British Broadcasting Corporation Room BC2 A4 Broadcast Centre White City Wood Lane London W12 7TP
Telephone 020 8008 2882 Email xxx@xxx.xx.xx
Information Rights
bbc.co.uk/foi
bbc.co.uk/privacy
Karin Mabberley
Via email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
28 March 2018
Dear Karin Mabberley
Request for Information – RFI20180399
Thank you for your request of 28th February 2018 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’)
seeking the following information:
“According to the TVL website http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/our-commitment-to-you-AB5
Capita employees visiting private homes wil "Prove their identity by showing an identity card. If
requested, they’l also provide a telephone number so the person being visited can confirm the
information on the card."
Since the Capita identity card could be easily produced by any criminal with a computer, printer and
laminator within about half an hour, and since a criminal would no doubt provide, if challenged, a
telephone number that connects the worried householder to an accomplice who wil verify his
identity - please state exactly how you consider the "safeguards" offered by the current system to
be in any way adequate?
Please provide a list of regional TV licensing offices and phone numbers that members of the public
can ring to verify identity of Capita employees. Given that, by your own admission, over 83% of
people on your unlicensed database are in fact innocent of any wrongdoing, please provide free-to-
call numbers for this purpose to ensure that the innocent majority are not penalised financially by
having to make such phone calls because of unsolicited and unwanted visits from your salespeople.”
Please note that “TV Licensing” is a trade mark used by companies contracted by the BBC to administer
the collection of television licence fees and enforcement of the television licensing system. The majority of
the administration of TV Licensing is contracted to Capita Business Services Ltd (‘Capita’). Over-the-counter
services are provided by PayPoint plc (‘PayPoint’) in the UK, and by the Post Office in the Isle of Man and
Channel Islands. Marketing and printing services are contracted to Proximity London Ltd. Media services
are contracted to Media Planning Limited trading as Havas Media UK. The BBC is a public authority in
respect of its television licensing functions and retains overall responsibility.
Firstly, please be advised that the Act gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information
held by public authorities; and we are not required to create new information to respond to a request, or
give a judgement or opinion that is not already recorded.
I shal address your questions in turn below.
Question 1
This is a query rather than a request for recorded information and therefore falls outside the scope of the
Act. However, I can tell you outside the scope of the Act that if you have any concerns that an individual
presenting themselves as a TV Licensing enquiry officer is not who they say they are, you may call the
telephone number provided (which is for the TV Licensing Customer Relations call centre) and verify their
identity. If you remain unconvinced that you are being visited by a genuine TV Licensing enquiry officer, you
do not have to grant them entry to your premises and they will end the visit.
Question 2
We have centrally managed contact channels for TV Licensing and this information is readily available on
the TV Licensing website on the fol owing web-page (under the heading
“How can I contact TV Licensing”):
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-about-tv-licensing-AB15
Appeal Rights
If you are not satisfied that the BBC has complied with the Act in responding to your request you have the
right to an internal review by a BBC senior manager or legal adviser. Please contact us at the address above,
explaining what you would like us to review under the Act and including your reference number. If you are
not satisfied with the internal review, you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The contact details
are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF. Tel: 0303 123
1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate) or se
e http://www.ico.gov.uk/. Kind regards
Rupinder Panesar
Freedom of Information Advisor, TV Licensing Management Team
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