T.V. Licence

The other day I had my reminder to pay my T.V. Licence for the coming year. As I am 75 this year I had to contact them. Not an easy project. Following their system it gave a telephone number. I rang the said number and after going through several options I finally got through to their department only to be informed that all their operatives were busy and that I should try again later. The phone then went dead.
I went online and eventually found a different number. Once again through all of the options but this time when I was finally put through to the relevant department I was put on hold. After a few minutes managed to find an assistant who finally got me sorted.
It did remind me of something that happened to my late Mother. My Father had died 15 months earlier and when the Licence was due, although it was in his name she paid the amount due. Several months later. I guess this was in November, all I know it was late Autumn or early Winter. Anyway there was a knock on my Mother's door. She asked who was there. The reply was that he was a man from the T.V. Licencing Department and told her that she was using a television without a current Licence. Immediately she told him she didn't believe him. He, of course confirmed her who it was and told her he would put his identity card through the letter box and there was a telephone number on it to confirm who it was. Well she eventually let him in and he asked to see her current T.V Licence. She went to get her file of bills informing him that under no circumstances would she let him take it off the file.
She came back into the room with the file and soon found the Licence with the Post Office Stamp and dated. The man was taken aback. He was full of apology and told her that in all his years of doing this job this was the first time anything had happened like this to him. My Mother then told him that the Licence was in her Husband's name but had died around a year ago so she would like the Licence in her name. His words were."Oh! please don't do that, we are in enough trouble already. Heads will roll for this you know?" He told her that if ever her name appeared again he would ignore it totally. He profusely apologised again and left.
By the way, several years ago they sent my reminder with my Christian name initial different to what it should be. I mentioned it to the assistant. He told me that this would be rectified and I then paid by debit card. He just told me that if I received another bill ignore it Tomorrow I will tell about the time when I was accused of not paying my N.I stamps for the self employed. More soon.