TV licence cheats make up a TENTH of all magistrate court cases

[Zoiderman]

I thought that was vampires?

Nah, they really don't give a tulip and are bound only by their own moral code...

Or was that bankers?

[NotAllThere]

The Swiss have a license system as well, and it's almost impossible to avoid. The license covers cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcast, radio receivers - including the one in the car - and live-streaming of broadcasts.

Then, they send a letter to all ltdcos, demanding a license as well. Told them to get stuffed on that one.

Swiss TV licensing is a favourite whinge from US expats. That and the fact that church and state aren't seperate.

[Sysman]

During 9/11 I was working in Moscow, I got a call from home in the UK saying that the police want to search my home because the neighbour had reported people talking foreign languages and taking suitcases out in the middle of the night. The police ended up not searching but after they had a quick look around to verify there was nothing suspicious, they went away with no apology.

Ye gods. Just as well I wasn't living there in 2001. My house was full of foreigners then.

[norrahe]

The company responsible for collecting the licence is TV Licensing, a subsidiary of Capita Business Services.

Every time you buy a TV or Recorder, you give your address to the retailer who sends it, by law, to Capita who lookup the address with the database (LAZZY) of licensed premises - if you are not one of them, the automated faux threatening letters start. I say "faux" because they are written in very clever way by looking quite threaty legally, but in actual fact, full of hot air and nonsense.

Bin them.

They don't seem to check the address at all but the name of the person who bought the device and if it doesn't match the one that is one the premises then they constantly send you letters maintaining you don't have a tv licence at the property.

I got these when Mr N bought summat for the tv, the licence is in my name but we got constant stream of letters, saying they had checked the address and it appeared we had no licence.

B*ll*cks!

[Sysman]

The Swiss have a license system as well, and it's almost impossible to avoid. The license covers cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcast, radio receivers - including the one in the car - and live-streaming of broadcasts.

They'll try to get you for a mobile phone which has radio functionality too. I considered dropping telly but it seemed that the only way to escape that bit of the fee was to have my cable sealed off (which would cost) and I was using that for t'internet. I ended up going digital to get more channels and value for my licence fee.

Then, they send a letter to all ltdcos, demanding a license as well. Told them to get stuffed on that one.

What was that about? Sometime last year I read that their next target was to charge businesses for employees having access to TV or radio from their work computers. Good luck with that one, the relevant sites will get blocked.

Another gotcha: Anyone staying in a hotel for longer than 3 months is liable for a licence fee as well, despite the fact that the hotel is already paying.

Swiss TV licensing is a favourite whinge from US expats. That and the fact that church and state aren't seperate.

I must have been lucky. I've managed to avoid the church and state whinge

[Sysman]

They don't seem to check the address at all but the name of the person who bought the device and if it doesn't match the one that is one the premises then they constantly send you letters maintaining you don't have a tv licence at the property.

I got these when Mr N bought summat for the tv, the licence is in my name but we got constant stream of letters, saying they had checked the address and it appeared we had no licence.

B*ll*cks!

I got around that one by putting my parents' address down when buying a TV and video recorder.

Well, there was another reason to do that - rumours were flying in my area that someone was selling lists of newly bought equipment so that thieves could steal to order.

[vetran]

rumours were flying in my area that someone was selling lists of newly bought equipment so that thieves could steal to order.

the ingenuity of it. Some of these thieves could be millionaires if they went straight.

[Zoiderman]

the ingenuity of it. Some of these thieves could be millionaires if they went straight.

I have often said there isn't much distinction in the minds of succesful criminals and succesful businessmen. Some of their ideas are really quite clever.

Still, wouldn't hesitate to pop a couple of cartridges in the face of any burglar that came into my home.

[hyperD]

They don't seem to check the address at all but the name of the person who bought the device and if it doesn't match the one that is one the premises then they constantly send you letters maintaining you don't have a tv licence at the property.

I got these when Mr N bought summat for the tv, the licence is in my name but we got constant stream of letters, saying they had checked the address and it appeared we had no licence.

B*ll*cks!

Yes, you are indeed correct, they cross-check names with the addresses as well.

Which is why you should not fill in their "I do not need a licence, please come and search my knicker drawers for hidden TVs" form that Capita will send to you.

The smallprint at the bottom states they will start sending letters all over again after 2 years... the bastards are like cockroaches.

I'll have to take the Capita model and start harassing my clients that way...

[Sysman]

I have often said there isn't much distinction in the minds of succesful criminals and succesful businessmen. Some of their ideas are really quite clever.

I think this was in Oh Lucky Man:

It's a thin line between the House of Lords and Pentonville jail