TV licensing...

[Mick F]

The strange thing to me though, is that our friendly postie, delivered the Capita Threat to us, and that there hadn't been any "nice" letters previously or any reminders either.

Maybe they've put two and two together and threatened us as per their standard format.
Not sure where that letter is right now, but I could have lit the fire with it. I should have compared it to our letters and seen how far down the pecking order it was.

May have it somewhere. Could be on the (overcrowded) coffee table perhaps.
I'll look later ..................

Found it.

First letter received at the non-existent address, and it's identical to the No32 letter we had in July here!

[thirdcrank]

They have a machine churning this stuff out. As you have suggested yourself, the signatories may not exist. They are not bothered about any of this. They have a business model which works on %ages and the fact that plenty of people who should have a licence don't.

We, or rather the BBC, is moving quickly to some other charging system which might end tv licences. The govt spinners cannot decide if crushing the BBC would be an own goal, but it would end Crapita's involvement.

From where I'm sitting you seem in danger of letting this get to you and in a big way. I'd suggest binning your dossier and ignoring any more letters. There's the possibility they may visit so send them a letter saying you have withdrawn any implied invitation to visit. (Somebody has linked to that before.)

A warning sign is that even mercalia is posting to "prime" you, which I take to be a euphemism for winding you up.

[Mick F]

Don't worry TC, I'm not wound up about this, but find it interesting. I'm an obsessive sort of guy, so listing these letters and filing them keeps me sane ............. or as near as I can get to it.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Don't worry TC, I'm not wound up about this, but find it interesting. I'm an obsessive sort of guy, so listing these letters and filing them keeps me sane ............. or as near as I can get to it.

I am a bit that way too, mostly covered all hills on Dartmoor walking, hills = enclosed contour lines, still going after fifty years I first started, will finish one day and not many to cover either.

There's a guy on here who is trying to cover all roads and bridges in his county.....now he's on too churches

[thirdcrank]

There's a bit of the train spotter / stamp collector in most people; that's how marketing using stuff like cigarette cards works. I think of YHA stamps and the little certificates that acknowledge blood donations. Once upon a time Mirroir du Cyclisme published a souvenir pic with each edition. Match programmes: the list is endless.

Recording activity can encourage more of the same: the mileage charts once published annually in the comic etc have been replaced with apps.

Captain, more recently Colonel Sir Tom Moore must have achieved more by logging every lap and penny raised than he would by unquantified walking.

There's value in detailed study of many subjects and at the upper end that may be recognised with a PhD.

Letters from Crapita?

[Mick F]

I used to have all and every bank statement filed and and logged.
It took a great deal of self-control to burn them.

Still have all the spread sheets on the computer though, and I reconcile each an every bank statement they send ............. and I want the paper ones. Same as the credit card statements too, and keep spread sheets for them as well.
Surprising how many errors I've found over the years .................. plusses and minuses.

I keep a diary.
Not verbal prose, but notes of what's done and what's planned. I can even tell you what we had for a main meal on any one day/date for the past ten years. Maybe missed one record or two, but generally the diaries are correct.

I keep a bike rides diary too. My records of every single ride and where I went go back to 2004. Before that, I had seven years off regular riding since leaving the RN in 1996.

I keep maintenance records of the bikes. I can tell you when I cleaned the chains and how far it was between cleanings and how many miles each chain lasted and the cassettes too.

Maintenance records of the cars as well.

[Mick F]

Just occurred to me ..................

Capita haven't written a threatening letter since the October treat. They've been threatening us every month, and the October 2020 one was Letter No35.

This means they've missed the November one.

Have they given up?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Got lost in the post.....get ready for december

[al_yrpal]

Thanks for those posts Mick. Having a cuppa in bed this morning and they have given us a good laugh to start the day!

Al

[peetee]

I related my issues with this company this time last year and I have to say that since making my declaration of televisual abstinence online I have not been contacted. Perhaps I am now in the clear and can relax in my 19th Century hovel.

(Note the above statement is not to be taken as fact. I, the poster know from bitter experience that the status quo remains until I makes a comment about a subject at which point the indefatigable machinery of fate points the cannon of doom in my direction and goes all guns to knock me off the self-righteous high horse of opinion.)

[Oldjohnw]

BBC News - EU firms refuse UK deliveries over Brexit tax changes
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55530721

This alone makes the licence fee worthwhile imv.

[Mick F]

Just occurred to me ..................
Capita haven't written a threatening letter since the October treat. They've been threatening us every month, and the October 2020 one was Letter No35.
This means they've missed the November one.
Have they given up?

Missed the December one too.

Did I read something, or hear it on the radio, that Capita/BBC have relaxed on the threats?
Sure I did, but I wish I'd taken more notice.

Is anyone else aware of this, or did I dream it?

[simonineaston]

My only comments are that since eo.s activity must be limited by arrangements for covid, it may follow that the organisation might see fit to step up activity in pursuing other methods... elements of the Capita organisation were up for sale and sold back late last year, but my understanding is that their successful enforcement businesses - eg congestion charge / bbc licence - were not part of the sale.

[thirdcrank]

Just occurred to me ..................
Capita haven't written a threatening letter since the October treat. They've been threatening us every month, and the October 2020 one was Letter No35.
This means they've missed the November one.
Have they given up?

Missed the December one too.

Did I read something, or hear it on the radio, that Capita/BBC have relaxed on the threats?
Sure I did, but I wish I'd taken more notice.

Is anyone else aware of this, or did I dream it?

Perhaps you need to reflect here. You have been rather concerned about receiving regular, unwelcome letters. (horizon may correct me but I think that's an example of litotes.) The unwelcome letters have stopped.

[Mick F]

I had to look up Litotes!

Unwelcome letters?
I don't consider them unwelcome in the slightest and I don't feel threatened by their (empty) threats in the slightest either.
I find them amusing, and also interesting.

I didn't set out to collect or catalogue them, the first few were just sitting on the coffee table so rather than throw them out, I put them in a folder. Over the months, I noticed a pattern developing. Yes, amusing and interesting.

It's a shame they've stopped.