A RADIO presenter has warned against being “frightened” by TV licensing letters after he waited at home all day for a visit by an officer who never showed up.
Stuart Robinson, who appears on Cool FM in Northern Ireland, was informed via a warning letter from TV Licensing that he could expect a visit from an officer on Tuesday.
However, after waiting in all day with the only visitor being a plumber, the 45-year-old has urged Brits against being hassled into paying a TV licence if they do not watch live TV.
Robinson, who claims to have no need for a TV licence, decided to document his day of waiting around the house for the supposed officer’s arrival.
Filming himself at his front door, Robinson explains: “I received a letter from TV Licensing that on the 4th of September an enforcement officer would be calling out to see me.”
The presenter reveals he’d dragged himself up out of bed at 8am in anticipation of the call out, baked a cake and put the kettle on, but that there’s still little sign of anyone paying him a visit by the time lunchtime rolled around.
The footage then moves to Robinson’s living room where he reveals it’s 2:30pm and he’s begun to get excited as he has spotted a man can be seen crossing the garden with a toolbox towards the front door.
Unfortunately, the arrival was just a plumber who was scheduled to come round, with the enforcement officer still absent.
Robinson films himself again later in the day saying: “It’s now coming on nearly nine o’clock at night, the only person who’s been to the door all day is that plumber.
“No sign of the enforcement officer, I’ll do one final check, hold on.”
He opens his door and again peers out onto the street in the hope of catching the officer’s arrival but is left disappointed when no one appears.
He explains: “So there you go, sat in all day and no enforcement officer.
“It was nearly as if the letter was to serve no other purpose than to frighten me into making an impulse purchase – something that I do not require.
“Cancel your TV licence immediately if you do not use television to watch live TV or have BBC iPlayer.
“Under that last video I put out, I cannot believe there are so many people falling for this.
“There are so many people who do not require a television licence and to continue the funding of the BBC in this way.
“Unless you watch live television or use BBC iPlayer, the reality is [that] you do not need a TV licence for your television. Cancel it immediately.”
Robinson’s video was shared to social media on Tuesday with the caption: “TV licensing said an ‘enforcement officer’ would be calling today.”
It has since received over 10,000 likes and more than 600 comments from users divided over their opinions on the fee.
One user wrote: “You could just get a life? If you’re struggling so much you can’t afford £14 a month, maybe rethink your choices.”
Another said: “The TV licence is just a scam.”
A third replied: “Invoice them for your wasted time – say €160ish?”
Another added: “Good video. I cancelled mine about five years ago and I’ve never had a visit or a letter from the BBC.”
A fifth commented: “I’ve had so many. Maybe it is about time we all call the police and state we are being harassed.”
