Discussion
mph1977 said:
he's an idiot for spending hours getign flustered about it rather than completing the 'no i don;t need a licence TYVM' declaration and getting on with life ...
Does that exist on line now? I remember buying a TV for my MIL and having it delivered to work. Both she and I had TV licences and so all legal. But purchasing the TV triggered letters to the work address where there was no TV and no need for a licence. We were just renting part of the building and the letters said "No-one at that address uses a TV" etc. in red with threats of interview under caution. We couldn't make the declaration and none of the online options was suitable. Eventually we had a visit and a discussion before we could get delisted.
Pip1968 said:
I am not sure how many complainants have spent anytime living abroad and had to watch television. BBC might well be "dross" but it is a dam sight better than most other places I have watched television.
Pay up or do not watch or listen to anything from the BBC unless you have bought it on dvd. Not a biggie really. It might well be an out of date model but it is not expensive.
Another one who spectacularly misses the point, twice over.Pay up or do not watch or listen to anything from the BBC unless you have bought it on dvd. Not a biggie really. It might well be an out of date model but it is not expensive.
The BBC could be the best broadcaster in the world. Or the worst, It doesn't matter. The point is we are forced to pay for it through it's 'unique' model.
But not only that, even if we prefer to opt out of BBC programming and only watch advertising funded or (voluntary) subscription services we still have to pay to fund the BBC. So it's not as simple as not watching the BBC, we cannot watch ANYTHING from any provider if we opt not to pay for Jimmy Saville & Co.
You only have to look anywhere else in the business world to see that good, fair, popular or profitable ideas are copied very quickly. And yet, after 100 years or so the BBC model is still unique...
technodup said:
nother one who spectacularly misses the point, twice over.
The BBC could be the best broadcaster in the world. Or the worst, It doesn't matter. The point is we are forced to pay for it through it's 'unique' model.
But not only that, even if we prefer to opt out of BBC programming and only watch advertising funded or (voluntary) subscription services we still have to pay to fund the BBC. So it's not as simple as not watching the BBC, we cannot watch ANYTHING from any provider if we opt not to pay for Jimmy Saville & Co.
You only have to look anywhere else in the business world to see that good, fair, popular or profitable ideas are copied very quickly. And yet, after 100 years or so the BBC model is still unique...
No, nothing spectacular being missed. You are complaining about being made to pay for something you do not use. In this case a public service. I too pax taxes for things I do not use and a lot more than a piddly £150. The BBC could be the best broadcaster in the world. Or the worst, It doesn't matter. The point is we are forced to pay for it through it's 'unique' model.
But not only that, even if we prefer to opt out of BBC programming and only watch advertising funded or (voluntary) subscription services we still have to pay to fund the BBC. So it's not as simple as not watching the BBC, we cannot watch ANYTHING from any provider if we opt not to pay for Jimmy Saville & Co.
You only have to look anywhere else in the business world to see that good, fair, popular or profitable ideas are copied very quickly. And yet, after 100 years or so the BBC model is still unique...
If you had successfully devolved, Scotland would likely have been on its knees (at best a lot worse off) with the recent tumble in oil prices, and disinvestment by HMG. As it is I think we are 'better together' even though a Scotsman gets a disproportionate amount of tax spent on them over the English. Is that good, fair, popular or profitable?? Many would say not.
I do think it makes a difference if it was the worst or best as at least you would be able to console yourself with that fact. The NHS is also one of the best health services in the world even if it is under massive strain. It too is not copied all around the world and or perhaps even a good business model and certianly not sustainable as it stands but do I mind paying for it (despite non use for over five years)? - NO.
So you are another one who does not watch BBC television, or listen to the radio or look at anything online from them live or on catch up/streaming??? y/N
A rare breed. Do you also feel harassed and bullied or did I miss that point to?
Pip
technodup said:
nother one who spectacularly misses the point, twice over.
The BBC could be the best broadcaster in the world. Or the worst, It doesn't matter. The point is we are forced to pay for it through it's 'unique' model.
But not only that, even if we prefer to opt out of BBC programming and only watch advertising funded or (voluntary) subscription services we still have to pay to fund the BBC. So it's not as simple as not watching the BBC, we cannot watch ANYTHING from any provider if we opt not to pay for Jimmy Saville & Co.
You only have to look anywhere else in the business world to see that good, fair, popular or profitable ideas are copied very quickly. And yet, after 100 years or so the BBC model is still unique...
Do you apply the same standards if you are feeling well, don't have kids or your house isn't on fire?The BBC could be the best broadcaster in the world. Or the worst, It doesn't matter. The point is we are forced to pay for it through it's 'unique' model.
But not only that, even if we prefer to opt out of BBC programming and only watch advertising funded or (voluntary) subscription services we still have to pay to fund the BBC. So it's not as simple as not watching the BBC, we cannot watch ANYTHING from any provider if we opt not to pay for Jimmy Saville & Co.
You only have to look anywhere else in the business world to see that good, fair, popular or profitable ideas are copied very quickly. And yet, after 100 years or so the BBC model is still unique...
Its a f
king tax on watching live TV - simple. People cheat, as they have admitted on this thread. Does this variety of tax evader have special treatment as opposed to benefit cheats, untaxed cars or other criminals?I'm only going to pay my tax if you say pretty please. It is a stupid, expensive to collect, and unpopular tax, but if its due pay it, if not don't.
Pip1968 said:
In this case a public service.
About 10% of it could be considered a public service. The Voice, Masterchef, Eastenders etc? Not so much.Pip1968 said:
The NHS is also one of the best health services in the world even if it is under massive strain.
Is it though? I know we're endlessly told it is, quite often on the BBC... I suspect the truth is considerably more nuanced than the blanket NHS love in would suggest. The very fact it's always under strain despite massive increases in spending would flag up to me it's getting things quite wrong, but this isn't about the NHS.Pip1968 said:
So you are another one who does not watch BBC television, or listen to the radio or look at anything online from them live or on catch up/streaming??? y/N
I don't watch live TV. I listen to R2 in the car, Radio Scotland on a Saturday lunchtime and the occasional BBC show on iPlayer after the event. Even more occasionally I will 'watch from the start' so essentially behind time which AIUI isn't 'live'. I mostly consume content from other broadcasters a series at a time.None of which I require a licence for.
I'm a 37 year old single male with no TV, not exactly catered for by the BBC. Which is fine, if... well you know the rest.
eldar said:
Its a fking tax on watching live TV - simple. People cheat, as they have admitted on this thread. Does this variety of tax evader have special treatment as opposed to benefit cheats, untaxed cars or other criminals?
I pay a lot of tax to HMRC. Including tax for things I don't use. Doesn't bother me. OTOH HMRC always send me polite letters.king tax on watching live TV - simple. People cheat, as they have admitted on this thread. Does this variety of tax evader have special treatment as opposed to benefit cheats, untaxed cars or other criminals?TVL sends letters threatening to take you to court or get a search warrant, even when you have just moved, a letter threatening a search warrant is often the first item of mail that arrives. So f
k you TVL, fk you BBC and you can go and get fking cancer and die. Seriously, go fk yourself TVL.
I don't know why people think it's big or clever not to inform them you don't need a licence.
Just inform them, you won't get the letters, they won't waste the planet's resources on them.
Do you really think you're "sticking it to the man" by continuing to let them send you letters?
In reality they're not wasting their time on you, it's just a computer printing and sending the letters and wasting paper.
Just inform them, you won't get the letters, they won't waste the planet's resources on them.
Do you really think you're "sticking it to the man" by continuing to let them send you letters?
In reality they're not wasting their time on you, it's just a computer printing and sending the letters and wasting paper.
Timbuktu said:
it's just a computer printing and sending the letters and wasting paper.
Plenty of organisations send out bulk computer generated form letters.Only TVL sends out these letters threatening you with a court appearance or a search warrant. They can get f
ked. If they can't send out a polite form letter then it goes in the bin unanswered. If that causes more form letters which also go in the bin or a visit which I will refuse entry for, I don't give a fk. 
eldar said:
MoggieMinor said:
If you by a TV from a shop they will ask for your address to send to the licencing people. I saw a bloke in Currys once having a right rant because they wanted his address. He wouldn't give it so they refused to sell him the TV. It wasn't a cheap one either.
Apparently 10 Downing St has over a million TVs. The shop is required to record an address, not check it is valid.... Shops are no longer required to ask for your address when purchasing a TV. Abolished June 2013.
AH33 said:
Havent entered into correspondence with them since I moved in 5 years ago.
I've had letters to "the occupier". We have a TV but only for netflix/gaming. I'd have sent them a "no licence needed" letter but then they've got your name, and I saw a video of a guy who'd done exactly the same only to have them turn up for a "check".
They walked into his front room, opened his laptop and went to the iplayer site, showed him BBC1 and went "look, you CAN receive live TV". He ended up being prosecuted. No thanks.
The BBC needs to move to a subscription as soon as possible. I'm sure they would have no problems shifting their 3 decent shows.
I don't believe you. Can you link the video?I've had letters to "the occupier". We have a TV but only for netflix/gaming. I'd have sent them a "no licence needed" letter but then they've got your name, and I saw a video of a guy who'd done exactly the same only to have them turn up for a "check".
They walked into his front room, opened his laptop and went to the iplayer site, showed him BBC1 and went "look, you CAN receive live TV". He ended up being prosecuted. No thanks.
The BBC needs to move to a subscription as soon as possible. I'm sure they would have no problems shifting their 3 decent shows.
They are not legally allowed to touch a laptop or PC (and even if you've been stupid enough to let them in, why would you allow them to use your laptop?).
The law states that the offence is 'receiving a live broadcast' not 'the ability to receive a live broadcast'. Whether a device can or can't is irrelevant.
Much as I hate the BBC and Capita (and I do, a lot) I don't believe that this ever happened.
Edited by Funk on Friday 29th April 08:14
Firstly Creampuff, I think I get it "F##k" is your favourite noun, adj, verb. Without reading all your "f##king" posts do you watch or listen live, or post broadcast? Do you just refuse to pay because you get 'rude' letters and hate the 'f##king' BBC? Can I ask if you have tried/bothered replying to them and suggesting a more polite approach, a 'solution'? I know you may find it difficult without the expletives but I am sure if you can leave them out your response may go a little further. You could also go through your MP (again expletives not required). It is all very well posting on PH but it is unlikely to resolve your 'issue'.
Technodup, I think you are getting public service mixed up with entertaining to you. The service is the fact that they braodcast all around the world on radio (many expats listen to it) and television. It is entertainment for the masses just like McDonalds ie it does not all appeal to everyone. My wife loves Eastenders and I think it is tripe but she is happy watching it.
I am not sure if you have ever been injured abroad. Personally I will say highly unlikely because if you had, you would realise how good the NHS is. Clean hospitals and first world procedures/treatment. Look at the services in southern Europe (1st world countries) and then the other extreme the 3rd world then come back to me with "Is it though?". You and others need to wake up and open your eyes to what we get here compared to elsewhere and stop complaining about what you are NOT getting from the NHS and look at what you DO get.
As for you last point not watching live is no excuse for not paying up. Just because you watch other stuff more than the BBC it does not justify non payment. I think they are going to close that loophole soon anyway.
Lastly you did not mention anything on my point on devolution. It was a counter to your business model arguement. Why I should pay more for the Scots when this too is possibly a poor business model. As I said "Good fair profitable, popular" - any different to the BBC licence fee?? You on the other hand do not feel obliged to pay for something you use because you get rude letters that you do not reply to (in order to stop them).
I know this is not about the NHS or devolution but I am just trying to help you see that we often pay for things that we neither want nor use (this does not spply to you as you do use it, just not live - see: morality).
Pip
Technodup, I think you are getting public service mixed up with entertaining to you. The service is the fact that they braodcast all around the world on radio (many expats listen to it) and television. It is entertainment for the masses just like McDonalds ie it does not all appeal to everyone. My wife loves Eastenders and I think it is tripe but she is happy watching it.
I am not sure if you have ever been injured abroad. Personally I will say highly unlikely because if you had, you would realise how good the NHS is. Clean hospitals and first world procedures/treatment. Look at the services in southern Europe (1st world countries) and then the other extreme the 3rd world then come back to me with "Is it though?". You and others need to wake up and open your eyes to what we get here compared to elsewhere and stop complaining about what you are NOT getting from the NHS and look at what you DO get.
As for you last point not watching live is no excuse for not paying up. Just because you watch other stuff more than the BBC it does not justify non payment. I think they are going to close that loophole soon anyway.
Lastly you did not mention anything on my point on devolution. It was a counter to your business model arguement. Why I should pay more for the Scots when this too is possibly a poor business model. As I said "Good fair profitable, popular" - any different to the BBC licence fee?? You on the other hand do not feel obliged to pay for something you use because you get rude letters that you do not reply to (in order to stop them).
I know this is not about the NHS or devolution but I am just trying to help you see that we often pay for things that we neither want nor use (this does not spply to you as you do use it, just not live - see: morality).
Pip
Timbuktu said:
Just inform them, you won't get the letters, they won't waste the planet's resources on them.
But you inform them, and 18 months later they start all over again. You inform them again, and so it goes. Why should people have to put up with threatening letters being triggered every 18 months, and then have to keep phoning them? As others have said, if they were polite about it then the response their letters get would be more positive. But they start with the veiled threats from the first letter and then the escalation to "see you in court" doesn't take long. Guilty until proven innocent and all that.
Pip1968 said:
I know this is not about the NHS or devolution but I am just trying to help you see that we often pay for things that we neither want nor use (this does not spply to you as you do use it, just not live - see: morality).
Pip
But all these things we pay for and don't use, don't send threatening and misleading letters regularly.Pip
Imagine if the DVLC kept sending letters out to everyone without a car registered at that address saying it's an offence not to tax one and we'll take you to court, regardless of whether you actually have a car or not!
creampuff said:
Timbuktu said:
it's just a computer printing and sending the letters and wasting paper.
Plenty of organisations send out bulk computer generated form letters.Only TVL sends out these letters threatening you with a court appearance or a search warrant. They can get f
ked. If they can't send out a polite form letter then it goes in the bin unanswered. If that causes more form letters which also go in the bin or a visit which I will refuse entry for, I don't give a fk. Pip1968 said:
I am not sure if you have ever been injured abroad. Personally I will say highly unlikely because if you had, you would realise how good the NHS is. Clean hospitals and first world procedures/treatment. Look at the services in southern Europe (1st world countries) and then the other extreme the 3rd world then come back to me with "Is it though?". You and others need to wake up and open your eyes to what we get here compared to elsewhere and stop complaining about what you are NOT getting from the NHS and look at what you DO get.
If only you worked for the NHS you would know the truth about it.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff