Anyone got rid of their TV licence?
Discussion
We NEVER watch TV now, and only watch catch up stuff, which I understand is allowed. With everything moving in this direction, I see no point in paying £145 a year for the licence.
So, has anyone done it? Do the licence people get funny? I've heard some people having people coming round in the back garden to check up!!
So, has anyone done it? Do the licence people get funny? I've heard some people having people coming round in the back garden to check up!!
I haven't had a TV licence since moving here - the aerial doesn't work (the previous family used NTL) and I cannot think of any good reason why I want to get cable TV thus I haven't watched TV at home in years. As you suggest, I watch the catch up variety of TV which is not broadcast live.
There are *many* threads about this. Basically you don't need a licence if you don't watch live TV, doesn't matter if you have the equipment or not (although a sky or virgin account would be a silly idea).
The detector van stuff is all effectively rubbish and the people have no right to come onto your property without a warrant (which they are very unlikely to ever get. When I put a FOI request asking a few questions in relation to this they refused to answer as it'd prejudice their ability to fight crime - as good as admitting that they don't get them).
If you are not going to watch live TV then just don't pay, drop them a line to say the same. If they send you letters or pester you - ignore them (they work from a database of people without TV licences and bully them).
The detector van stuff is all effectively rubbish and the people have no right to come onto your property without a warrant (which they are very unlikely to ever get. When I put a FOI request asking a few questions in relation to this they refused to answer as it'd prejudice their ability to fight crime - as good as admitting that they don't get them).
If you are not going to watch live TV then just don't pay, drop them a line to say the same. If they send you letters or pester you - ignore them (they work from a database of people without TV licences and bully them).
I dont have one - I own a TV but have no aerial connection and only use it to watch the odd dvd now and again. Have done for nearly a year now and every month recieve the hollow threatening letters and every now and again get home from work to find the form through the letter box where they tried to visit. Why they think I am am going to be in during the day and not at work I dont really know - maybe those who normaly dont pay a tv licence have a track record of not being at work during the day?
I dont miss it at all.
I dont miss it at all.
' for wanting to do it. It's only the other half who watches TV, and she barely watches it when it's actually on, so this sounds like a plan. Ours runs until October, so we may as well wait until then I guess.Few years ago there was a (Sunday Times, I think) journalist who did a a lot of stuff about he BBC licence fee being in breach of EU rules/law.
He wanted to be taken to court to prove/disprove it. But the BBC didn't/wouldn't take him to court - well as far as I know.
I don't have a BBC tv licence and when an inspector visited I told him I didn't need one due to EU rules/law he left with out a word.
He wanted to be taken to court to prove/disprove it. But the BBC didn't/wouldn't take him to court - well as far as I know.
I don't have a BBC tv licence and when an inspector visited I told him I didn't need one due to EU rules/law he left with out a word.
I got rid if it about two years ago.
I phoned them up, explained that I still had a television for the purposes of viewing my computer but it wasn't connected to any receiving equipment, apart from the Internet.
They said fine, and gave me a refund on pre-paid TV licence premiums of about £50. It was all jolly easy and took about five minutes.
I do stream stuff from the Internet, but unless you stream live broadcasts you don't need a licence. With the advent of 'Catch up TV', this isn't a problem. I can watch Top Gear at 9pm as opposed to 8pm or the Grand Prix in the evening - suits me better anyway.
Each year they will send you a letter saying you should call them to confirm your status, else they'll send someone round to check. You could bin these letters but then they will start harassing you with more letters. Instead, a quick three minute phone call to Capita means they will put your file on hold for another year.
I phoned them up, explained that I still had a television for the purposes of viewing my computer but it wasn't connected to any receiving equipment, apart from the Internet.
They said fine, and gave me a refund on pre-paid TV licence premiums of about £50. It was all jolly easy and took about five minutes.
I do stream stuff from the Internet, but unless you stream live broadcasts you don't need a licence. With the advent of 'Catch up TV', this isn't a problem. I can watch Top Gear at 9pm as opposed to 8pm or the Grand Prix in the evening - suits me better anyway.
Each year they will send you a letter saying you should call them to confirm your status, else they'll send someone round to check. You could bin these letters but then they will start harassing you with more letters. Instead, a quick three minute phone call to Capita means they will put your file on hold for another year.
DJC said:
I got rid if it about two years ago.
I phoned them up, explained that I still had a television for the purposes of viewing my computer but it wasn't connected to any receiving equipment, apart from the Internet.
They said fine, and gave me a refund on pre-paid TV licence premiums of about £50. It was all jolly easy and took about five minutes.
I do stream stuff from the Internet, but unless you stream live broadcasts you don't need a licence. With the advent of 'Catch up TV', this isn't a problem. I can watch Top Gear at 9pm as opposed to 8pm or the Grand Prix in the evening - suits me better anyway.
Each year they will send you a letter saying you should call them to confirm your status, else they'll send someone round to check. You could bin these letters but then they will start harassing you with more letters. Instead, a quick three minute phone call to Capita means they will put your file on hold for another year.
Yep, I don't know why people get so aggressive with it; I've been doing this for several years in a very peaceful and happy manner. And they're welcome to send an inspector round as I have nothing to hide. In this respect. I phoned them up, explained that I still had a television for the purposes of viewing my computer but it wasn't connected to any receiving equipment, apart from the Internet.
They said fine, and gave me a refund on pre-paid TV licence premiums of about £50. It was all jolly easy and took about five minutes.
I do stream stuff from the Internet, but unless you stream live broadcasts you don't need a licence. With the advent of 'Catch up TV', this isn't a problem. I can watch Top Gear at 9pm as opposed to 8pm or the Grand Prix in the evening - suits me better anyway.
Each year they will send you a letter saying you should call them to confirm your status, else they'll send someone round to check. You could bin these letters but then they will start harassing you with more letters. Instead, a quick three minute phone call to Capita means they will put your file on hold for another year.
Haighermeister said:
I can't get my head around why I need a TV licence if I only watch Sky? I pay my subscription to them, get my TV through a dish and watch pretty much anything except BBC (and as of next year I won't ever watch that, it'll be Sky Sports for the F1).
Why do I need to pay a TV licence?
Because it's the law! There's nothing stopping you doing 60mph (or even just 35) in a 20 zone either and you will probably not kill anyone doing so but if you're caught...Why do I need to pay a TV licence?
itsnotarace said:
philmots said:
Could I sky+ everything I want to watch and then watch it say an hour later and be ok for having no license.
No. You would still have the ability to watch live TV"You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder."
So in the case of Sky+, philmots is recording.
RemainAllHoof said:
Haighermeister said:
I can't get my head around why I need a TV licence if I only watch Sky? I pay my subscription to them, get my TV through a dish and watch pretty much anything except BBC (and as of next year I won't ever watch that, it'll be Sky Sports for the F1).
Why do I need to pay a TV licence?
Because it's the law! There's nothing stopping you doing 60mph (or even just 35) in a 20 zone either and you will probably not kill anyone doing so but if you're caught...Why do I need to pay a TV licence?
As I said, I pay money to Sky, do they pay the BBC to broadcast their channels? Or do the BBC pay them? If it's the latter, I'd prefer them to just stop letting me view those channels, much like I don't have movies on my Sky...
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