John Laing feels treated like a criminal for having no TV

Aug 3 2008 by Ian Robson, Sunday Sun

JOHN LAING has never owned a telly in his life . . . yet officials threatened to investigate him for not having a TV license.

John, 68, said he felt bullied when a letter dropped on his doormat saying he faced being interviewed under caution by its enforcement division.

It was headed “official warning” and said he could face a £1000 fine.

Yet bosses already knew he did not possess a TV set and the letter should not have been sent.

John said: “The letter said someone would call and I would be talked to under caution.

“It’s as if they are treating me as a criminal because I don’t have a TV set.

“They can’t get it into their heads that I don’t have a license for the very simple reason that I don’t need one. The assumption was that I must be breaking the law.”

John, of Newcastle, said he has never wanted to own a television since his mother, who he lived with, died about 20 years ago.

When he wants to watch football he simply goes to the pub.

And on the rare occasions he wants to watch other programmes, such as the History Channel, he goes to his sister Patricia’s home. She said: “We all go mad with John but we can’t make him have a telly.”

A spokeswoman for TV Licensing admitted a mistake had been made.

She said: “If we are informed that a person doesn’t have a TV set, we will place a guard on the address listing to prevent further standard mailings being sent, pending a visit from an enquiry officer.

“In this instance, the guard on Mr Laing’s address was removed in error.

“We have now amended our records and will be sending Mr Laing an acknowledgement of this.”

However, officials will still have to call to verify John does not have a TV set.

The spokesman said: “Because we are yet to confirm that Mr Laing does not require a TV licence, he is still due to receive a visit from an enquiry officer to verify this.

“He should not receive any further letters from us, except to check that circumstances at his address have not changed, for instance that he has not moved house.”