[Closed] Not paying the TV Licence fee.

MSP - Member
How clever of you to use an image from a fox media production.

Decision made.

iplayer is just a platform but its been a game changer proving that the bbc is cutting edge and relevant
they also led the way with digital radio

im looking forward to this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zbtmr

and have been enjoying this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pblv4/episodes/guide

and this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00zy57x/Supersized_Earth_A_Place_to_Live/

not to mention the killing!

or this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nxh2n

i really cant imagine any other channel consistently putting out tv/radio of this quality

'National Treasure' is a phrase often used without merit, in the BBC's case it's wholly justified.

.... and I earn a living working for a company that in competition with them

Kimbers, your list needs more Bleak Expectations! 🙂

So is it, or isn't it?

It isn't. The license fee doesn't work morally, that's the point I was making.

That's fair enough, if there are so many programs you like, then you can pay for them.

How clever of you to use an image from a fox media production to fail to make a worthwhile point, shame there was no bbc output that matched you requirements.

[Attenborough] Here, in the deep recesses of the singletrack swamp we hear a rare call. So rare, in fact, that many doubt its existence at all. That haunting cry you hear is the desperate gasping of a forumite, who knows, beyond all doubt, that his argument is lost. [/Attenborough]

PMSL @ PP! 🙂

So from my point of view I am meant to fund half a dozen or more television channels multiple national and local radio stations, and a web player I don't use, for 10 hours worth of viewing a year that I buy on blue ray.

Becuase that is the model that our democatrically elected governement has chosen for funding our state broadcaster.

And although you don't agreee it is a well accepted fact that this provides us with the finest state broadcaster in the world. In fact it is precicely becuase you don't agree that this is such a fantastic funding model.

*To the OP, sorry your thread evolved into a slagging match with people who like to be contrary by insisting they don't watch the BBC. At least you got some sensible advice about what to do if you actually don't watch any TV and therefore aren't required to pay.

PP 😆

I believe that it's UKIP's policy to scrap the TV licence once elected 😆

To the OP, sorry your thread evolved into a slagging match with people who like to be contrary by insisting they don't watch the BBC. At least you got some sensible advice about what to do if you actually don't watch any [b]LIVE[/b] TV and therefore aren't required to pay

FTFY 😉

We haven't had one since we moved into our house, which is over 5 years now. Being a listed building, and having no ariel means applying for planning permission to put it up, which we never got round to.

We told the TVLA (Capita?) this when we moved in, and after the first couple of letters arrived. They carried on sending them, so I stopped responding to them. We normally average one or two a month & they end up in the bin. Various threats of court, inspectors, law breaking, fines etc.

Amazingly we had a visit for the first time last week! On a Thursday lunchtime. He very kindly left a note to say he had been & would return though...

I wouldn't bother with contacting them, they ignore it anyway. Just bin it all the correspondance.

JFletch you seem confused. You are clearly talking about a different system to the one we have in this country.

The BBC is great.. £150 is well worth it
The BBC is crap.. £150 isn't worth it

Scramble the channels and let people choose.

😀
😉

iplayer is just a platform but its been a game changer proving that the bbc is cutting edge and relevant

Ironic that you don't need a TV Licence to benefit from it really 😀

JFletch you seem confused. You are clearly talking about a different system to the one we have in this country.

Really, how so?

The way it works is if you want to watch live TV you pay a specific tax. The proceeds from this tax are ring-fenced and used to provide a number of things. These things are:

- The infastructure used to deliver free to air terestrial TV
- A boardcaster whose remit is wider than simply attracting high viewer numbers, providing the country with the benefit of non-comercial programming
- Foreign broadcasts to furter bristish interests overseas via the world service (this used to be funded by the foreign office but is now the licence fee)

This model doesn't work if the licence fee is simply a subscription to the BBC. The fact you can't opt out is what makes the BBC what it is, it allows them to make factual and educational programs that only have small yet intested audiences and also compels them to offer value to the masses with programs like Strictly and Eastenders.

There is nothing intrinsically unfair in the model, it simply measures the benefit of the outlay in a different way to view numbers and subscriber figures.

However if you don't agree, vote UKIP.

what jfletch said.

They could just fund it out of central taxation and scrap the licence fee, of course.

- A boardcaster whose remit is wider than simply attracting high viewer numbers, providing the country with the benefit of non-comercial programming

Have a look at the primetime schedules for tonight, apart from a couple of things on bbc4 its all commercial crap, exactly the same as any other channel, in fact channel 4 is probably closer to meeting that statement than the BBC.

Have a look at the primetime schedules for tonight, apart from a couple of things on bbc4 its all commercial crap

swiftly followed by newsnight, question time and this week

while im a celbrity is on itv and freddie flintoff in a boxing ring on sky 1........

no one mentioned ceebeebies yet? gain no other kids tv comes close

You will receive lots and lots of computer generated letters with the latter ones threatening legal action - in my experience that's the end of it.

I had no TV for 10 years at my property and always just ignored these letters, they come in waves then it goes quiet. We may or may not have had a visit but the property was generally unoccupied.

If you wish you can complete a "no tv deceleration online"

If you watch bbc iPlayer you are supposed to have a tv licence

I susepect with the recession large numbers of people will not renew their tv licence

If you watch bbc iPlayer you are supposed to have a tv licence

Incorrect.

[url= http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/51064/response/129049/attach/html/3/RFI20101470%20final%20response.pdf.html ]

A TV Licence is a legal permission to install or use television receiving equipment (e.g. TVs, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and DVD/VHS recorders) to watch or record television programmes, as they are being shown on TV. This applies regardless of which television channels a person receives or how those channels are received. The licence fee is not a payment for BBC services (or any other television service). All licence fee revenue collected (apart from a small sum kept by the DCMS for administration purposes) is given to the BBC.

The requirement to hold a TV Licence and to pay a fee for it is mandated by law under the
Communications Act 2003 and Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 (as amended). It is an offence to watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on any channel and on any broadcast platform (terrestrial, satellite, cable and the internet) without a valid TV Licence.

Seems fairly straightforward to me.

so if you have a computer or a smartphone to watch iplayer but dont pay the fee you are
[img] ?w=505&h=368[/img]

[b]Cougar[/b] - Member
If you watch bbc iPlayer you are supposed to have a tv licence

Incorrect.

I can only reiterate: I don't watch TV, any of it on any channel. As far as memory serves I've used iPlayer to watch the 3rd series of The Thick of it and that's it. Occasionally I set my radio alarm to wake me up in the morning with radio 4. The rest of my occasional visual entertainment comes from the cinema, DVDs and LoveFilm. All of which I pay for.

I personally don't like staring at the goggle box night after night and I personally don't believe the very occasional use of Radio 4 warrants £150 a year from me. Again, I have no issues with the BBC or the way it is funded and I'm sure that they broadcast quality programming but I don't wish to pay for something I simply do not use. That seems like such a simple concept and I fail to understand why people are getting so stressed, hot and bothered about it.

i thought you needed one for iplayer too, didn't they target students a while back who were using iplayer on laptops etc?

i'm probably wrong though

The law states that you need to be covered by a TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes, on any device, as they're being shown on TV. This includes TVs, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and Blu-ray/DVD/VHS recorders.
You don't need a licence if you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you use your TV only to watch DVDs or play video games, or you only watch ‘catch up’ services like BBC iPlayer or 4oD.

Live being the key word it seems. If you watch it as it is being broadcast then you need a licence no matter what means you use to watch it.

That seems like such a simple concept and I fail to understand why people are getting so stressed, hot and bothered about it.

Because people on here like to get offended and all self righteous if you don't fit into their own little box of ideals & simply have to vent as a result...

It's quite amusing!

Because people on here like to get offended and all self righteous if you don't fit into their own little box of ideals & simply have to vent as a result...

It's quite amusing!

I need to remind myself where I am posting. I forget sometimes.

It is funny though.

That seems like such a simple concept and I fail to understand why people are getting so stressed, hot and bothered about it.

A little bit like if you found a legal loophole way of using a little bit of my electricity or water for free because you only use a little bit, and not every day... It would be aggravating. I can see where you are coming from, it's not an insignificant amount of dough, and it's obviously legal, but it doesn't [i]feel[/i] right to me. That's why.

I tell you what is an unfair rule though; if you share a house with your best friend(s) then you need one tv liscence, yet if you live in a student hall flat you need one per bedroom. Seems harsh to me. And I'm not even a student.

I suppose that it's because you are using something, albeit occasionally, that us licence payers are paying for.

But I'm not. Let me clarify again.

I currently pay for a TV Licence because once in a blue moon the TV is on. However, my wife and I have decided that we can very easily do without the 'once in a blue moon' moments of TV watching so will be disconnecting the TV aerial etc so we can no longer receive a television signal.

The BBC request a payment annually for you to receive and watch live television on any device - their rules not mine. So as I have no intention of receiving or watching television live on any device I am no longer going to pay for that service.

How you feel is utterly irrelevant unfortunately for you.

I tell you what is an unfair rule though; if you share a house with your best friend(s) then you need one tv liscence

you've over simplified that i think.

it's about tenancy. single tenancy = single license. multiple tenancy = multiple licenses.

the TV license authority also confuse the issue talking about locks on doors which has no legal basis, it comes down to whether you have individual contracts for rooms or a single contract for a house.

Cougar when BBC iPlayer starts, including on a mobile device, it explicitly says you need a TV licence

It's lying, then.

You need a TV licence for live, broadcast TV. If you're not watching live, for example using iPlayer, you don't need a licence.

Have a look at the primetime schedules for tonight, apart from a couple of things on bbc4 its all commercial crap, exactly the same as any other channel, in fact channel 4 is probably closer to meeting that statement than the BBC.

The BBCs remit is wider than providing things you want to watch.

But to go down your route today the licence fee wil provide the following television programs

1. News, newsnight, question time, this week and subsidised ITV and C4 news broadcasts
2. Two full channels broadcasting high quality childrens TV with no adverts
3. BBC4
4. Some very popular quality drama and entertainment
5. A program about railways
6. Programming in welsh via S4C
7. A load of stuff I will have forgotten

At the same time as the BBC is broadcasting this week, Dara's science club and the culture show, ITV is showing Jackpot247 so we can gamble on our TVs, C4 is showing "Embarasing Fat Bodies" and C5 is showing Super Casino just in case Jackpot247 wasn't to our taste. Meanwhile Sky1, Watch, Gold and Dave are broadcasting shows made by and originally broadcast on the BBC, thus subsidising the licence fee.

So without wanting to be to direct about it, you are wrong.

And even if you think you are right, that is what is so great about the BBC, becuase they also know you are wrong and make programs you don't like anyway

[Not watching TV] ...seems like such a simple concept and I fail to understand why people are getting so stressed, hot and bothered about it.

OP, I don't think people are stressed at you not wanting to watch live TV. That is fine. What people are having a debate about is morons who think that just because they think they don't like what is on BBC1 or 2 then they shouldn't have to pay their licence fee.

Here.

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/playing_tv_progs/tvlicence

You do not need a television licence to catch-up on television programmes in BBC iPlayer, only when you watch or record at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is being broadcast or otherwise distributed to the public. In BBC iPlayer, this is through the Watch Live simulcast option.

you've over simplified that i think.

But I'm not. Let me clarify again.

How you feel is utterly irrelevant unfortunately for you.

I probably have. Still seems unfair to me though.

if you lived in a block of flats would you expect to have a licence for your flat or the whole block? Same thing really.

But surely no student actually watches live TV these days? What is wrong with iPlayer and torrents?

*fondly remebers student days of dial-up internet permanently attached to napster before it was banned.

There was outrage when they decreed that each bunk on barracks had to have a license. Easily solved though. The guardroom just denied access to the detection van.

During live broadcasts, like the Olypmics, iPlayer did pop up and say "Did you know you need a TV license to watch this programme?"

Same for News 24 I think?

The BBC produces some fine TV, particularly the wildlife stuff however I stopped paying my license fee about 5 years ago when a friend of a friend who works for the BBC described the systematic waste of resource and money that allegedly happens at the BBC. Far worse than even the public sector I was told. So until the BBC appears to have gotten it's house in order then I'd rather my money wasn't swallowed up in some BBC black hole or given to some, established overpaid presenter when there's so much young talent that doesn't even get a look in. 5 years and counting and I've not gone to prison yet ;o)

Waste of resources?

Like Chris Moyles and Clarkson's salaries? Yup!

a friend of a friend who works for the BBC described the systematic waste of resource and money that allegedly happens at the BBC. Far worse than even the public sector I was told. So until the BBC appears to have gotten it's house in order then I'd rather my money wasn't swallowed up in some BBC black hole or given to some, established overpaid presenter when there's so much young talent that doesn't even get a look

I've done bits of work for bbc shows, and other channels, and I would describe the bbc as pretty tight to be honest. They are way less profligate than any commercial company I've worked for in terms of rubbish like expenses etc. Very very professional too, compared to a lot of companies. If you want to see profligate wasting of money, you should meet some ad / pr companies.

Profligate does sound a lot more fun to work for, it has to be said...

Grow a beard, tell them you don't recognise democracy or the British government in any legal capacity and that you live in a sovereign republic. When they ask for your name tell them "I'm told it's x of the family x" They'll leave.

(don't take any of this seriously, but it might be fun if you're into pissing people off).

During live broadcasts, like the Olypmics, iPlayer did pop up and say "Did you know you need a TV license to watch this programme?"

Same for News 24 I think?

Sure, but that's a live broadcast. Different bucket of whelks.

I think we've just encountered the middle of this conversation.

LHS - Member
haven't paid for a TV license since i've lived in the uk. Don't watch BBC, only Sky channels so not paying for the crap TV i don't watch.

Such an odd concept having no choice of what you pay for!

POSTED 8 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/horizon-tell-us-something-we-dont-already-know ]I put it to you, that 8 months ago you watched the BBC Horizon show[/url]

Bang to rights. Take him down.

There's a government mole in the thread.

1. News, newsnight, question time, this week and subsidised ITV and C4 news broadcasts
2. Two full channels broadcasting high quality childrens TV with no adverts
3. BBC4
4. Some very popular quality drama and entertainment
5. A program about railways
6. Programming in welsh via S4C
7. A load of stuff I will have forgotten

At the same time as the BBC is broadcasting this week, Dara's science club and the culture show, ITV is showing Jackpot247 so we can gamble on our TVs, C4 is showing "Embarasing Fat Bodies" and C5 is showing Super Casino just in case Jackpot247 wasn't to our taste. Meanwhile Sky1, Watch, Gold and Dave are broadcasting shows made by and originally broadcast on the BBC, thus subsidising the licence fee.

You choose to ignore ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4, the various additonal channels put out by Channel 4 and 5. Likewise ITN is not subsidised by the taxpayer, it is funded by ITV and Channel 4.

The BBC is pretty good, but it should be as it is the biggest broadcasting company in the world by number of employees. That in my view is its fundamental problem as big organisations can struggle with innovation and I think the BBC suffers both from this and complacency.

I remember people used to say BBC football coverage was second to none, then Sky came on the scene and blew everyone's socks off with the quality of their coverage, the same happened with cricket and Channel 4. I therefore urge caution when we assume it is the best in the world.

I would give it a C-, could do better.

I think we've just encountered the middle of this conversation.

So what is it?

OP, I don't think people are stressed at you not wanting to watch live TV.

I was accused of being a 'thief' and a 'parasite'.

I've not paid for a license for about 3 years, I get letters every couple of weeks, got a visit last week actually. Well when I say visit, I mean a personally delivered letter through my door, good luck to them trying to get through it to see if i've a TV or not.

Probably costs them more to send out letter and people round than they would get if they collected all revenue from dodgers.

I was accused of being a 'thief' and a 'parasite'.

Hopefully the BBC's days are numbered. Im not a fan of them or this erroneous tax

v8ninety - Member

Aye, philosophically speaking, not legally. If you make use of something, whilst not contributing towards it, even though your peers do, is parasitic behaviour. IMHO, of course.

It was easy to rip off cable and sky years ago, they wised up and made that much more difficult.

The BBC should take note.

Why, the law in this country is that you need to pay a tax to watch TV. To live in this country you need to follow the laws of this country, simple as.

In some country's you can join in with 'legal' stoning-to-death, does that make it right though?

Can you cite me a country where participation is mandatory?

Can you cite me a country where participation is mandatory?

Rather not, could end up getting sentenced to a stoning

nedoverendsmole - Member
Hopefully the BBC's days are numbered. Im not a fan of them or this erroneous tax

thankfully you are in the minority !

iplayer is just a platform but its been a game changer proving that the bbc is cutting edge and relevant
they also led the way with digital radio

The enabling technology, the web, was the game changer. Due to the fact we have 4Od, ITVPlayer, and others, I assume there was nothing novel (patentable) with the iplayer concept. Just allowed more bandwidth for the BBC to repeat more crap.

Rather not, could end up getting sentenced to a stoning

So, "no" then. Ok.

So, "no" then. Ok.

I've never owned a TV since i moved out of my parents house in 1993 and i used to get warning letters with big red writing on the envelope threatening legal action every so often but for the past few years i've not had anything, perhaps it's because i used to attach the prepaid payment envelope to a very large box with a single letter in the bottom from myself saying i did not own a TV at present, I have never owned a TV and never will own a TV but i would be more than happy to pay a small fee for the excellent BBC radio service as long as they could guarantee it would only be spent on World Service broadcasts. I never heard anything by return despite sending dozens of boxes of various sizes back to them over the years.

I've never had them call at the door either, but even if they did they have no right of access, that is reserved for customs and excise, and police with a warrant.

I do listen to the radio for hours every day and i'd be more than happy to pay for it as long as all the money raised would be spent on radio programming, as for iplayer or suchlike i could count with one hand the amount of hours i've watched this month, TV is an incredible waste of time, D'ya think you'll ever say "i wish i'd watched more TV" on your deathbed?...... I doubt it so switch it off, read a book, listen to the radio, make time to listen to music, sit and stare at the fire for hours whilst clearing your mind of shite.

To be fair, on my deathbed I probably won't say

"I wish I'd spent more hours staring into the fireplace" either.

funnily enough i manage to fit in the radio before work, some music on the way to work, some tv in the evening and a book in bed,oh and a bike mag on the bog

sadly i dont have a fire which explains why my head is full of shite

sadly i dont have a fire which explains why my head is full of shite

Get yourself a "fireplace" DVD.

Shite free head in one easy step.

Hours of fun for all the family.

That's a good idea for a new channel, "The Fireplace Channel", for all those folk who don't own a real fire or log burner, tune in and see stuff being burnt - LIVE!.

I bet i could sell it to SKY?, on a monthly subscription service where you get your own virtual logs to burn, upgrade to our seasoned hardwood option for an extra £4.99 a month, or take our value bundle package of seasoned hardwood including peat brickets for only £7.99 (introductory offer).

Here's a taster of what you are missing, 😉
[img] [/img]

I bet i could sell it to SKY?

Get yourself a "fireplace" DVD

Xiphon - I would personally like to thank you for your post. I wrote a letter to TV licensing with what you had posted. I have today, received a reply back. Basically, my letter has been registered as a complaint, they have apologised for making me unhappy, they have updated my records and I will not receive any more letters from TV licensing for almost 2 years! They are sorry that they cannot make an appointment to visit! hey ho, never mind! Interestingly, their letter says "although we're grateful for any information we're given, customers are under no legal obligation to reply!

Edit: I did add in at the end of my letter that if they continued to harass me with their letters I would complain to my MP.

I don't pay a licence fee - the TV is really only used for DVDs, and for the Wii, and rarely, at that.

The way that TVL treat people who legitimately do not require a TV Licence ensures that I will NEVER have a TV Licence.