[Vicky.]

She was a day late paying her tv license as her benefits had knacked up, and they literally have on the paperwork that for one day in March this year, she was watching TV when she did not have a license

Ontop of this, they have been telling her she has to pay 40 quid a month, and she has done this for 10 years (shes only just told me..) so clearly she would have had a license as she would be like..2.5k in credit with them at the time that they pressured her into signing that form that you sign that basically..gives them permission to prosecute you

Ugh I am so pissed off. Shes having an awful time right now because of various things, and this letter is the last ****ing last thing she needs. She also says she has reciepts showing that she has consistenty paid 40 per month, but does agree she was slightly late on the payment in March and that an officer happened to come that day and she admitted she was watching TV. But for one ****ing day? Someone whos paid it (and seemingly MUCH more than shes meant to) consistently for 10 years, they purposely look for a reason to fine then? I find this ****ing gross. Issue is, her health is so bad that she could not actually physically go to court. So I have had to plead guilty for her as if you plead not guilty you have to go. Rang court and they said she would have to be there, me or gavin could not go for her

Mind, the guy I spoke to from the court was massively sympathetic. He says this kind of thing is actually quite common, them going after pensioners who make a payment a day or two late, rather than are like..purposely avoiding getting a license. And says it does actually say at their end, that this is one day. I actually thought I had misread the letter or something, but it actually says 'on 5.3.19 you did no have a valid tv license and watched TV' (rather than the usual 'between March 2018 and March 2019 you watched TV without a license) or something, paraphrasing of course

So now I am chasing an overpayment she has made, going back years and years. But they are refusing to release details, and being awkward at every turn, obviously as they KNOW they are in the wrong and owe her a large amount of money.

No idea what I expect anyone to do but needed to get this out as this is genuinely shocking tbh. I am raging at them so much. But, as I said, she has to plead guilty despite having proof that even the credit in her payments from like years back would have more than covered the one day she was late in making the payment.

[Kate!]

Disgraceful that Vicky. They have preyed upon her.

[Vicky.]

Yeah its clearly on purpose. But, how on earth can they claim she does not have a valid TV license when shes paid enough for bloody 3 a year But even without that detail, taking someone to court for the sake of a day is just awful, especially a pensioner.

[parmnion]

Pay the fine in pennies.

[arista]

Originally Posted by parmnion

Pay the fine in pennies.

Wicked.

The BBC needs to have ads between
shows
Get rid of the BBC Tax,

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by parmnion

Pay the fine in pennies.

[parmnion]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

And do a big ****e on the counter.

[Cherie]

That's awful Vicky, my son has just moved into a flat and they are chasing him for a TV licence, he doesn't even watch live TV...when he bought his TV he had it delivered home, the language they use in these letters is horrifice...ENFORCEMENT.... and stuff like that, anyway he wont open the door unless he knows who is calling. if she has paid 40.00 a month they owe her a heap of cash, as long as you have the bank statements they don't have a case not to pay it back

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

That's awful Vicky, my son has just moved into a flat and they are chasing him for a TV licence, he doesn't even watch live TV...when he bought his TV he had it delivered home, the language they use in these letters is horrifice...ENFORCEMENT.... and stuff like that, anyway he wont open the door unless he knows who is calling. if she has paid 40.00 a month they owe her a heap of cash, as long as you have the bank statements they don't have a case not to pay it back

They're changing it here now to a "media" license so you can't use the don't watch TV excuse anymore

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

They're changing it here now to a "media" license so you can't use the don't watch TV excuse anymore

they will do that here too I suppose, my view is I have a licence and that should cover the family I wouldn't mind if he actually watched TV but he doesn't and then we pay for Netflix and Now apps so no not paying another licence fee

[smudgie]

All sounds a bit dodgy to me Vicky.
This overpaying, we pay monthly and they aotomatically change the amount if it goes up.
Something really odd about this, I would demand answers, and interest on all her over payments.
In fact I would want a head on a plate for this disgusting treatment

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by smudgie

All sounds a bit dodgy to me Vicky.
This overpaying, we pay monthly and they aotomatically change the amount if it goes up.
Something really odd about this, I would demand answers, and interest on all her over payments.
In fact I would want a head on a plate for this disgusting treatment

I knew you were violent Smudge

[Kazanne]

That is dreadful Vicky,my mom is a pensioner and she pays Ł12 per month, a big step away from Ł40,I would be livid aswell,they have obviously over charged her,they piss me off so much,money grabbing sods,if mom is a few days late with her payment they are soon reminding her,best of it is ,the only regular thing she watches on BBC is EastEnders !

[Ammi]

...Vicky you should speak to your local MP about this and maybe the local newspapers too...I’m sure she could get some substantial support for this as it’s extraordinarily harsh ..?...

[bitontheslide]

i would call it uncaring and vindictive personally. I would fight this all the way

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

i would call it uncaring and vindictive personally. I would fight this all the way

...yeah me too, I would summon as much local support as I could from as many sources as possible...and her MP would be a good place to start I think...

[Amy Jade]

Purposefully preying on pensioners by the sounds of it the bastards.

Hope it is thrown out of court or sorted before hand. Although sadly the stress you can't do much about.

[parmnion]

If none of this rubbish works Vicky, I'm available for da pooping.

[Vicky.]

I really want to fight it, I would LOVE to challenge them in court. But, she is adamant she wants to plead guilty to avoid a court case as shes basically housebound due to her health. Not sure if talking to MP would make any difference once plea is in and fine done? Definitely pursuing the overcharging though. They have taken to ignoring me completely now, so have put in a subject access request to get all the details they hold on her, which would presumably include payments she has made.

I find it odd, that courts do not have the ability to allow family members to take the place of ill relatives? Surely as long as permission is there that whould be fine. But the guy I spoke to said its absolutely not possible and she would have to be there..

[bitontheslide]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I really want to fight it, I would LOVE to challenge them in court. But, she is adamant she wants to plead guilty to avoid a court case as shes basically housebound due to her health. Not sure if talking to MP would make any difference once plea is in and fine done? Definitely pursuing the overcharging though. They have taken to ignoring me completely now, so have put in a subject access request to get all the details they hold on her, which would presumably include payments she has made.

I find it odd, that courts do not have the ability to allow family members to take the place of ill relatives? Surely as long as permission is there that whould be fine. But the guy I spoke to said its absolutely not possible and she would have to be there..

Vicky, one of the reasons they will continue to get away with it is by getting people to plead guilty to remove the stress and hassle. Let her plead guilty if that's what she wants, but don't let that be the end of the matter. In a relaxed manner, from a position of strength you can then highlight the injustice of it to people like the press and her MP. Even citizens advice or equivalent is a good place to start. People are not allowed to prey on the vulnerable

[Kate!]

Keep us updated Vicky. I hate this injustice with a passion.

[Vicky.]

Will try talking to our MP, hes helped out with other situations before and while I cannot see him being able to do anything once shes pled guilty, he might be able to bring it up to people who could change it and stop it happening again. No to the press. She doesn't want the attention, and neither do I! Will see what this SAR sends..if they don't just ignore that too

The courts really need to change how they operate tbh, as surely there are a lot of elderly/ill people who cannot physically get to court so have to plead guilty when they are not guilty...no wonder TV license take the piss like this. I am so annoyed as I have told her for years (and told everyone I know) NEVER to sign anything they bring to your door, regardless of what they claim it is...as I know they basically cannot prosecute you without your permission which you give when you sign their crap. She says she was massively pressured though, which I understand, shes not as assertive as me and has a horrendous anxiety condition to start with. Says he told her that she had to sign for a new TV license card to make her payments on, so she remembers signing but says it was under false pretences, but again, no proof of that, just her word against his :/

Pisstaking twats sent her another letter that she got yesterday..saying she owes them 46 quid and if she doesnt pay they may consider taking her to court! I put in a thing when she first came here saying she didnt need a license as basically, shes here not at home, plus when she goes home she wants netflix instead so she doesn't have this again (though I can well see them still lying to her to get her to sign stuff and just doing it over and over) but, it seems they have conitnued with the license she no longer needs and has already overpaid, and are now trying to get more cash from her, whilst getting a 120 fine from her for 1 day..ffs