96 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

Interesting and well researched free PDF download booklet here 'TV Licensing Laid Bare' giving all the details of whether you really need a TV licence or not.....

Your unofficial guide to television licence rules, regulations, loopholes and enforcement in the UK:-

http://tv-licensing..../free-book.html

 

In 2017/18 more than 860,000 individuals cancelled their TV licence, with many of those turning to legally-licence-free streaming services instead - a trend that has been nicknamed the "Netflix effect". The number of cancellations has risen by almost 8 percent since the previous year.

 

Legally speaking a TV licence is required for any property where equipment is used or installed to receive TV programmes at the time they are shown. Additionally, from 1st September 2016, a TV licence is required to watch on-demand programmes via the BBC iPlayer.

 

There are a myriad of perfectly legal ways of avoiding paying the TV licence fee.

A TV licence is not legally needed for the following:

• Watching pre-recorded DVDs;
• Watching content that has been previously downloaded from the web;
• Watching non-live, on-demand content on video sharing sites like YouTube;
• Watching non-live, on-demand programmes on platforms other than the BBC iPlayer;
• Watching non-live, on-demand content on subscription services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

Ownership of TV receiving equipment does not require a TV licence. It is perfectly legal to own a TV set without a licence, as long as it isn't used to receive TV programmes. Similarly it is perfectly legal to own an internet-enabled computer without a TV licence, as long as it isn't used to navigate to "live" broadcast TV programmes or BBC iPlayer on-demand programmes.

Anyone who does not legally require a TV licence is under no obligation to communicate or co-operate with TV Licensing. They do not legally need to confirm their no-TV status.

Edited by mab01uk, 22 March 2019 - 07:31 PM.

[Icey]

I've not read it (dubious of PDFs from unknown sites) but surely it's really a matter of whether you use and want to pay for the BBC's output? If you don't want to, it's not difficult to avoid paying. I use BBC services everyday - news, weather, radio, TV - so I don't have an issue paying for a 'license' in the same way I don't mind paying for Netflix and Amazon Prime.

 

If you don't pay for it, the Beeb will either cease to exist or switch to advertising based revenue which would be a massive loss, it'd just become another ITV which is 99% dross.

 

Apologies if it's just about multiple-occupancy, students etc...

Edited by Icey, 19 March 2019 - 11:22 PM.

[Cooperman]

Mine is free at the present 'cause I am so old!

[mab01uk]

Apologies if it's just about multiple-occupancy, students etc...

 

It does cover that as well as many other topics including how innocent people are often hounded by letters and bullied on the door step by Capita employees for having an address without a tv licence. Many examples of their tactics can be seen on YouTube. (Google: TV licence Goons)

[Cooperman]

The way those Licence Goons go about their business is laughable. Those which amaze me are were the Goon asks if he/she can come into a person's house to 'check' that they don't need a licence.

 

The BBC seem to pay huge salaries and to wast money in every way possible. They send out outside broadcast crews when it could be done as effectively in the studio, they have 3 presenters when one would be sufficient and they presided over the Jimmy Savile scandal when almost everyone knew what a 'nonce' he really was.

 

Now they are saying they need the licence fee to increase because they are short of cash. No wonder many refuse to buy a licence. The idea of having to prove that you don't do something is an affront to justice. It's like being required to prove that although you have a car which will do 150 mph, you don't ever drive it at over 70 mph in this country.

[mab01uk]

When you do some research on the subject it is amazing really that so many of us still pay up without question while the BBC wastes huge amounts of the publics money on their inflated salaries and paying £1.75m to Gary Lineker, etc, especially considering how little powers the licence 'Goons' shown on youtube have to enter your property. Also it seems the TV Detector vans were always a closely guarded BBC secret because it is a myth that they ever worked or knew what you were watching and have proved never to have been used in any court evidence. It seems if you don't answer the initial letters, or talk to the door knocking 'Goons' or invite them into your property there is not much they can do to prove anything. The best they can do is to peer through a window and hope to see you watching a live to air tv channel. This is why they usually resort to scare tactics on the doorstep to earn their bonus payments when people don't know their rights under the law and send them away empty handed.

Edited by mab01uk, 20 March 2019 - 11:02 PM.

[r3k1355]

Why is it you need a licence to watch TV broadcasts, yet all of that licence fee money just go's to the BBC??

 

Couldn't you just opt to not watch any BBC channels and enjoy every other channel without the licence?

[Cooperman]

No, the law says you need a licence to watch any live tv, not just the BBC.

[r3k1355]

No, the law says you need a licence to watch any live tv, not just the BBC.

 

Thats my point though.

 

By law you need a licence to watch any live TV, regardless of channel

You buy a licence, all that money then go's to just the BBC??

Edited by r3k1355, 22 March 2019 - 01:59 PM.

[Cooperman]

 

No, the law says you need a licence to watch any live tv, not just the BBC.

 

Thats my point though.

 

By law you need a licence to watch any live TV, regardless of channel

You buy a licence, all that money then go's to just the BBC??

 

Yes, it certainly does. Then the BBC waste it on those stupid 'reality' programmes and other rubbish. Have you seen how much they have spent on a completely new set for 'Misery-Enders'? They spend 'our' money like it is water and appear totally irresponsible.

[mab01uk]

The BBC has recently given excessive pay rises to top executives, at the same time as planing to ditch the over-75 TV licence in order to save money....

Six of the broadcaster's most senior managers have been awarded inflation busting rises of up to thirty percent in the past twelve months.

The number of BBC managers earning more than £150,000 has also increased to 102, despite promises to bring the figure down.

Labour MP Ian Lucas, a member of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, condemned the pay rises as 'staggering'.
"Licence payers will be completely mystified that the levels of pay seem to be increasing in the way they are," he said.

 

• Ken McQuarrie, Director of Nations and Regions, who saw his salary increase from £250,000 to £325,000 (a 30 percent increase);
• James Purnell, Director of Radio and Education, who saw his salary increase from £295,000 to £315,000 (a 7 percent increase);
• John Shield, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, who saw his salary increase from £195,000 to £220,000 (a 13 percent increase);
• Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, who saw her salary increase from £325,000 to £370,000 (a 14 percent increase);
• Gavin Allen, Controller of Daily News Programmes, who saw his salary increase from £143,500 to £160,000 (a 12 percent increase);
• Peter Ranyard, Assistant General Counsel and Head of Commercial Legal, who saw his salary increase from £156,500 to £180,000 (a 15 percent increase).

Edited by mab01uk, 22 March 2019 - 11:26 PM.

[kit352]

As someone who was caught and prosecuted for failing to pay TV tax I have learned it is very hard to escape once you've been targeted.
Long story short I was summoned to court for failing to pay my TV tax and ended up being found guilty. While I hadn't used cable tv in nearly 10 years I did use internet. It was ruled that since I had access to the internet and my tablet and/or phone were capable of downloading and viewing the BBC iplayer I needed to pay the tax. In no way could I say I was never going to watch the iplayer as I could get it at anytime with just a couple clicks. That's what really did me in. The whole time I was in court it was always about my ability to view any BBC program. They didn't care about anything else. I ended up having to back pay 5 years of fees as well.
Such a crime that tax is.

[kit352]

I would add to that once they started coming around they never backed off. It just got worse and worse. I went on a 2 week cruise and the exact time I pulled into my drive afterwards they pulled in right behind me. They would come around at all hours until I finally got the court order.

[Cooperman]

That seems grossly unfair. It is like saying that as your car will do 100 mph, it is for you to prove that you never do so and as you can't prove that, then you are guilty of speeding.

 

My question is how did they know what level of internet and other means of accessing the live TV channels you actually had? Did they execute a search warrant? If they did, what evidence did they place before the magistrate to obtain the warrant? It is not possible to simply take a house-holder to court simply because he/she doesn't have a TV licence. 

 

There is a huge amount of stuff on the net about how to handle the TV licence goons when they come to your home.

[pusb]

As someone who was caught and prosecuted for failing to pay TV tax I have learned it is very hard to escape once you've been targeted.
Long story short I was summoned to court for failing to pay my TV tax and ended up being found guilty. While I hadn't used cable tv in nearly 10 years I did use internet. It was ruled that since I had access to the internet and my tablet and/or phone were capable of downloading and viewing the BBC iplayer I needed to pay the tax. In no way could I say I was never going to watch the iplayer as I could get it at anytime with just a couple clicks. That's what really did me in. The whole time I was in court it was always about my ability to view any BBC program. They didn't care about anything else. I ended up having to back pay 5 years of fees as well.
Such a crime that tax is.

 

That's ridiculous.

 

The law in this country is a joke at times.

 

So you now need a TV licence if you have access to the internet?