I would like to respond to some of the questions raised by Val Cane regarding TV Licensing's mailing policy (Letters, March 20).

Retailers selling or renting television receiving equipment are obliged by law to notify TV Licensing of the customer's name and the address where the equipment is to be used.

The information provided is checked against our database of more than 29 million addresses and if there is no television licence on record at the address, or the licence is in a different name, a letter is issued reminding the customer to purchase a licence.

In those instances where we mail a licensed address, we do so to ensure all of the people residing at that property are properly licensed.

When we mail unlicensed addresses we don't presume that everyone is guilty of committing an offence. We try to ensure that genuine non-viewers are not overly troubled by our enquiries. It is our duty to enforce the law on behalf of the honest majority who pay the TV licence. Unfortunately some people will only buy one when warned of the consequences of being unlicensed. It is for this reason some of our mailings to unlicensed addresses contain messages that are designed to deter a possible evader.

  • Ian Fannon, TV Licensing