tv license and IQOR

[littleoldme]

help.

we fell behind with payments for tv license after a mixup.

they send me a letter telling me this and that i could ring them.

so i have.

and they got all my details up blabla... then passed me to another department.... THEY didnt TELL me it was a debt collection agency IQOR.. nor did IQOR tell me who they were !

so i was duped into talking to them !

she told me i had to pay up wot they said in a certain time. i tried to ask for a littlle more help as we couldnt afford what they wanted. she told me to " UNPLUG MY TV UNTIL I CUD PAY" .... wow .. why did i not think ov that ?" i mean that was the best advise i had all year NOT. i told her that wasnt very helpful at all. she had the most awful attitude... started getting irrate with me and said " do you want a £1000 fine...?" oh ov corse i do thats why i am TRYING to sort the issue out .. anyway , she told me she wasnt customer services... i said well thats clear cos you have no customer skills . I asked if she was trained in bullying because as soon as she let it slip that they were debt collectors the GLOVES WERE OFF !! when i FINALLLY managed to get a manager to call me back i asked who she was and where she was from and that nature of the business. She REFSED to tell me unless i confirmed ALL my details.I told her i just wanted to know WHO and WHAT i was dealing with. she hung up shortly after i asked her for HER date of birth. In fairness it amounts to the same thing. she wants me to confirm who i am so i wanted her to do the same. Usual when they are challenged they dont know what to do so bumf ! phone down.!

so I CALLED tv licensing back and asked to talk with a manager to try and clear this mess up. and i got laughed at down the phone by an unpleasnt and nasty little boy who refused and just kept saying , not with us now with us not with us etc... then he transferred me to iqor when i had already said i dont want to talk to them. so i hung up.

my partner rng bak totally unhappy that i was laughed at. the lady said she couldnt access the account now it was passed to iqor . BUT we know that is a LIE because off the other conversations earlier. they are not PREPARED TO DEAL WITH this issue . they just keep sayin IQOR..... I AM SO ANGRY .. i am TRYIng to sort this and they are just been SO OBSTRUCTIVE... i no i DO NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIRD PARTY so WHAT AM i supposed to do to get them to HELP ME TO PAY THEM ?? R THEY THIK????? help anyone got any ideas??????????????

thanks

ps i have rang consumer direct and they forwarded me to community legal advice.

legal advise ... try again to get tv license to accept a payment.... he got about as far as i did... they rejecting anything at all cos it is with IQOR... just what is there problem? im trying to pay they wont accept ? IDIOTS

HELP PLEASE X ta

Edited April 12, 2010 by littleoldme

[maroondevo52]

Thread moved.

[Pinky69]

Capita, who collect the licence fees for the BBC, are known for their heavy handedness and the BBC Trust have had investigations into the way Capita operates. It would be worth making a complaint to the BBC Trust and sending a copy of that complaint to the TV Licencing Authority and the OFT. However, the practical reality is that because you are in arrears with your payments you are unlicensed and they could take you to court for using a TV without a licence. The fine can be up to £1000 but the court cannot confiscate your television or order you to pay the arrears. If you then didn't subsequently pay the fine you can be sent to prison. That's the worst case scenario. About 130,000 people a year are prosecuted and of those around 1000 people a year are sent to prison.

 

I personally would not use my TV, put the arrears aside each week, pay them off, then apply for a new licence.

[t-star]

First of all sorry to hijack this thread....BUT.... I had a letter from Iqor regarding some arrears on my TV license. I tried to pay using the telephone payment system but it refused my payment, so i spoke to an operator who said that they cannot accept payment from me whilst this is with Iqor. So i just took my payment card to the Post Office and payed the arrears. Now the question which i asked the TVL operator was where does it say in their T's & C's about data sharin wit tird parties. She did not answer. I have searched the TVL website and can find nothing about tis subject. Does anybody out there have any ideas??????

[welshwizard]

TV Licensing took my daughter to court and won because she couldn't make the court appearance due to her son's hospitalisation - then my daughter showed them her valid TV licence (for the entire period they were claiming for and copies of her bank statements to prove that she had paid it).

 

The TV Licensing Payment System is obvioulsy flawed and needs to be reviewed - maybe David Cameron would like to take this on in his new role as Prime Minister?

 

Let's petition no 10 for a full investigation into the way the whole court system operates - cases getting to court (county and magistrates) with fundamentally flawed evidence being provided by the plaintiffs (i.e. DCAs).

 

COME ON DAVID - SHOW THAT YOU ARE A NEW BRAND OF TORY - STAND UP FOR JOE PUBLIC!

[Bazooka Boo]

TVL have threatened me with Iqor, I can't wait...

 

The reason for this is because they won't accept half the licence fee now, and the other half later on in the year.

 

If they send me a cheque with half the fee on again, I shall simply tell them I no longer watch Live TV, I only watch on demand and dvd's.

 

Out of all the organisations out there, these really are the worst, with their lies, bullying, and intimidation, I am happy to take them on.

[debt4get]

unfortunately they have got round this as the law says you need a tv licence if you have a tv receiver...regardless of whether or not you watch live tv..plus again this is what is known as a priority bill...if you dont pay you can be prosecuted and you could end up in prison for non payment...difficult i know when you are trying to deal with idiots who wont listen....

[Bazooka Boo]

It is such a fantastically ridiculous world we live in, you can go to Jail for not paying for a licence fee, yet won't go to jail for a first offence of drink driving, where you potentially could end up killing someone!

 

Besides, having read their leaflets and website again, it does state that if you only watch on demand and dvd's games consoles, you don't need a licence:confused:

 

It also hilariously states that if you watch TV on your phone you need one! How the hell they will ever enforce that I'll never know?

 

Oh and theres the scary scary bit about X-ray vans that can see through walls and pin point where the TV is, probably even knows if your watching corrie!

 

It is seriously flawed and very outdated, and I'm still laughing at Iqor's letter they sent.

[t-star]

But the question is....

 

 

Where does it state in law or the T's & C's of the TV License that Capita aka TV Licensing are allowed to share data with a third party????

 

 

t-star

[debt4get]

i think the main problem with that argument is that you are dealing with a public body.. in tv licensing...

[debt4get]

as i read it on their site you do need a licence if If you use Sky+, Playstation or any other games console or a digital TV recorder to watch or record programmes as they're being shown on TV, you need to be covered by a TV Licence. This is also the case if you use a DVD/VHS recorder. you dont need one if it only plays back sound...the moment you have a picture...including on demand etc....you need a licence

[t-star]

Now i have just had a look at their Data Protection License, and the BBC trust is not licensed to disclose data to Debt Collection and Tracing agencies. That is in the section for licensing and enforcement. In other purposes within their license it clearly states as a group 'Debt collection and Tracing Agencies'...

 

 

Am i on to something here...

 

 

t-star

[debt4get]

and oops from their terms and conditions

We will never sell your data to any third party. Any information you provide will only be used by us and our service providers. We will not disclose it to any other third parties without obtaining your prior consent unless we are required or permitted to do so by law (for example, to law enforcement agencies).

[debt4get]

i think you are on to something here defo...ive had a look and it says we will not share your data without your express permission

[t-star]

Here is the purpose extract

 

 

Purpose 7

Licensing and Registration

Purpose Description:

 

The administration of licensing or maintenance of official registers.

 

Data Controllers further description of Purpose:

 

BBC TV LICENSING

 

Data subjects are:

 

Staff including volunteers, agents, temporary and casual workers

Customers and clients

Complainants, correspondents and enquirers

Relatives, guardians and associates of the data subject

Advisers, consultants and other professional experts

Offenders and suspected offenders

 

APPLICANTS FOR A LICENCE OR REGISTRATION

 

Data classes are:

 

Personal Details

Family, Lifestyle and Social Circumstances

Education and Training Details

Employment Details

Financial Details

Goods or Services Provided

Physical or Mental Health or Condition

Offences (Including Alleged Offences)

Criminal Proceedings, Outcomes And Sentences.

 

Sources (S) and Disclosures (D)(1984 Act). Recipients (1998 Act):

 

PROSECUTING AUTHORITIES

COURTS

D OVERSEAS RADIO LICENSING AUTHORITY

 

Data subjects themselves

Relatives, guardians or other persons associated with the data subject

Healthcare, social and welfare advisers or practitioners

Business associates and other professional advisers

Employees and agents of the data controller

Other companies in the same group as the data controller

Suppliers, providers of goods or services

Persons making an enquiry or complaint

Financial organisations and advisers

Survey and research organisations

Traders in personal data

Trade, employer associations and professional bodies

Police forces

Local Government

Central Government

Voluntary and charitable organisations

Ombudsmen and regulatory authorities

The media

 

Transfers:

 

Worldwide

[t-star]

Thats interesting Debt4get.... But would one of their service providers be iQor????

 

 

t-star

[debt4get]

and sorry bb you were quite correct and i quote

Many TV channels are now available to watch over the internet. If you’re watching programmes on a computer or laptop as they're being shown on TV, then you need a TV Licence. However, you don’t need to be covered by a licence if you’re only using ‘on-demand’ services to watch programmes after they have been shown on TV. So, you need a licence to watch any channel live online, but you wouldn’t need one to use BBC iPlayer to catch up on an episode of a programme you missed, for example.

[Pinky69]

We may use the information that we have collected for any of the following purposes:

 

• To administer the television licensing system, including: to process your TV Licence application; to confirm personal details; to assess and collect the licence fee; to enforce the relevant law and to perform any relevant TV Licensing function.
  

[debt4get]

heres the best bit..if you write to them and say i am now only watching tv 'on demand' and will no longer be buying a licence how the hell are they going to prove otherwise???

[Bazooka Boo]

It is so full of holes and ambiguities, unless they were to watch your property 24/7 there is not a cats hell they are able to tell if you are watching live TV, the amount of money and time needed to get a court to order surveillance of your property, and the RIPA laws they would need to abide by it is just uneconomical at the very least.

 

I mean for one property? In the hope of getting a conviction and the max £1000 fine! Not for a first offence they wouldn't, besides if your on benefits, the maximum they can fine you would be £200...although don't quote me on that, I may have dreamt that bit:rolleyes:

 

I think they like to intimidate people into believing they have james bond style X-ray goggles, and there is no escape, they couldn't be farther from the truth!

 

Anyhow, for an easy life....I'll pay for one, but on my terms:D

And a few more letters from Iqor will be required before TVL get paid.

[Pinky69]

You can always ask the first offenders - pensioners amongst them -who ended up in jail for not paying the fine whether they will go for the jugular or not. It is not something to be messed with. And, yes, their detector vans are highly sophisticated pieces of equipment.

[Guest Cartaphilus]

BBC News - Ex-editor fined in 'Sachsgate' licence fee protest

 

No, and 'they' also don't care whether you are rich nor poor, either. Quite ridiculous situation in this country when people overseas can watch our channels (BBC included) without paying a licence fee and as someone already said you are sent to jail for not paying yet other more serious offenses are 'let off' far more lightly. My sentiments exactly.

 

Quite a while ago I overheard someone on the bus discussing how they were being persistently bothered by TV Licencing because he didn't have a TV, had not had one for a long while and had no intention of getting one. His words were 'they can get the police and come to my home if they want but I don't have a TV set'. It was clear he was having problems convincing them of it. So, it looks like you are presumed guilty even though you are purely being honest and actually don't have a TV set. But I think having the police called to your home on the basis you don't have TV licence is utterly outrageous if and when it ever happens.

 

As to Capita, I am aware of the kind of people - ahem - they end up using eg bailifs ... rotweilers springs to mind. But that's another matter entirely.

[Bazooka Boo]

I agree, face and backside spring to mind, I don't deny that I will end up paying for one, I can't complain I did manage to evade their super sleuth X-ray goggles for 18 years, and then came home after a bit of an afternoon in the pub and had my guard down when they called.

 

Oh well, so long as Top Gear remains on one, then that is worth the licence fee on it's own.

[t-star]

Just a quick update..

 

I asked TV Licensing the question about data sharing with iQor and they have informed me that they contract iQor to administer the cash payment schemes.

 

mmm...using a debt collector to collect a stautory fee

 

plot thickens

 

t-star

[Bazooka Boo]

I did ring Iqor the other day, spoke to someone in India? She informed me that i had to pay the arrears of £24.25 now, and then in three days time pay the same again, using the payment card they had sent out without my requesting.

 

Told her that all I would simply do is pay the arrears at the end of the year, ie. add on an extra payment in December instead of finishing it in Novemeber, apparently this was far too complex for their tiny minds to comprehend, so we went round in circles for 15 minutes before I told her that whatever they wanted me to do, wasn't going to happen, I would simply make an extra payment at the end of the year, and that me paying them the arrears wasn't going to happen as I had enough of TVL's bank details to be paying them direct.

 

Sure enough last months payment went through without a hitch, Iqor continue to send their empty threats of 'collection agents' who 'will call within 72 hours', simply filed under ignore.

 

So for anyone else in a similar position, albeit I only missed one payment to TVL, ignore Iqor and pay TVL direct, TVL will then realise that the money they have spent contracting these fools to collect is a waste, until the debt is of a significant amount it seems rather premature and authoritarian to employthis company with such a bad rep.

 

Oh well, gives me something else to complain about to the BBC...so long as they keep Top Gear, thats worth the licence fee on it's own!