Post by Teddy Bear on Feb 6, 2014 19:15:57 GMT
Since Capita runs TVL on behalf of the BBC, seems to me anyway that they should be paying the compensation and not the licence fee payer.
The easiest way to sort it out, and most enjoyable way for many of the public, would be to make the BBC a voluntary subscription service, like Sky, and watch them drown.
The easiest way to sort it out, and most enjoyable way for many of the public, would be to make the BBC a voluntary subscription service, like Sky, and watch them drown.
BBC pays £100,000 compensation to viewers harassed by licence fee officers
Over £100,000 of taxpayers' money paid by BBC over last five years to 2,500 viewers who complained of "aggressive" TV licensing officers' behaviour
The BBC has paid over £100,000 of taxpayers' money in compensation to viewers who complained of harassment by 'aggressive' TV licensing officers.
The over £100,000 in 'goodwill payments' is the total from the last five years, with nearly 2,500 people getting the cash since 2011, the first year detailed records were kept.
They reported being wrongly threatened with prosecution, plagued with aggressive leaflets and being taken to court, according to the Freedom of Information figures.
One of those compensated was Peter Troy who was repeatedly told to buy a licence for his mother's empty house after her death last year.
He was threatened with a £1,000 fine but hit back saying he would sue TV Licensing before getting compensation of £250 for the stress and inconvenience.
Another viewer told how "aggressive" TV Licensing officers repeatedly turned up on his doorstep threatening legal action – even though he did not own a TV.
He wrote: "I even considered buying a TV Licence in my panic, regardless of the fact I do not need one at all, because I was so worried about the whole situation.
"I was shaken up by the brazen way in which an organisation could ignore legal restrictions to literally bully people in their own homes.
"This is clearly harassment in order to force people into buying licences they do not need, simply to increase revenue."
He was eventually offered a £100 "goodwill payment" by the BBC.
In September 2008, the corporation's governing body, the BBC Trust, launched a review of TV Licensing's methods after complaints of "heavy-handed" and "intimidating" tactics.
The chairman of the all-party Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee accused TV Licensing of behaving "like the Gestapo", saying: "The tactics used by TV Licensing in their letters are intimidatory and cause genuine distress.
"Their records are not always correct, but they write letters that assume members of the public are criminals."
TV Licensing is run by the BBC but contracted to outsourcing firm Capita, which has faced controversy in other areas.
A TV Licensing spokesman said: "Sometimes we get it wrong and work hard to put things right.
"The complaints process aims to resolve any issues identified, offer an apology where we have failed to provide the highest service and importantly ensure that we learn from any issues highlighted and put in measures to prevent these from recurring."
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "The licence fee is already a huge burden on many people's wallets without the BBC wrongly harassing them.
"It's bad enough that Auntie has squandered cash on various digital debacles without then wasting money on chasing people who have already paid for the broadcaster's profligacy.
"The best way to ensure people stick with the licence fee model is to cut the cost of it and ensure it is fit for purpose in the age of iPlayer and internet streaming."
Over £100,000 of taxpayers' money paid by BBC over last five years to 2,500 viewers who complained of "aggressive" TV licensing officers' behaviour
The BBC has paid over £100,000 of taxpayers' money in compensation to viewers who complained of harassment by 'aggressive' TV licensing officers.
The over £100,000 in 'goodwill payments' is the total from the last five years, with nearly 2,500 people getting the cash since 2011, the first year detailed records were kept.
They reported being wrongly threatened with prosecution, plagued with aggressive leaflets and being taken to court, according to the Freedom of Information figures.
One of those compensated was Peter Troy who was repeatedly told to buy a licence for his mother's empty house after her death last year.
He was threatened with a £1,000 fine but hit back saying he would sue TV Licensing before getting compensation of £250 for the stress and inconvenience.
Another viewer told how "aggressive" TV Licensing officers repeatedly turned up on his doorstep threatening legal action – even though he did not own a TV.
He wrote: "I even considered buying a TV Licence in my panic, regardless of the fact I do not need one at all, because I was so worried about the whole situation.
"I was shaken up by the brazen way in which an organisation could ignore legal restrictions to literally bully people in their own homes.
"This is clearly harassment in order to force people into buying licences they do not need, simply to increase revenue."
He was eventually offered a £100 "goodwill payment" by the BBC.
In September 2008, the corporation's governing body, the BBC Trust, launched a review of TV Licensing's methods after complaints of "heavy-handed" and "intimidating" tactics.
The chairman of the all-party Commons Culture, Media and Sport committee accused TV Licensing of behaving "like the Gestapo", saying: "The tactics used by TV Licensing in their letters are intimidatory and cause genuine distress.
"Their records are not always correct, but they write letters that assume members of the public are criminals."
TV Licensing is run by the BBC but contracted to outsourcing firm Capita, which has faced controversy in other areas.
A TV Licensing spokesman said: "Sometimes we get it wrong and work hard to put things right.
"The complaints process aims to resolve any issues identified, offer an apology where we have failed to provide the highest service and importantly ensure that we learn from any issues highlighted and put in measures to prevent these from recurring."
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "The licence fee is already a huge burden on many people's wallets without the BBC wrongly harassing them.
"It's bad enough that Auntie has squandered cash on various digital debacles without then wasting money on chasing people who have already paid for the broadcaster's profligacy.
"The best way to ensure people stick with the licence fee model is to cut the cost of it and ensure it is fit for purpose in the age of iPlayer and internet streaming."