- Myth: TVL is a Government Agency
Not true - TVL is a BBC brandname, and a department of the BBC
- Myth: You need a Licence just to own a TV
No, the Licence is to watch/record (live) TV broadcasts or watch/download TV from BBC iPlayer (but not Radio or S4C)
- Myth: TV Licence staff have special legal powers
Not true - TVL and their staff have no legal powers or justification for their day-to-day harassment work
- Myth: TVL need to know if you don't have a Licence
TVL already know that you don't have a Licence, so let's not pretend. What they want is to bring you into their "process" and get information about you
- Myth: Just tell TVL that you don't need a Licence and that will sort it out - it'll take 5 minutes
Telling them you don't need a Licence just doesn't work - they won't believe you
- Myth: TVL have to check claims that a Licence is not required
There is no legal requirement for checking, and it goes against basic principles of justice (presumption of innocence). It's not a claim, anyway
- Myth: TVL have TV detectors that they use to track evasion
No. There are no TV detectors in day-to-day use. No detector evidence has ever been used in Court
- Myth: The TV Licence money is shared by the BBC and other broadcasters
Not true. As of November 2016, no other broadcaster receives Licence fee funds and they never have
- Myth: TVL staff are simply trying to do their jobs as fairly as possible
Some of them, maybe. But what chance do they stand when the whole system they work for is unlawful? There's also ample evidence of wrong-doing by other TVL staff, and some have been succesfully prosecuted for various offences, including fraud and violence
- Myth: You can be imprisoned for Licence evasion
No. The only penalty is a fine, and the typical fine is around £150. Prison is not an option. In exceptional cases, where a previous fine goes unpaid, it is possible for any offender to be sent to prison, typically for 7-14 days