Licensees stand up to debt firms over late PPL fees

More disgruntled licensees have come forward over the issue of heavy-handed tactics being used to collect late payment of PPL fees.

And two publicans have claimed that after standing up to debt collection agencies, they have not heard from them months later.

The Publican last week highlighted the case of licensee Linda Buckley, who was told she could face 15 months in prison over paying her bill for playing background music around two weeks late.

Another licensee, Andy Brooks, of the Laughing Fish, in Isfield, East Sussex, said he was asked to pay the 50 per cent surcharge after paying his bill just one day late.

"We accepted we were a day late, but as a customer who had been with them a long time, we hoped they would waive the fee," he said.

He added that despite writing to PPL directly he only received two further demands from debt collection agencies - but has not heard anything further since last October.

Another licensee, Jason Wainwright, of the Doddington Lodge Hotel, in Whitchurch, Shropshire said he wrote to the debt collection agency saying he would be happy to see them in court.

Jonathan Morrish, PPL's director of PR and corporate communications at PPL said: "We are always happy to look into specific situations if customers raise them with us."

He added: "If PPL has to bring legal action against these customers - something we will only do as a last resort - it is an action for copyright infringement.

"This therefore takes place in the High Court (not the small claims court) and PPL can, for example seek the remedy of an injunction to prevent recorded music from being played until all outstanding fees have been paid."