House mates wont pay tv license!

Just cant get them to part with the cash. Driving me nuts when they still manage to go out most nights of the week!

Who is liable? Should I just buy one to cover myself.

I don't even watch the TV, I just dont want to end up in trouble for my housemates being cheap and stupid!

probably whoever has their name on the tenancy agreement is responsible (jointly and singly).

whose name on the rental agreement / lease ?

wwaswas beat me, by 7 seconds.

Shop them 👿

If you have locks on your bedroom doors, I believe everyone needs their own licence for the TV in their bedroom.

(This could be a rumour I heard at uni though.)

throw tv out window. or p1ss in it.

no more problem. you dont watch it anyway right?

Take it round your parents or something, and threaten not to return it til they pay up.

I had similar problems with shared bills on a student house. In the end I contacted the landlord who agreed to pay from their deposit if they didn't cough up (which they did).

It's a bad sign though, one of the guys eventually just up'd and left owing 3 months rent and lots of bill money which the 3 of us left had to cover. For a while it looked like I was going to have to cover the lot as the other 2 were refusing to pay up.

I don't even watch the TV

Remove it then.

This happened with some mates of mine at uni, they ended up getting fined and all falling out and not speaking for years. Genius.

Doesn't bode well for the long term does it?, If they are flapping over a TV Licence bill, what other bills will they not want to pay in the future?

Whilst you may need one for each person with a TV I wouldn't worry about that but if someone doesn't get one for the house then I've seen on the TV that they'll come to get you.

We were debating whether to pay or not, eventually the scare-mongering got to us and we did (despite protests from some of the other housemates) I'm in the position that I could just slap them round the face until they coughed up, is that an option??

Oh, and the person who is liable for the fine is the one who is caught watching the TV.

Just phone the tv licence folks and ask them. That should sort it pretty quickly 🙂

Is the house share likely to be long term? As Ski said, doesn't sound too good if it's for a long term if they can't agree on things like the TV licence, if you're sharing it would only be a couple of quid a month.

If you get the licence in your name, you can always take it with you and transfer it to a new address.

Same thing happend to me when I shared a house years ago, I got it in my name and took it with me when I moved.

Oh, and the person who is liable for the fine is the one who is caught watching the TV.

Really? Just turn it off when they come knocking then.

Oh, and the person who is liable for the fine is the one who is caught watching the TV.

So if you visit someone who doesn't have a TV licence then you're liable for a fine? what if some stranger watches the TV through the living room window, could you pin the fine on them?

We actually got a visit from a TV licensing chap a while back, to confirm we didn't watch telly; he came round at about 7pm on a Friday evening, just when you're least expecting it…

I've been told that you now need one if you have an internet connection after the BBC started putting its content online.

lol @ ciron

Q&A: The TV licence and your PC

I've been told that you now need one if you have an internet connection after the BBC started putting its content online.

Not according to the BBC website.

Computer users only needed a TV licence if they had a special video card that could receive TV signals…..[edit] you are free to watch archived programmes or downloadable clips without a licence.

the licence is for watching live broadcast tv not delayed content on the net – ie 4od and iplayer

That's not strictly true either, you only need a licence if you are receiving broadcast TV.

I keep getting letters that I am 'UNDER INVESTIGATION' for watching TV without a licence and that they have gained permission to search my uni room, cavities, etc. They're also very ambiguous about what you need a licence for and make it sound like you need one to watch iplayer.

Nothing like a private company being paid by the government to threaten you for cash on their behalf eh?

the licence is for watching live broadcast tv not delayed content on the net – ie 4od and iplayer

Delay is nothing to do with it – was watching the Scot playing tennis on TV at the same time as looking at the written commentary on the computer, which also gave a live video feed (that you can watch without a TV licence). The internet feed was a second or so ahead of the digital TV picture!

I keep getting letters that I am 'UNDER INVESTIGATION' for watching TV without a licence and that they have gained permission to search my uni room, cavities

Search you cavities? Would anyone go to those lengths to hide the fact that they own a TV?

"Would anyone go to those lengths to hide the fact that they own a TV?"

Vivian eat the tv in the Young Ones, they were students…

forgedabadit, they have no legal right of access, just tell them to **** off.

To be honest, I'd be slightly wary of living with people who were quibbling over paying a tv licence…it's only about £12 a month!

What is their defence for not paying, are they saying they don't watch it? If that's the case, either get rid of the TV or you pay for the licence and have the TV in your room.

But be wary of housemates who are trying to cause trouble over something as small as this!

So if you visit someone who doesn't have a TV licence then you're liable for a fine? what if some stranger watches the TV through the living room window, could you pin the fine on them?

Dunno, thats just what I read on the letter they sent us.

Oh ffs it's all here.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/

But be wary of housemates who are trying to cause trouble over something as small as this!

+1

If this is an issue then wait till you get bills for council tax, leccy, phone, water etc.

Move house then shop them!

TV licensing people are right cocks. They send us threatening letters even though we have a direct debit set up to pay them!

Back to the original point though – move in with some better mates. Either that or 'accidentally' break the tv.

Get rid of the TV then keep one small area of a table in your lounge dust free. Great entertainment when the chap from the Corporation comes around!

+

Do you actually watch TV on the, uh, TV? We had a big one used for DVDs, X-Box etc and when TV Licensing came a-knocking there were told in no uncertain terms to **** off. Never bothered us again.

I've no objection to paying for a TV licence, but can't bear the licensing Nazis who try to police the system with bogus threats and imaginary detector vans.

We had a big one used for DVDs, X-Box etc

Still supposed to have a license.