An Authorised Regional Officer Visits

It's raining heavily as I write this. I like rain: as long as I don't happen to be out in it. The ozone-fresh smell in the air makes you feel alive, a minor resurrection to someone in their fifties like me. But I can't enjoy the rain today. The way TV Licensing is attacking me, intruding into my otherwise happy life, has an impact. You know how you feel when the brain releases chemicals into your body, to improve your chances of survival, when there's danger? Well thats how I'm feeling now. Worked up. And it's because of an organisation, and people, who have no business with me. So let us see what TV Licensing chose to do to my January 2007, because that's the next record in my file.

One Of Those Official Warnings - Again

Sadly the Enforcement Officers appear to have been delayed. What could have happened? As so often with TV Licensing I can only speculate: perhaps they were insufficiently authorised, or just too darned busy. If its the latter then, oddly enough, they can still find time to write me the letters that stress me so. And, sadly, there's no explanation for the lack of a visit in the letter. In fact, it looks like another variation on the same theme as the previous letters.

Oh but wait a minute! Now its Michelle Tunstall the 'Head of TV Licensing Enforcement Division'. What happened to John Robinson: has he really given up on me so soon? Or do these people take it in turns to send out the letters that I find so horrible? I don't know if they get some kind of perverse pleasure in sending them, but I know I do not enjoy receiving them.

Still, as the Enforcement Officers have been authorised a bit more now, we can rest assured that the process of 'ordeal by letter' will soon be over. Perhaps we just needed that little bit of extra authorisation to ease things along. And I would think that simple decency dictates that some officers will arrive soon. But I find myself beginning to wonder if it will ever happen.

And what exactly is an 'Official Warning'? What does that mean when it comes from a private organisation that supposedly has no more powers under UK law than the bakery down the road from me?