Brian asked "How would you like it if a private body came round and demanded to know if you had a car because you don't have a driving license, because most people over 18 drive"
But they are not a private body they are a state organisation/agency ensuring that revenue rightly (in most cases) due is paid by those that are evading it! The TV retailers and rental companies have a statutory duty to report the full name and address of someone purchasing a television. Try and buy one cash and see if you can do it without giving your name and address. But if you were the registered owner (or keeper) of a car and you don't state a SORN for it every year you can be fined. My Brother has several "classic" cars (are Ford Escorts classics) these are stored in a garage and he had to pay a SORN fine for not having sent back his form on time for one car which didn't even have a valid MOT and was not capable of starting. He offered to show the car immobilised in the garage and stated that he was a Merchant Navy Officer spending large amounts of time abroad and they wouldn't (quite rightly) budge. He sought legal advice and was advised that going to court would be useless as he had a car and he didn't state it was off road within the time allowed. Guilty as charged. Nothing about him using it, parking it on a road, evading duty etc "Is it an offence to own a TV without a licence or is the offence to receive the TV signal without one" As I understand it neither. The TV Licence permits me and any one living in the same household to install and use a receiver - whether this is to receive TV signals is not specified. I suspect this wording is used as this now covers someone using their PC with a TV tuner device or a just a DVD or a Sky+ box to just record programmes to watch played back. Which goes back to Julian's comment about it being capable of receiving and Staffy has admitted to using it. What are the rules with VHF Radio fitted to a boat? If it is fitted and capable of working do you need a licence or is the licence just to pick the mic up and transmit? Can you just unplug a working set and not need a licence? If in an emergency you connected it and used it would you expect people to come to your aid and then not expect to be fined for using it unlicensed? Trevor
