TV goon visit?

Question

My tv licence expired in may 2014 as wasnt able to renew it because i wanted to stop watching tv as the contract with virgin was too expensive. I phoned virgin to cancel my tv contract and they asked me to pay 300 pounds cancellation fee which obviously i dinnt want to pay. But i stopped watching tv but didnt disconnect it with the virgin box

TV goon shows up and tells me that he is here to renew my tv licence .

He asked details like phone number name and address and NI Number and i gave him

Then i had a closer look at the form and to my surprise it was a scary prosecution agree something form and he asks me to sign it. I said well you came here to renew my licence then why do i need to sign it, he said its an offence and blah blah. I said wait a minute, let me call my elder brother and ask for advise and i called him but was speaking in my language so he wouldnt understand. I was talking to him in my kitchen and this goon suddenly hands over the copy of unsigned form to my wife and left.

I want to know will i face criminal prosecution i mean is there any way out by talking to them because i have never broken any law before, i am simply afraid to do it, I had tv licence for 5 years and always paid £145 upfront all the time, its only this time i messed up i guess.

can anything be done here because i dont want a criminal record on my name, i mean is their a way of paying the fine they ask for without having criminal record under my name?

Please help me

Answer 1

Do not confuse the Virgin contract with the television licence (not "license", that form of spelling means somethng different in English, which is clearly not your native language).



The television licence is required by law if you OWN any equipment capable of receiveing live tv broadcasts, of if you watch live tv streaming through the internet. This means that if you have a tv set, especially if the inspector saw it, then must have a tv licence even if you never turn it on. If you do not pay your tv licence then you are liable for a fine of £1000.



You did the wrong thing by talking to your brother in a language that was not English. The inspector will quite reasonably feel that you were ignoring him and "shutting him out". This is why he gave the form to your wife and left. Your brother clearly did not give you any useful, practical or legal advice.



What you should have done was to sit down with the inspector and calmly ask him to explain exactly what the form was for and why you had to sign it. Then you should have asked about paying the arrears of licence fee due and get yourself back in step with what you should have done.



This is an extract from the TV Licensing Authority site:

"You must be covered by a valid TV Licence if you use TV receiving equipment to watch or record television programmes as they’re being shown on TV. If you do not get a TV Licence when you should have one you are breaking the law. This means you could go to court and be fined up to £1,000."



This means that if you are convicted in court (it will be a magistrate's court) then you WILL get a criminal record.



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Cancelling your Virgin service is a civil matter between you and Vrigin. It does not affect your tv licence status at all. If you read your contract with them you will see that they are entitled to charge you (£300 or whatever other sum) if you cancel the contract before its term has expired.



If you refuse to pay this money then the company can sue you in the County Court and ask for a court order to make you pay.



If you lose your case then you will not get a Criminal Record, but you will have a County Court Jugement (CCJ) against you. This means that your credit rating will be badly affected and you will find it very difficult and expensive to get credit, for example a bank loan or hire purchase agreement. This could also affect members of your family that live at home.

Answer 2

The TV license is not a license for *watching* TV, but a license for having anything capable of receiving TV broadcasts. Whether or not you have a virgin contract is irrelevant. If you have a functioning TV, you must have a license.



So, you (apparently) let the TVL guy in, and he no doubt took the opportunity to have a quick look around and see that you do indeed have a TV. He would therefore be able to obtain show that there is evidence that you have broken the law: you have a TV and no TV license - so, he could obtain a summons. Whether or not you *will* be prosecuted depends on TVL policy and administration. If they can be bothered to prosecute you they will.



Whether or not you signed the form is irrelevant. The TVL178 is merely an attempt to produce a record of an interview with you under caution. Not signing the form does not stop you from being prosecuted (after all, if it did, no one would ever be prosecuted).



Finally, Guitarvirgin's misguided advice is wrong: you can certainly try to avoid being *caught* (if you haven't been already), but none of the steps he proposes removes your legal obligation to have a TV license. The only way to do that is to get rid of your TV.

Answer 3

Ralf is talking out of his a.rse, you will NOT be summonsed to a magistrates court and you will not have a criminal record because you have not committed a crime.



Something can be done, write to them and tell them the following.



1. You no longer require their services.



2. You have removed all implied rights of access to your property.



3. If one of their representatives call you will have him arrested for trespass.



If you want to understand the legalities behind this advise type TV licensing into youtube.

Answer 4

A Virgin contract is nothing to do with a TV license, your choice to cancel your Virgin contract but if you are only half way through the contract ( which is sounds like you are) then you have to pay to get out of it, which presumerably that is the £300 for you to breal the contract, if you don't pay that and you don't continue to pay what you owe ( and signed the contract to do) monthly then you will get a CCJ against you and still will have to pay and some more, then have the issue of getting the CCj off your record.



The TV license you have to pay annually, unless you don't have a TV in your house or any other live TV available, such as online on your PC, that is a criminal offense, they will prosecute you and the fine is £1,000 plus the TV license fee you 'forgot' to pay, plus of course a criminal charge on your record.... so you are best quick smart going onto the TV licensing website and paying immediately and hoping they leave it and don't prosecute you

Answer 5

thanks ralf for taking time to answer, the TV Goon came to the door. My question is if i plead guilty, will there be a criminal record on my name



many thanks

Answer 6

depends what you are talking about as you don't make it too clear..



virgin guy turned up = civil matter

licence fee goon turned up= criminal matter= yes you will be summonsed to a magistrates court and if convicted face a fine.