I don't want to pay my TV licence but keep my tv as a monitor

crazyhaggid

My sky subscription runs out in April next year, and I’m not going to renew it as I hardly spend anytime watching tv now anyway. I was thinking I might as well get rid of the TV licence as well, as I get any info I need from the net. I want to keep my main tv for playing the wii and I also us it as a monitor for my pc.
If I got the aerial input disabled would I be able to keep it but not pay a tv licence?

Mutton_Geoff

This is being debated quite a lot at the moment and unfortunately you'll find lots of posts here from people claiming to know the answer. The law is simple, it's called the Communications Act 2003 and it says:

A television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence under this Part.

The full document is available here - Communications Act 2003

As long as you do not install or use a television receiver then you will be OK. I will leave it to you to interpret the law as only a court can do this. There are plenty of armchair lawyers here, even some real ones, but the only time the interpretation matters is when you are in front of the beak with pictures of your disconnected aerial socket.

nickcardwell

from the tv license web site

What if I only use a TV to watch videos/DVDs/as a monitor for my games console? Do I still need a licence

You do not need a TV Licence if you only use your TV to watch videos and DVDs or as a monitor for your games console
However, please notify us in writing that this is the case. One of our Enforcement Officers may visit you to confirm that you do not need a licence.

Please write to us including your name, address and the reason you believe that you don't need a licence at:
TV Licensing
Bristol
BS98 1TL.

Mutton_Geoff

Please write to us including your name, address and the reason you believe that you don't need a licence

Or don't bother. I don't write to any other authorities telling them I don't need a licence for something I'm not doing!

adaze

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

Please write to us including your name, address and the reason you believe that you don't need a licence

Or don't bother. I don't write to any other authorities telling them I don't need a licence for something I'm not doing!

:silenced: Ditto to that. Disabling, or removing your input sky/aerial/whatever would mean that you cannot actually receive any TV signals, so you could have a million TV's in there and you would still be compyling with TVL wishes.

IMHO you don't need to remove the aerial or do anything at all, it is up to TVL to prove you are watching TV, which I (believe) they have never been able to do succesfully in court.....

bella2121

I have worked for TV licencing, the easiest way to do this is when you decide to stop using the tv to receive the signal call TVL and cancel your licence, when you tell them you are using the TV as a monitor they should advise you to disconnect from the aerial and detune any channels, they will note that there is no TV in use at your property, you will receive a letter to confirm this, all further mailings will stop for 12 months within this time an officer may visit you at which point they can apply a mailing block for 3 years.

DO disconnect from the aerial as TV do take hundreds of people to court every week and they are sucessfully prosecuted.

Before everyone starts attacking me (which has happened in previous threads when i have been offering advice) I hope this helps

MORPH3US

Posts 3 and 4 are the ones that you should take note of OP, however in the case of post 4 and 5, its a case of saving yourself the hassle later on.

If I was you, I would detune all channels on the TV and obviously not have the aerial plugged in to the TV. That way if an inspector does turn up throwing their weight about like they have some kind of power you can (if you wish) show them your TV is not plugged in to an aerial.

However you are also perfectly within your rights to also tell them to do one if you so wish. They would then have to proove you were watching TV if they wanted to prosecute you.

shinjukumaster

bella2121 wrote: »

I have worked for TV licencing, the easiest way to do this is when you decide to stop using the tv to receive the signal call TVL and cancel your licence, when you tell them you are using the TV as a monitor they should advise you to disconnect from the aerial and detune any channels, they will note that there is no TV in use at your property, you will receive a letter to confirm this, all further mailings will stop for 12 months within this time an officer may visit you at which point they can apply a mailing block for 3 years.

DO disconnect from the aerial as TV do take hundreds of people to court every week and they are sucessfully prosecuted.

Before everyone starts attacking me (which has happened in previous threads when i have been offering advice) I hope this helps

DO NOT LET ANYONE FROM TVLA into your property. They have no right of access, and will bother you with threatening letters whatever you do. You can write to them anonymously, as the 'occupier' of your property, and deny them right of access. They must comply with this otherwise they will be breaking the law. TVLA tactics amount to little more than harassment and intimidation (guilty until proven innocent).

TVLA take hundreds of vulnerable (single mother's, elderly, etc.) people to court, but not high-profile celebrities (e.g. Noel Edmunds) because they don't want to be exposed

See http://www.tvlicensing.biz, and http://www.marmalade.net/lime/

Why should anyone who has no license (or TV) have to spend the price of a stamp, a phone call, or any time, to prove their lack of guilt? There are persons making a case against dear old auntie beeb (not) for harassment, intimidation, and breach of european law.

shinjukumaster

MORPH3US wrote: »

Posts 3 and 4 are the ones that you should take note of OP, however in the case of post 4 and 5, its a case of saving yourself the hassle later on.

If I was you, I would detune all channels on the TV and obviously not have the aerial plugged in to the TV. That way if an inspector does turn up throwing their weight about like they have some kind of power you can (if you wish) show them your TV is not plugged in to an aerial.

However you are also perfectly within your rights to also tell them to do one if you so wish. They would then have to proove you were watching TV if they wanted to prosecute you.

NEVER LET ANYONE FROM TVLA past your door, and NEVER SPEAK A WORD TO THEM. YOU HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO DO SO!!! Best thing is not to answer the door, or if you do and its TVLA - just close it without saying a word. If you feel up to it, you can photograph them, and video them whilst asking them to leave the premises (as I have done).

shinjukumaster

adaze wrote: »

:silenced: Ditto to that. Disabling, or removing your input sky/aerial/whatever would mean that you cannot actually receive any TV signals, so you could have a million TV's in there and you would still be compyling with TVL wishes.

Their 'wishes' don't matter a jot. Its down to what is law - and TVLA letters are deliberately vague and misleading.

moonrakerz

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

This is being debated quite a lot at the moment and unfortunately you'll find lots of posts here from people claiming to know the answer. The law is simple, it's called the Communications Act 2003 and it says:

A television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence under this Part.

This post is quite correct - You will find lots of posts from people claiming to know the answer - and regrettably lots of them, INCLUDING this one are wrong !

You do not need a TV licence to "install" a television unless there is "intent" to watch live programmes on it and you can "use" it as described below.

You can have as many televisions as you want - to watch DVDs, tapes or to "game" on you do not need a licence for any of these.

You ONLY need a licence to watch or record live television broadcasts (from any source).