Dealer Notification: The Tide is Turning on TV Licensing Vermin

Despite their oft-mooted bullshit about detector vans and search warrants, TV Licensing's main weapon in the fight against fee dodgers is their massive database of invasive personal information. Most of the information on the database comes from visiting officers (goons) on the ground and TV dealers notifying the sale/lease of TV receiving equipment.

From the 25th June 2013 the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 is being repealed, which removes the requirement for TV dealers to grass up their customers to TV Licensing.

Previously, every business that sold or let TV receiving equipment was legally obliged to notify TV Licensing of the customer's name, whether the equipment was capable of colour or monochrome reception, and the address at which it was to be used. The dealer was liable for a fine of up to £10,000 for each piece of equipment they failed to notify the sale/lease of. In 2011, the last full year for which data is available, TV Licensing's registered dealers submitted some 12.5 million notifications, covering the sale/lease of everything from set top boxes to TV tuner cards. A significant number of these notifications were for non-TV receiving equipment that didn't need to be notified at all, including TV aerials and DVD players.

The old system was a complete and utter farce. For all dealers were legally obliged to notify TV Licensing of the customer's details, they were under no legal obligation to verify them at the time of transaction. As a result thousands of people, with complete legal impunity, gave false names and addresses at the point of sale. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the occupants of 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA bought several thousand pieces of TV receiving equipment in the last year alone. They're second only to the occupants of 100 Temple Street, Bristol, BS98 1TL who bought more TV receiving equipment than any other address in the country.

The Government estimates that it cost dealers about 10 pence for every notification they made, which placed a disproportionate financial burden on businesses at these times of austerity. Furthermore, as only 3% of the transactions notified actually related to unlicensed properties, the costs of administering the system far outweighed the revenue it generated.

In short the old system was costly, inefficient, outdated and unenforceable. It was a farcical invasion into people's private lives. That's probably why the BBC loved it so much.

From 25th June 2013 people buying/leasing TV receiving equipment will no longer be asked for their details. Those in the know haven't given their details for years anyway.

One more nail in the coffin of TV Licensing!

Edit: Sadly this change in the law means the sport of kings, goon fishing, has come to a premature demise. Keep those cameras charged ready for goon visits anyway!