Number of Bexley homeowners without TV licence rises (From News Shopper)

Number of Bexley homeowners without TV licence rises

5:00pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in News By Alan Woods

THE number of Bexley homeowners caught watching their television without a licence increased last year.

TV Licensing clamped down on residents breaking the law and detected 1,102 television-users illegally watching their set last year.

This figure is up 26 compared to the 1,076 people caught during the same period in 2010.

TV Licensing spokeswoman Farimah Darbyshire said: “TV viewing is as popular as ever with the percentage of households who have a television set at 97 per cent - it’s our role to make sure everyone is aware of when they need to be covered by a licence.

“On behalf of licence fee payers, we’re committed to tackling evasion and enforcing the law among the small minority who should pay but don’t - it’s only fair.”

Homeowners caught watching television without a licence are given the opportunity to pay but failure to do so after the first warning can lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.