How to get your money back from the BBC

sir – Robin Thomas (Letters, December 21) writes that he has protested against the BBC by cancelling his direct-debit payment for the licence fee.

He also needs to complete the form requesting a refund, since the BBC took a six-month advance payment by increased subscriptions for the first few months of his direct-debit payment. Thus Mr Thomas, and all direct-debit payers, are always in credit for their licence, but the BBC does not automatically repay the sum.

I was nearly caught out by this wheeze, as I had calculated that my monthly payments equalled the cost of the six-month period for which I had used the television during the licence’s annual term, and so I believed the BBC owed me nothing.

It was thanks to a letter published in these pages, informing readers of the advance payment, that I requested a refund, and I was pleased to receive a payment equal to six months’ licence fee shortly afterwards. David Waller

Gillingham, Kent

sir – Since Tory ministers decided to boycott Today on BBC Radio 4 (report, December 19), the programme has been much more enjoyable, and we are spared constant interruption by interviewers. Long may it continue. Henry Webber

Oxted, Surrey

sir – The idea of moving the BBC to Salford was to remove the London bias. Instead, the BBC paid expenses for staff to commute and thus retained the bias, even though under HMRC rules their place of employment is deemed to be in the North. Michael Meadowcroft

Durham

sir – I worked for 10 years on the management team of a reasonably significant British business. We spent half our time worrying about how to increase our revenue and the other half worrying about how to reduce costs. What on earth does the senior BBC management team do all day? William Crawshay

Tasburgh, Norfolk

sir – Lord Hall of Birkenhead (Commentary, December 23), the BBC director general, says that “people trust us”. In the spirit of the season, may I respond: “Oh no they don’t.” Ian Watkins

Peterborough, Cambridgeshire