Static caravan TV licence

[clockworks]

TV licence rules seem to be that a static caravan needs a TV licence, unless it's a holiday home that isn't rented out, and the owner has a TV licence for their main residence (and only one of the properties is using a TV at a time).

A friend of mine is living in a static caravan as her only residence. It's one of several sites near a large industrial estate in Essex. These places have been up and running for many years, as a cheaper alternative to renting a room or flat. It's all she can afford right now.

She has a TV, but no licence. Problem is, the caravan doesn't have a postal address. The only address is for the site owner's house.
I think these places started out as tied housing for foreign agricultural workers, and the owners are now renting them to locals.

With no postal address, she can't get a TV licence. On the other hand, because it doesn't have an address, she's highly unlikely to get a letter or visit from the TV licensing authority.

Not having an address isn't a problem for most things - she just uses her sister's address, or her work address.

[Dave Hedgehog]

don't watch or record live broadcasts or use iplayer then they don't need a licence

[Donbot]

I'd wait for TVL to send a letter and not speak to TVL enforcers if they show up.

[clockworks]

Dave Hedgehog said:

don't watch or record live broadcasts or use iplayer then they don't need a licence

That's what she was doing. She's just bought an aerial though, and is watching live TV now.

[sixor8]

Hotels have a bulk scheme of some kind, I believe, where all rooms are covered. It may apply in a similar way?

Since you say she has no official address, I fail to see how she could buy a licence even if she wanted to!..... Don't worry about it.

[Ham_and_Jam]

How does she receive her post now?

A TV in a caravan that is being used as a primary residence requires a TV licence. Using ‘her name, plot no, site address, or ‘her name, care of site owner, site address’ would be simple enough. I doubt not trying would be seen as a strong enough defence.

Whether she would be caught is probably fairly low, and basically down to when and where TV licensing are running their campaigns.

[clockworks]

She told me that she'd tried to get a licence, but the system wouldn't let her, without a valid address. Just what she told me, so may not be 100% accurate.

She currently gets her mail sent to her sister's house, as she spends most weekends there. She was living with her sister when she first moved to Essex, but likes a bit of peace and quiet during the week, hence renting the caravan.

[anonymous-user]

clockworks said:

She told me that she'd tried to get a licence, but the system wouldn't let her, without a valid address. Just what she told me, so may not be 100% accurate.

She currently gets her mail sent to her sister's house, as she spends most weekends there. She was living with her sister when she first moved to Essex, but likes a bit of peace and quiet during the week, hence renting the caravan.

I quickly went on the TV Licence page, and it does allow you to enter an address manually, even if your address doesn't exist on any systems.

As Ham and Jam says above, if she filled that in and just put her name and 'Caravan 4' (or whatever) then the address of the site, or what she deemed most appropriate this would almost certainly cover her, even if 'investigated' by TVL.

It sounds like she just doesn't want to buy a licence!

[clockworks]

Lord Marylebone said:

I quickly went on the TV Licence page, and it does allow you to enter an address manually, even if your address doesn't exist on any systems.

As Ham and Jam says above, if she filled that in and just put her name and 'Caravan 4' (or whatever) then the address of the site, or what she deemed most appropriate this would almost certainly cover her, even if 'investigated' by TVL.

It sounds like she just doesn't want to buy a licence!

You are probably correct. She can be a bit "economical with the truth" sometimes.
I'll leave her to get on with it.

[LordFlathead]

It's about time they put an end to this TV license scam. The TV business model is changing and everything is moving to streaming. I had several years of tussling with TVL over a license I refused to buy because I do not watch TV and hate the BBC with a passion (not the content, what it has covered up).

I pay happily for Netflix, have a Youtube account (no ads) Amazon Prime and now a recent Discover Plus subscription to watch Hammonds antics etc and other car content. I will never buy a TV License again.

Just wish the beeb would abolish the license for good.

[sixor8]

So you're happy to pay subscriptions for multiple single channels, but unwilling to pay for one (yes it's for the BBC I know) to receive about hundred TV and radio channels live, legally. Riiiight.....

Reminds me of the amazon zealots who say they get free delivery.... If you subscribe to Amazon Prime. Which part of 'free' is that again?

I know of one chap who pays it just to get iplayer, which even though it isn't live, now DOES require a licence.

As far as the OP goes, I wouldn't bother in her position.

[ChevronB19]

LordFlathead said:

It's about time they put an end to this TV license scam. The TV business model is changing and everything is moving to streaming. I had several years of tussling with TVL over a license I refused to buy because I do not watch TV and hate the BBC with a passion (not the content, what it has covered up).

I pay happily for Netflix, have a Youtube account (no ads) Amazon Prime and now a recent Discover Plus subscription to watch Hammonds antics etc and other car content. I will never buy a TV License again.

Just wish the beeb would abolish the license for good.

Appropriate username.

[akirk]

Surely she will have an address...

if the caravan is on separately registered land, then it should have its own address
if it is sitting on the land which is a part of the main house, then it will have the house address with a clarifier - e.g. Caravan no 4 / House / street / etc.

not sure there are many places which really don't have an address...

[LordFlathead]

sixor8 said:

So you're happy to pay subscriptions for multiple single channels, but unwilling to pay for one (yes it's for the BBC I know) to receive about hundred TV and radio channels live, legally. Riiiight.....

Reminds me of the amazon zealots who say they get free delivery.... If you subscribe to Amazon Prime. Which part of 'free' is that again?

I know of one chap who pays it just to get iplayer, which even though it isn't live, now DOES require a licence.

As far as the OP goes, I wouldn't bother in her position.

Riiiight..

I will not support a regime that hides peodo's.
Propaganda machine that is the BBC and don't watch BBC news due their obvious bias.
I have no interest in anything they offer.
I do not expect to have to pay a license fee because I own a TV.
Amazon Prime is expediated delivery (next day or same day). The fee is not for free delivery.

ChevronB19 said:

LordFlathead said:

It's about time they put an end to this TV license scam. The TV business model is changing and everything is moving to streaming. I had several years of tussling with TVL over a license I refused to buy because I do not watch TV and hate the BBC with a passion (not the content, what it has covered up).

I pay happily for Netflix, have a Youtube account (no ads) Amazon Prime and now a recent Discover Plus subscription to watch Hammonds antics etc and other car content. I will never buy a TV License again.

Just wish the beeb would abolish the license for good.

Appropriate username.

User name pinched from Tom Anderson who was a hacker before starting My Space.. I was an Intrinsic Network Analyst (paid hacker) for many years hence the user name.

[Ussrcossack]

Is it jaywick

[catso]

akirk said:

if it is sitting on the land which is a part of the main house, then it will have the house address with a clarifier - e.g. Caravan no 4 / House / street / etc.

In which case, would it not be covered under the main house's licence?

[akirk]

catso said:

akirk said:

if it is sitting on the land which is a part of the main house, then it will have the house address with a clarifier - e.g. Caravan no 4 / House / street / etc.

In which case, would it not be covered under the main house's licence?

I suspect not - won't it be seen a a separate dwelling? - am sure that the BBC has that covered!

[Buzz84]

catso said:

akirk said:

if it is sitting on the land which is a part of the main house, then it will have the house address with a clarifier - e.g. Caravan no 4 / House / street / etc.

In which case, would it not be covered under the main house's licence?

Only if she were living IN the main house.

TV Licence for tenants and lodgers said:

If you live in self-contained accommodation, such as a separate flat or annex, you need your own TV Licence.

As has been mentioned above, she will definitely have an address. What does she list as a delivery address for any purchases? surely she doesn't get it delivered to the main house and collects it off the owner.

[clockworks]

She can't get post or anything else delivered, it really has no address. Everything goes to her sister's house, or her workplace.

It's east of Dagenham. South Ockendon.

[Jamescrs]

sixor8 said:

So you're happy to pay subscriptions for multiple single channels, but unwilling to pay for one (yes it's for the BBC I know) to receive about hundred TV and radio channels live, legally. Riiiight.....

To look at it from another way, The poster is happy to pay subscriptions for services he does use but doesn't want to pay for a service he does not. Seems reasonable