Letters from TV Licensing

A public record of everything TV Licensing does to try and get me to buy a TV Licence, which I don't need.

[lettersfromtvl]

[lettersfromtvl]

The same letter as this one, almost a year to the day later. And it arrived on the 15th, so it has all of the same problems.

[lettersfromtvl]

Two letters arrived in quick succession today. First, the red envelope (which I now have a clean scan of), containing the “final stages of investigation” letter that we’ve had before arrived with our post.

A few minutes later, while I was scanning it to upload here, the second arrived - this was the “We called” leaflet, which I think their salesperson may have left. They didn’t knock or anything, they just put the leaflet in our letter box, and left. By the way, I didn’t censor anything, it was totally blank when it arrived.

[lettersfromtvl]

[lettersfromtvl]

Apparently they’ve stopped opening investigations and started actively investigating! Is this the start of a new trend? Or is it simply yet another meaningless form letter that isn’t going to make the slightest bit of difference to anyone?

Also, it’s been two months since their last letter. They’re slipping.

Also also, Colin Bright seems to have been moved to their Sheffield office, along with J Hales.

[lettersfromtvl]

I’m still expecting that visit. Haven’t had one yet. Also, since you ask, I won’t be in on 10th January, I’ll be in hospital that day. Thanks for taking an interest, though!

[lettersfromtvl]

The print quality on this “official notice” is rather poor. The date is stretched out and the first line of the “please read carefully” box is a bit squashed.

Also, I note that they’ve plastered my address all over this letter in multiple locations, presumably to make it look more like a personalised threat and less what it is - one of a run of thousands of form letters.

Also also, the letter does have a point. We’re probably overdue a visit, which should be highly entertaining. Assuming, of course, the CCTV cameras don’t scare the salespeople off. It’s funny how they flee when they see the signs. It’s almost as if they’re doing something unlawful they wouldn’t want us to have evidence of.

[lettersfromtvl]

This letter was delivered in a bright red envelope that I’ve never seen before. Why don’t I scan it, I hear you ask? Because there was a bright red liquid on it.

Now, this may disappoint long-time readers, but I’m not going to accuse TV Licensing of sending me a blood-stained envelope in an attempt to intimidate me into purchasing a licence I don’t need. I’m sure there is a perfectly rational explanation for why the red envelope had bright red liquid spattered on it - for example, the envelope could have become wet, and some of the ink could have run. But what I am going to say is, if TV Licensing sent me a blood-stained envelope, I would be disappointed, but only slightly surprised - it would not be the most surprising thing that happened this weekend.

[lettersfromtvl]

The third time this year we’ve received this letter. That’s a trend, so I’ve created a tag just for will you be in letters

[lettersfromtvl]

Today we received a letter from TV Licensing that we’d never seen before. The tone of the letter seems to have shifted - from pushy and arrogant to darkly disturbing. When you open the envelope, all you see is your address, TV Licensing, a date, a reference number, and the words “You know. We know.” This is the kind of threat sent by mobsters. And they close with a threat that they’ll “visit soon”.

They also talk about how someone’s GCSE project was to download the UK Postal Address File and put it in an Access database, or something, I don’t know.

I’m not really concerned for my safety. But I worry that those who don’t know this is a form letter might be.

But I haven’t even mentioned the worst part yet. Look at the envelope... that stamp in the top-right corner? That’s not a real stamp. It’s printed on the envelope. I’m pretty sure that imitating a Royal Mail stamp is considered forgery and is therefore illegal, isn’t it?

[lettersfromtvl]

This is very similar to the letter from April.

[lettersfromtvl]

Yep, they’re definitely repeating themselves now. Same letter, in the same envelope, as January.

“If no one answers, they can come back”... I’m not a lawyer, but if that’s not a threat of harassment, I don’t know what is.

[lettersfromtvl]

They’ve started an investigation. Whether it’s the same as the investigations they’ve supposedly started in the past, or this is a brand new one, remains unclear.

“We have had no option but to start an investigation”... of course they did, they could’ve listened to me every single time I responded. But no, they just want to send more vaguely-threatening letters until I cough up for something I don’t need. It’s not going to work.

Also, apparently, the salesman “will explain why they are visiting and will be polite and fair”. Hah. I’ll believe that when I see it.

Same page 2 as the last letter, so I won’t waste your time by making you read it again!

[lettersfromtvl]

This letter arrived on the 17th. So are they supposedly giving me ten days from now, or ten days from the 22nd? Can I expect a visit at 8pm on the 21st? Or is this just more rhetoric?

In any case, it’s a bit off to see them trying a different approach. I’m used to nothing but threats, so the words “we know how difficult it is to pay bills at the moment” seem very out of place.

They don’t seem to consider the possibility that I’m already correctly licensed - a fact that I’ve told them several times. And I’m doing fine, having no financial problems at all, thanks. I just don’t watch TV, so I don’t need a licence. Why should I pay for something I don’t need or want?

One more thing I’m curious about - if you were to call them up and say you’d like the information in audio format, do they start sending you threatening audio CDs instead?

[lettersfromtvl]

Last month, I wondered where they could go, given that they were in the “final stages of [their] investigation”. Now I have the answer, and it’s rather unimpressive. They’ve opened another investigation.

I think that makes a total of four now? Are they carrying out all these investigations concurrently, or do they get to the end of one, realise we aren’t breaking the law, and start over? Either way, it sounds like a total waste of their time and money.

Also, we “have not responded” only in so far as we have not purchased a TV Licence that we don’t need. We’ve told them we don’t need one many times. We’ve given up now, because they clearly don’t listen.

[lettersfromtvl]

Wow, they couldn’t even wait a whole month before sending us yet another vaguely-worded threat.

This whole thing is not exactly a great advertisement for a service we have no interest in using.

[lettersfromtvl]

Evidently the salesman lied and wasn’t confirming we didn’t need one at all. I don’t know why I even bother talking to them.