A question about : tv licence summons any suggestions
I received keys for my flat in June but didn't move in till September due to being pregnant and staying with my parents after whilst my flat was being decorated and whilst I adjusted to mother hood.
A week and a half into me living there I managed to use money I'd saved to purchase a tv and to be completely honest with a new born and moving into my first place alone my tv licence slipped my mind. (I know that's probably an age old excuse but it did)
Fast forward 3 weeks and I get a knock on my door it's a tv licencing man. I agreed to let him in and he sat and spoke to me. At the time I was a watching boardwalk empire via my nowtv box (on demand not a show I'd personally recorded one offered on the box)
He asked me to turn over the television and show that the other channels worked. I complied and when asked about how I would pay I agreed that yes I would pay and set up a direct debit which has since been paid with one last payment due to go out this month.
I came home today to a court summons for not having a licence for the 3/and a half weeks! I accept that yes for those three and a half weeks I didn't have a licence. However due to the fact that on the report he has wrote that I was actually watching antiques road show? And not that he made me turn over to bbc1 I'm not sure what to do. He also explained to me that I probably wouldn't receive this letter due to the fact I had actually agreed on a payment plan and the fact that I hadn't disagreed to let him in would all work in my favour. Now this all took place on the 16/10/2014 so nearly 5 months ago. My question basically is should I dispute this or should I probably plead guilty? I'm currently not working due to looking after my daughter however I am currently interviewing for positions. I don't want to end up going to court and my first pay cheque to be hit with a fine from a court. It seems a bit excessive to me that the tv licence company would even take me to court for three and a half weeks and that even though I fully explained the situation to the gentleman who actually met my daughter so it's not as though he could say there was any chance it was a lie. I don't know what to do. I'm wondering if the previous occupiers maybe didn't have a licence and that this is possibly being used against me? Any suggestions would be helpful. Sorry for the essay
Best answers:
- Don't ever let these people into your home again, they have no right, just tell them to leave and never return.
Sounds like they have you bang to rights, a tv able to recieve live broadcast and no license. You will have to plead guilty and pay the fine- unfortunately. I hope someone comes along with some good news of how to soften the blow. Good luck. - At least you will be able to put down unemployed and limited income at the time of the court case. This should result in a lower fine than if you were working.
- Thanks for the advice all
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