TV Licensing reveals top unbelievableevasion excuses

THE most outlandish reasons given for not buying a TV Licence over the last 12 months have been published this week.

Meanwhile, TV Licensing have also revealed the number of people caught watching TV without a licence so far this year in Lisburn is 270.

An affair with the postman, badly behaved children and anxious pet parakeets feature in the wide-ranging list of excuses given to TV Licensing’s enquiry officers and call centres by people who don’t have a TV Licence.

The top three reasons given by licence fee evaders in 2011 include:

• Amorous postman: “Since I had a bit of a fling with the postman I haven’t been receiving my mail so I didn’t get my TV Licence reminder.”

• Paranoid parakeet: “No-one watches TV apart from the parakeet. It calms him down and stops him ripping out his feathers.”

• Sticky-fingered kids: “I went to the PayPoint to pay for my licence, but I had to leave before I could pay as my kids were stealing sweets and I had to get them out fast.”

TV Licensing says it caught more than 270 people in Lisburn watching TV without a over the first eight months of 2011.

Deborah King, TV Licensing spokesperson for Northern Ireland, said: “Some evaders are very inventive with their excuses which can be quite entertaining. But the point is that watching or recording live TV without a licence is against the law. In fairness to the honest majority of people who pay the fee, we will prosecute those who try to avoid it.

“We would always prefer people to pay than risk a fine of up to £1,000.”

Kevin Higgins, Head of Policy Advice NI added: “The TV Licence should be treated as essential expenditure when drawing up a household budget. We know that some people find managing their finances challenging so it’s important they have access to free independent advice on how to budget and spread the cost.”

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