[Closed] Not paying the TV Licence fee.

From experience from friends nothing happens. One guy I know hasnt had a TV license for about 5 years, just goes round in a loop of red letters, warning letters, then back to the standard letter. So far no other action has been taken.

The burden of proof is on them, you aren't obliged to let them in but if you do and can demonstrate you don't need a licence they will stop hassling you (for a while).

AIUI the license is for the posession of equipment capable of receiving a TV signal so even if your TV is disconnected and in a box in the loft you still have to have a license for it.

IIRC The only way round paying the license (legitimately) would be to dispose of your TV and replace it with a monitor (without a tuner) and watch DVDs on that.

do you listen to the radio, use iplayer?

The website allows for this no?
You just tick using it for games / dvd's?

Let me google that for you;

[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom ]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom[/url]

[url= http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/ ]http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/[/url]

You could even contact them and ask;

[url= https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/contact-us/index.aspx ]https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/contact-us/index.aspx[/url]

do you listen to the radio, use iplayer?

both things which don't require a license.

It's not required for i-player unless your watching live, and it's a TV license not a radio license, I don't have one for my car?

AIUI the license is for the posession of equipment capable of receiving a TV signal so even if your TV is disconnected and in a box in the loft you still have to have a license for it.

doubt it. it's a viewing license not an equipment license.

AIUI the license is for the posession of equipment capable of receiving a TV signal so even if your TV is disconnected and in a box in the loft you still have to have a license for it.

That's not true.
From the TV Licensing website:

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.

What I wanted to know was who has to prove what to who and how forcecful are these inspectors?

I don't have a TV license.

I wrote to the TV Licensing people, [b]inviting them to come round[/b] and inspect - but only if:

1. I received 2 weeks written warning of their intention to visit - for security.
2. The name and badge number of their inspector - for security.
3. The inspector visited at a weekend - as it would be unreasonable to expect me to take annual leave for them.

I also stated that if an inspector randomly knocked on the door (and I happened to be in), they would be shown the letter and refused entry.

Sent recorded delivery to their address (and I have printed of the tracking code webpage showing as delivered).

That was 12 months ago - not heard one thing from them (no letters, no visits, nothing).

Seemed far less hassle than just ignoring them.

Let me google that for you;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom

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

You could even contact them and ask;

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/contact-us/index.aspx

Already done all of that thank you kindly Wiziwig. I just wanted some advice on how much hassle you get from these people.

I don't have a TV license.

I wrote to the TV Licensing people, inviting them to come round and inspect - but only if:

1. I received 2 weeks written warning of their intention to visit - for security.
2. The name and badge number of their inspector - for security.
3. The inspector visited at a weekend - as it would be unreasonable to expect me to take annual leave for them.

Sent recorded delivery to their address (and I have printed of the tracking code webpage showing as delivered).

That was 12 months ago - not heard one thing from them (no letters, no visits, nothing).

Seemed far less hassle than just ignoring them.

Excellent. Doesn't sound like much to worry about then as along as you are forthcoming with the information.

I would not be an A hole about it and not let them in if they turn up. They will just come back with the Police. My understanding is that they just look at the database of houses with out a licence and then come a knocking. Why not just write to them and tell them what you are doing and that you will have no way of receiving live TV and say they can pop around to check at any time. Clearly state that if you do not receive a reply in 14 days then you will proceed with your plan. Its then on them to explain the legal position. Pack away the arial and see what happens. The problem you have is if you watch live tv through the iPlayer. When we got caught years ago when I was a student they just said go and get a licence, send us the details, we will check at our end and if it all matches up then we will call is quits. Not really in their interest to prosecute.

[i]Already done all of that[/i]

and the answer was?

They will just come back with the Police.

Doubt it. It's not a criminal matter is it? Like riding a bike on a footpath, the cops won't be interested.

We have a sky dish on our house (it's a rented property) and a TV in full view of the front window.

Just looking at our house, you'd think we'd need a license.

Don't worry about the Police kicking your door down - it's a civil matter, not criminal.

If an inspector turns up, just be polite and nice to them explaining you don't need one.

PP +1

Police isn't their style.

more likely to get threatening letters changing colour to indicate how serious they are!

[i]It's not a criminal matter is it?[/i]

It's a tax so evasion is a criminal offence. Whether they'd bother to get police around os another matter.

Why not get ride of the TV all together and use a monitor or projector instead?

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!

It's not a tax evasion, it's a fee to a business.

EDIT: According to Wiki, it is a tax. I stand corrected.

What I wanted to know was who has to prove what to who and how forcecful are these inspectors?

About as forcefull as ??

They are a private company using wording on letters to cause distress
I have a pile of letters from them each one more intimidating than the last threatening legal court etc ...criminal conviction

ER innocent till proven guilty Im sure!!! but then these are the same halfwits that took a blind man in hull to court despite overlooking the watching bit even after it was pointed out in front of the beak that if your blind its very difficult to actually watch a great deal they still carried on trying to get the poor sod

depends if you like to settle things with the minimum of fuss or just really wind them up last visitor I had to my door actually got a cuppa out of it and asked to inspect my setup, could he **** get a picture on it and noted on his little pad living in area with no tv reception

didnt stop them continuing to send harrasing letter to the same address

ignore them or charge them for your time everytime you have to respond to their toothless waste of paper

alfabus - Member

do you listen to the radio, use iplayer?

both things which don't require a license.

afaic its just a tax to fund the bbc

which is fine because its got some good stuff going on; tv, radio, internet

cant see why people would begrudge it tbh

Watching live TV without a licence [b]IS[/b] a criminal offence
Doubt the police would be interested though

Kimbers, +1

I'd happily pay it for Radio 4 alone! Especially now Bleak Expectations is back! Harrumble!

Add in to that Radio 3, 5LSX, the news, the website, the sport, etc, etc, etc.

cant see why people would begrudge it tbh

If your licence fee went to the shopping channel or Dave or yesterday, to fund them, would you be happy?

You shouldn't be forced to pay a tax for something you have no intention of watching.

My mum hasn't had a TV for years, and for a couple of years the licensing people would regularly get in touch and I think came round a couple of times- whether this was with previous arrangement or not I don't know. They did eventually get the message though and she's not heard from them for a few years now.

You shouldn't be forced to pay a tax for something you have no intention of watching.

but there's no segregation. your argument is akin to not paying vehicle exise duty because you only drive round b roads, and dont like motorways.

[i]You shouldn't be forced to pay a tax for something you have no intention of watching[/i]

Possibly, but anyone who consumes content from the BBC websites, iplayer or listens to any of the radio output has a moral obligation not to freeload off the rest of the population who pay a fee to do so.

but there's no segregation

so then there should be.

your argument is akin to not paying vehicle exise duty because you only drive round b roads, and dont like motorways

Not really, you pay VED for using all public roads.

I don't use the local library, I think I'll make a deduction from my council tax payment

We haven't owned a telly for four years.

For the first 12 months tried to play along with the shouty letters and notify the TV Licensing Agency that we didn't have a TV. After three months (as the lady on the phone admitted!), they 'reset' things and just start chasing you again.

We've had an inspector round once in four years. My gf invited him in to check we didn't have a TV, he declined (!). Even after that, the whole cycle of letters started up again after a few months.

My advice is therefore just ignore everything they send you.

I wrote to the Beeb and their licensing people telling them I wouldn't be watching TV any more (and why) back in January. I put the TV away, it was too expensive just to bin it. I haven't heard from anyone since. I guess a lot more people are doing the same.

You can look at iplayer and the others after 24 hours, but there's really not much I chose to watch.

Part of this attitude comes from having been slightly involved with a BBC programme, and seeing how it was shifted downmarket and distant from reality. Part comes from a dislike of silly money paid to people like Mr Clarkson.

You know, I dont think that TV licensing authorities do themselves any real favours with the tone of their letters, but when I see some of the attitudes on this thread I understand why.

No, you dont [i]need[/i] a licence for watching iPlayer or listening to BBC radio; well done you clever person for getting one over on us people who think that its actually the right thing to do. I bet you get a kick every time you dont let a fellow motorist filter in a queue, as well. Admit it, you are that person who refuses to make eye contact but has a smug little grin, aren't you?

I second that Radio 4 is worth it alone, as well as not having to sit through endless commercials on TV. Ever watched American TV?

Pay your licence. Its a fraction of the cost of a sky package.You get stuff that the commercial channels would never show and the only decent radio there is.

I second that Radio 4 is worth it alone, as well as not having to sit through endless commercials on TV. Ever watched American TV?

I must admit to using my VPN when I'm in the US, almost entirely to get R4!

Watching live TV without a licence IS a criminal offence
Doubt the police would be interested though

The police don't have to be interested. The police are not the only organisation that can report people for criminal offences.

Anyone convicted of watching TV without a licence is fined. If the fine isn't paid they risk imprisonment.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/courts-jail-845-for-not-paying-tv-licence-fines-1428836.html

That said I would think it is a very difficult crime to prove unless you let them into your home or make any admissions to them.

Pay your licence. Its a fraction of the cost of a sky package.You get stuff that the commercial channels would never show and the only decent radio there is.

Agree entirely

BBC Olympic coverage online and on TV was worth the license fee alone this year

I use their website, iPlayer and watch Doctor Who, Top Gear etc (none of the TV live).

Not a massive fan of ITV even getting 1p of it but what can you do? The rest outweighs this.

Take plug off telly. It's then arguably no longer a reciever.

I think telly is worth the fee though.

The BBC channels should be scrambled then people pay if they use them or want them. It is a ridiculous outdated system in my opinion.

Pay your licence. Its a fraction of the cost of a sky package.You get stuff that the commercial channels would never show and the only decent radio there is.

LHS; If you honestly [i]never[/i] watch any BBC content, access any BBC website, listen to any BBC radio, then fair enough, but I would find that very hard to believe. Otherwise, you are (in a small way) a thief and a parasite, morally, if not actually legally.

The BBC channels should be scrambled then people pay if they use them or want them. It is a ridiculous outdated system in my opinion.

That's "the unique way to BBC is funded" for you.

And if anyone's taking a poke at me, the last proggy I watched on iplayer was that woodlands supposed documentary. In the first two minutes the presenter demonstrated that he had no idea how to use a billhook safely.

Pay your licence. Its a fraction of the cost of a sky package.You get stuff that the commercial channels would never show and the only decent radio there is.

You like it so much, you pay for it. I might consider chipping in when you start subsidising my movie rentals.

<looks at all those who resent paying for a licence> Jeez there's some short sighted, selfish idiots on here.

but there's no segregation

so then there should be.

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.

The TV licence is a tax* on TV owners, not a subscription to the BBC. So cough up.

*Luckily for us that tax goes to fund one of the things that makes this country great rather than being pissed up the wall like a lot of other government spending.

So much anger again.

For the record, I don't intend to pay for it because I don't intend to use it. I don't begrudge it, I don't have some moral issue with the BBC or the way it is funded, I simply don't want to pay for something I genuinely have no intention of using. I'd rather keep hold of the 170 quid.
I'll quite happily play ball with them and do everything by the book. I don't see what the issue is with not paying for something you don't use. Likewise, if the the rules changed and they said you need a license for iPlayer or Radio then I'll once again happily start paying my license fee. I'm certainly not going to pay for something I don't use out of a misplaced moral obligation.

morally, if not actually legally

It's not a moral question, the BBC aren't a charity and the rules are very clear about what you need to pay for and what you don't. Morally there is no justification for the requirement to pay a fee to watch non-BBC TV.

If you honestly never watch any BBC content, access any BBC website, listen to any BBC radio, then fair enough, but I would find that very hard to believe. Otherwise, you are (in a small way) a thief and a parasite, morally, if not actually legally

I've read some nonsense on here but that is a whole new level.

If you don't have a licence, you'll be flagged up with the licensing people. They operate on a database of addresses, "TV detector" vans are a myth.

You'll be sent a series of stern letters warning you that your soul will burn in hell, or something. They'll probably send a man round in due course.

Now. You have two options. You can go "sure, come in, have a look," and let them go about their business. However, you have no legal obligation to do this, and they have no more powers of entry than I do. So you're well within your rights to tell them to jog on and come back with a court order, should you wish. For them to get a court order they'd have to have reasonable suspicion that you're breaking the law, which they don't, so the chances of them actually getting a court order are slim to none. (And if they do, you can let them in then, you're not in bother.)

Ordinarily I'd go with the former. However, if they're going to be shitty about it, I'd be more inclined to be bloody awkward right back at them.

For the record, I have a licence, and always have. I watch broadcast TV and when I see things like the giant cities thing yesterday I think it's money well spent.

We never shut our living room curtains so I'd be caught instantly. Recently I watched a number of Korean films with some saucy sex/nudity so our neighbour across must be getting an eye-full...

Yesterday I bought a new freeview box and I had to fill in my name and address at purchase. Nice...

I've read some nonsense on here but that is a whole new level.

It's not a moral question... Morally there is no justification...

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.

Really?

You didn't have even a cheeky glimpse at the olympics just to see what the fuss was all about??

Haven't got a license ever since they switched off analogue as we don't have a TV that can get a signal
Watch iplayer every now and then
Have a dish on the house which isn't connected
No letters
No visits
No worries!

So I sometimes look at the D Tel website, and rarely the Grauniad's. Should I buy a paper everyday, too?

Sorry, forgot to say 'IMHO'
My pleasure; now carry on with your selfish, I'm alright Jack life...

😆 sorry, the force is weak in me today. The trollometer is down.

slowoldgit - Member

So I sometimes look at the D Tel website, and rarely the Grauniad's. Should I buy a paper everyday, too?

yeah but they have adverts

not paying the license fee is just another facet of our culture where we expect to get everything for free,

youre just as corrupt as the eurocrats living fat off our EU contributions or immigrants claiming benefits in the uk

u didn't have even a cheeky glimpse at the olympics just to see what the fuss was all about??

No, I went and watched them live.

BBC and TV License is a very very outdated system.

There is absolutly no reason why they shouldn't treat the BBC as any other TV channel and make people pay £12 a month for the privilege.

I wonder how many people would pay £12 a month to watch the BBC channels if it did become segregated??? - Ahhh yes, of course - not enough, hence why its not an option!

treat the BBC as any other TV channel

Well, for one, it simply isn't [b]just[/b] "any other TV channel".

News broadcaster, radio channels, local broadcaster, etc, etc, etc. If you think the BBC is just Strictly Come Antiques Roadshow on Ice, perhaps you should try listening to Radio 4. It's simply brilliant. Try some of BBC Bristol's superb natural history output. Maybe have a look at the frankly marvellous Shakespeare Henriad they did recently. I could go on....

I wrote to TV licensing in August this year and said that I would not be renewing my licence when it ran out in September.

So far I have received 3 letters and the third one is a red one!

What I find annoying is that they address the letter to "the occupier".

[i]I wonder how many people would pay £12 a month to watch the BBC channels if it did become segregated??? - Ahhh yes, of course - not enough, hence why its not an option! [/i]

As has been pointed out above and conveniently ignored by those who choose not to pay, it's not just funding TV though is it?

CaptainFlashheart - Member

treat the BBC as any other TV channel

Well, for one, it simply isn't just "any other TV channel".

exactly

its tv, radio, internet
and its ouput in all of those areas is unparalleled

and its ouput in all of those areas is unparalleled

unparalleled overrated crap!

MSP - Member

and its ouput in all of those areas is unparalleled

unparalleled overrated crap!

im quite interested to hear what you think offers better than

6music
iplayer
historical and scientific output on bbc2, bbc4

Don't forget all of the documentaries they make for other channels.

unparalleled overrated crap!

I was going to add "... in your opinion" for you here. But it's a deeper issue than that. You're simply wrong.

Philosophically I think its madness that somebody is broadcasting stuff into free airspace but charging people who choose to receive it.
If you dont want me to watch the broadcast that I haven't paid for then please stop sending it to me.
But if you choose to send your crap all over the nation then you cant charge me for receiving it.

m quite interested to hear what you think offers better than

than
6music
iplayer
historical and scientific output, bbc2, bbc4

And Radio 3, Radio 4, 5LSX, sports coverage, TMS, news reporting, etc, etc, etc.

OP, we informed TV licensing through their website of our intention not to watch TV and get a refund. The forms are pretty self-explanatory. We didn't have to provide any "proof", and we haven't had any correspondence since (about 6 months so far). So, like slowoldgit, we have not had any problems.

iplayer I don't use, its only a delivery method its just the same content.
6music I don't listen to, although I have generally given up on all radio these days.
Natural history I will give you, but they are joint ventures now between BBC and American broadcasters and I buy them on blueray anyway.

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.

The national pride placed in the bbc is laughable, it is just misplaced nationalism unfounded in reality.

The national pride placed in the bbc is laughable, it is just misplaced nationalism unfounded in reality.

I would say the same about the NHS but I digress.

The national pride placed in the bbc is laughable, it is just misplaced nationalism unfounded in reality.

[img] [/img]

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 your requirements.

MSP - Member
Does anyone know if its possible to get a tv tuner card for freesat for my media PC?

POSTED 5 DAYS AGO # REPORT-POST

I don't understand this moral outrage the guy is only saying he is giving up broadcast TV, once he has done that he has no legal or moral obligation to buy a licence. If the BBC/Government choose to make other content available via media that are not charged for, that is up to them. He is free to use them.

The funding model is clear, there is a cross subsidy but that is not in his power. If I have free banking, do I have a moral obligation to pay for it because banks choose to cross subsidise from other business streams? Of course not.

The national pride placed in the bbc is laughable, it is just misplaced nationalism unfounded in reality.

I would not put it so strongly but I have some sympathy with this view, we do tend to put it on a pedestal.

There's a lot more than the bbc on freesat, another failed point.