they can't of been inside because they would see there is no tv.

The letter mentions as previously stated that PC's, lap tops, tablets and smartphones also fall into the catergory of 'a device that can pick up tv signals' and they require a licence, as previously stated by me i have on occasion watched tv (live) on my laptop so they either have a spy who came into the shop for a hair cut OR they just happened to be outside with their mobile handheld device.

They do not know me from adam, to them i could just be a customer who is watching tv on his personal device for which he is using his home tv licence, but this bit i don't understand, because i am in a business premise does that now fall on the owner/manager to have a licence for that business premise regardless whether i have my own.....for instance i would be ok sat on a park bench watching it or walking the street watching it but the moment i step into a building the law changes?

 

[chapeau]

Just ignore them. If you aren't breaking the law they can do nowt. Even if you wrote a letter with photos of the inside of the shop they wouldn't believe you and reckon you were hiding a tele in one of the hair dryers.

Basically: If you ignore them they threaten you. If you write them a letter saying you don't have a tele they threaten you. So just ignore them and have a laff at their increasingly apoplectic letters.

 

[ellal]

the letter goes on to say all unlicenced homes and premises are checked by mobile patrols with hand held devices and they are able to tell whether a tv set is being used!

B*llocks I'm afraid...

so they either have a spy who came into the shop for a hair cut OR they just happened to be outside with their mobile handheld device.

Just remove implied right of access and even if their (probably non-existent) 'spy' reported the owner, they would be guilty of breaching common law...

TVL know that, but just rely on their threats to get people to comply...

 

[Brigadier]

When I bought my first house, I wrote a polite letter to tvl, asking them how to get atv licence (daft, but I thought that would be the easiest way).

All I got back was a letter threatening me with a thousand pound fine.

Spineless bureaucrats - let 'em waste their time chasing what's not there

 

[Mikefromlondon]

the letter goes on to say all unlicenced homes and premises are checked by mobile patrols with hand held devices and they are able to tell whether a tv set is being used!

B*llocks I'm afraid...

so they either have a spy who came into the shop for a hair cut OR they just happened to be outside with their mobile handheld device.

Just remove implied right of access and even if their (probably non-existent) 'spy' reported the owner, they would be guilty of breaching common law...

TVL know that, but just rely on their threats to get people to comply...

I have never known of any piece of equipment capable of detecting modern TVs, older CRT Tvs could be detected due to Flyback HT transformers used for scanning the pictures, modern TV are all LCD/TFT and so they don't generate easily detectable emf and even if they did detect some, there is no way of telling if a live tV broadcast is being watched!

Unless of course they bought specialised TV detection system from that man who earned over £50Milliom selling fake bomb detection equipment and our forces also fell for him!

 

[ellal]

They rely on one of theirs actually seeing a TV on, or someone incriminating themselves...

The former problem can be combatted by an advanced piece of technology - curtains....

The latter can be avoided by never naming yourself in person or by letter, letting in a TVL bod or talking to one, and removing that access!

(For clarity I actually pay for the licence, as in this world of overpricing I feel it is reasonably good value....

However some don't, and can see it as another tax - therefore it's good to know your rights when you get a bullying letter or you think TVL have got it wrong! )

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's nothing personal.
They just send letters to addresses NOT listed as HAVING a licence.

Although they must have some spies as whenever I notify the utilities that a flat has been vacated a letter (from TVL) arrives addressed to the 'new occupier'.

 

[ellal]

Also whenever someone buys a TV, I believe the address given is passed on by the retailer...

 

[securespark]

Or Freeview box.