A massive rant on TV Licensing (UK licensing Laws)

Member Name: bessieboo

Product:	UK licensing Laws
Date:	22/10/08 (186 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 'Enforcement Officer' is a cool job title

Disadvantages: Everything!

I actually wanted to review the TV Licensing Authority rather than the laws themselves, but I'll be irritated and bitter here instead!

I bought a TV license last year. I paid for it by direct debit in monthly installments, which don't work out as too expensive if you look at it weekly.

However, I found myself on the recieving end of a threatening letter telling me that I had 'notified them I no longer needed a license' and should notify them that this was still the case and, however I responded, an 'Enforcement Officer' (the title case is ironic) would call round to check.

This got my back up, even putting the fact that I'd already paid to one side, because if I don't want a TV license then thats my choice! There are several groups in society who don't have a use for a TV.

a) students with no means of lugging one around with them
b) the blind
c) people who can't afford a tv, let alone a license for it

and most significantly

d) people who think TV is rubbish and therefore have no desire to pay for it

Why should they be beseiged with threatening letters nagging them to notify at various intervals?

THEN of course: No one ever turns up.

Has anyone ever seen/ met an 'Enforcement Officer'? Do they even exist?

So this year I HAVE to buy one because the direct debit is still coming. And after notifying of a change of address (by paper because apparently, despite them being able to send me aforementioned threatening letters by post, my address doesn't exist according the online form OR the computerised voice recognition system by phone.)

And yet STILL today I recieved threatening letter number 2! And when I rang the (noisy and slightly unhrlpful) call centre to check I'm told that they 'crossed in the post'.

Aaaaaargh!

Summary: A generally annoying and inefficient institution