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Making a complaint

There are more than 24.8 million licences in place and we aim to offer a good service to all our customers. When there is a problem, we rely on feedback from our customers to try to put things right as quickly as possible and improve our services. Ensuring our complaints process addresses the concerns of our customers is very important to us, and that is why our complaints process is ISO10002 certified.

How to make a complaint

Stage 1a: If you wish to make a complaint, please apply in writing to the relevant address below, or alternatively use our Contact us form and enter "Complaint" within your question.

General complaint

Customer Relations
TV Licensing
Darlington
DL98 1TL

TV Licensing payment card scheme complaint

Payment Card Customer Relations
TV Licensing
Darlington
DL98 1TL

TV Licensing savings card scheme complaint

TSC Customer Relations
TV Licensing
Darlington
DL98 1TL

Programme complaints

For BBC programme complaints please contact:

BBC Complaints
PO Box 1922
Darlington
DL3 0UR

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

Tel: 03700 100 222

If you wish to complain about programmes on other channels, please contact the relevant broadcaster directly.

Reception problems/complaints

For help with reception problems contact BBC Reception Advice at:

BBC Reception Advice
PO Box 1922
Darlington
DL3 0UR

Tel: 03700 100 123

Website: www.bbc.co.uk/reception

Need more help or advice? See our TV and radio reception page.

If you’re not happy with your reply

Stage 1b: Write to the Operations Director at:

TV Licensing
Darlington
DL98 1TL

The Operations Director will review your original complaint and the response to it and will ensure that the matter has been investigated appropriately.

If you’re not satisfied with this reply, go to stage 2.

Please note until further notice all complaints correspondence addressed to the BBC Director of Revenue and Customer Management should be sent to TV Licensing in Darlington.

Where possible we encourage you to include an email address to avoid additional delays.

Stage 2: Write to the BBC Director of Revenue and Customer Management at:

Director of Revenue and Customer Management
BBC TV Licensing
Customer Relations
TV Licensing
Darlington
DL98 1TL

You should contact the BBC Director of Revenue and Customer Management within 20 working days of the date on which you received the response at Stage 1b.

The BBC will review all correspondence about your complaint and ask TV Licensing to explain the steps taken. They’ll judge if these steps were sufficient and if TV Licensing acted appropriately.

The BBC aims to answer complex complaints within 35 working days.

If you’re not satisfied with this reply, go to stage 3.

Stage 3: Write back to the BBC Director of Revenue and Customer Management at:

Director of Revenue and Customer Management
BBC TV Licensing
Customer Relations
TV Licensing
Darlington
DL98 1TL

The response from the BBC Director of Revenue and Customer Management will include information on what to do if you wish to take your concerns further. The next step will vary depending on the nature of the complaint.

Depending on the nature of your complaint, you may be referred by the BBC Director of Revenue and Customer Management to the Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU) or you may be asked to make a referral to the Ombudsman.

If you’re not happy with your reply

Referring a complaint to the Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your complaint following a response from the Director of Revenue and Customer Management for the BBC, you can refer it to an independent dispute resolution scheme.

Dispute Resolution Ombudsman, which is independent of the BBC, has been chosen by the BBC to review TV Licensing complaints where we have been unable to resolve it directly with the complainant. Having exhausted the BBC’s complaints procedure, you are now able to refer your case to the Ombudsman for their consideration. Below are the contact details you will need;

Dispute Resolution Ombudsman
Premier House
1-5 Argyle Way
Stevenage
Herts
SG1 2AD

www.disputeresolutionombudsman.org
0333 241 3209

This is a free service, with complainants able to refer their case via the Ombudsman’s website.

Please be advised that should you choose to use their services, Dispute Resolution Ombudsman will ask you for personal information to enable them to investigate your complaint. Dispute Resolution Ombudsman will also ask the BBC for personal information relating to your complaint, if appropriate any phone recordings held.

Information provided to the Ombudsman will be held by them and will not be shared with any other party without seeking approval from the complainant.


Referring a complaint to the Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU)

The ECU can only consider complaints about BBC policies governing the framework within which TV Licensing operates (which cannot be considered by the Ombudsman). You must contact the ECU within 20 working days of the date on which you received the response at Stage 2.

The ECU aims to answer complex complaints within 35 working days.

Where the BBC may not investigate

Your complaint may not be investigated if it is deemed to be vexatious, repetitious or if it has already been investigated previously.

 

About us and the TV LicenceLink for About us and the TV Licence

Freedom of Information Act (FOI)

Latest press releases

TV Licensing assures customers that implementing the new over 75s licence fee concession will be Covid-19 safe
Thu Jul 09 2020
Following the BBC Board’s confirmation that the BBC will begin the new scheme covering the over 75s licence fee concession from 1 August this year, TV Licensing is assuring customers that implementation of the new scheme will be Covid-19 safe.
Thousands of black and white TVs still in use as BBC One in colour hits 50
Wed 13 Nov 2019
As BBC One celebrates its 50th anniversary of colour television this week, TV Licensing has revealed that more than 6,500 UK households are still watching TV programmes on black and white TV sets.
Over 20,000 young people interviewed for watching TV without a TV Licence
Tue Oct 22 2019
More than 20,000 young people aged 18 to 25 have been interviewed by TV Licensing Visiting Officers for watching live TV or BBC iPlayer without a valid licence in the last year, according to figures released by TV Licensing.
 

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