Amongst the Things I don't Understand

TV licencing.

When I moved into the new place there was already a letter from the TV licencing people waiting for me. There always is. In my rather extensive experience of moving the TV Licencing people are almost always the first to send a bill through your door. I had a TV licence. When I was in Norwich I had a TV and I dutifully paid my licence. Even though the only thing I watched was the Simpsons if I got home from work in time. That's ½ an hour of TV a day, at most five days a week. And that's on Channel 4 and as I understand it the TV licence is only applicable to the Beeb.

Anyway.

I phoned them up and explained the situation: I had a TV licence, I'd recently moved citing my previous address and my current address, I no longer had a TV and wanted to cancel. The guy I spoke to was very helpful and updated everything, even sending me a refund on what I'd apparently overpaid. All fantastic and I thought nothing more of it.

Until I got woken up by the door bell one saturday morning.

The woman at the door explained that my flat wasn't registered as having a TV licence. I told her I'd phoned up about that weeks previously and everything was sorted. She said that was fine (she didn't ask to check for a TV) and said she'd list my flat as being empty for six months. Slightly confused I asked why. She told me there was nothing on her form for people with no TV so it was either list the flat as empty or have someone banging on the door every weekend.

As I write this, going over the event again, I feel like I've suffered a blow to the head. This can't be right. It makes no sense! But this is what happened.

I'm right aren't I? This is crazy?