TV Licence Question

taurusgb

Sorry if this is the wrong forum (BG please move if you think it is) but I am in a dilemma.

My daughter moved into Aberystwyth student village yesterday and took her TV and video/dvd combi machine and xbox with her. When we got there we realised that with no external aerial the TV had no reception, and she does not have an indoor aerial, but she has decided to keep the TV with her so that she can use it with her X box and watch dvd's and videos.

The student handbook says (incorrectly) that anyone possessing a TV should have a TV licence, but I am sure that you only need a TV licence if you are going to use the TV to actually watch broadcast programmes. My daughter is not as able to argue her case as I would be so in case she is challenged by anyone I need to make sure she understands she isn't breaking any law by using her TV with her xbox and dvd/video player as it is not connected to any exterior aerial and just broadcasts white noise and snow when turned on.

Thanks for your time and any points of view offered......especially if you are or have been a student at Aberystwyth and have anything to advise.

Lokolo

If she doesn't watch live TV she doesn't need a licence. Simples.

Tribulation

While I agree with both of you, I lost a court case for having no TV licence many years ago.

I made the mistake of letting the TV guy into my house to show him my telly, sitting on the floor of the bedroom covered in dust (ie hadn't been moved for months), miles away from the nearest plug socket and in a completely different room to the aerial socket (in my youth when I was out every night).

The courts deemed that me having the ability to move it into the other room and plug it in, was deemed me using it. At the time I knew no better so accepted their verdict and got fined around the same cost as a TV licence cost at something stupid like 50p per week.

I suspect the magistrate or whoever simply thought I was trying to pull a fast one.

My daughter started Uni today and there was something in her brochure that the licensing bods (really people with no authority at all, probably working on commission and employed by capita) come round at various intervals and make checks. I suspect this probably means them being allowed to peek into rooms to see which ones have TV's and which ones don't, hence will probably just make an assumption.

Even if that isn't the case and they have to knock on the doors, the chances are they will think your daughter is pulling a fast one by pretending she cant get reception, they really really aren't very nice people. I know people who don't have a TV who have had to threaten them with court action due to their constant harassment.

juliescot

She needs no licence. No person from TV licensing has any right to enter her room/building/accommodation. She might want to point out to those responsible for the student handbook the error of their "advice"

Tribulation

I totally agree with you. But maybe as it's a catered residence on Uni property, they have some sort of agreement? Their web site states

If you use a mains powered television set in your room you need a valid licence. The authorities do check our Halls regularly and the fines for not having a valid licence are severe.

The TV licensing people have very very very few rights at all but use threatening language and basic lies to put fear into people.

No one has to let them into their house, no one has to answer the door to them and if people want, they can remove the TV licensing right of access to their front door.

But knowing how these people talk and seeing the lies in some of the letters they send out, the average student saying they cant come in and them saying that if they're not let in, they can come back with a warrant and the police, even though this is totally untrue, it's the sort of thing they do say and the average 17/18 yr old student will be none the wiser.

They will also be very sympathetic to what ever the student tells them and write a completely different report to how the conversation went, then the next thing the student will know is when they get a summons through the post.

taurusgb

Tribulation wrote: »

I totally agree with you. But maybe as it's a catered residence on Uni property, they have some sort of agreement? Their web site states

The TV licensing people have very very very few rights at all but use threatening language and basic lies to put fear into people.

No one has to let them into their house, no one has to answer the door to them and if people want, they can remove the TV licensing right of access to their front door.

But knowing how these people talk and seeing the lies in some of the letters they send out, the average student saying they cant come in and them saying that if they're not let in, they can come back with a warrant and the police, even though this is totally untrue, it's the sort of thing they do say and the average 17/18 yr old student will be none the wiser.

They will also be very sympathetic to what ever the student tells them and write a completely different report to how the conversation went, then the next thing the student will know is when they get a summons through the post.

My daughter is in self catered house in the student village and the student handbook does say that anyone visiting from the licencing authority have to be accompanied and can only knock at the front door, they have no right of access to bedrooms. BUt they have it totally wrong in the handbook by saying that any student who owns a TV set or brings one from home needs a licence and is committing a criminal offence if they don't buy one.(I have emailed the uni to point out that they are incorrect to say you need a licence merely to own a set)

As per your last paragraph, my worry is that my daughter is innocent and trusting and would be easily bullied by an unscrupulous person, so I just want to arm her with the right info so that she doesn't fall into any trap.

Fire_Fox

Your daughter may be covered in her accommodation by your TV license at home - her permanent residence - but this needs investigating as it might only be portable devices (phones, laptops). Otherwise write to the TV licensing people and explain, send the letter recorded and keep a copy.

juliescot

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Your daughter may be covered in her accommodation by your TV license at home - her permanent residence - but this needs investigating as it might only be portable devices (phones, laptops). Otherwise write to the TV licensing people and explain, send the letter recorded and keep a copy.

Since she is not using her TV to watch live programmes it does not matter whether she is covered by another licence - she simply does not need one. No need to write to anyone as she is doing nothing wrong.

lrlrip

DD moved into student halls three weeks ago. On the morning of her move she purchased a tv licence for her own personal tv. On arriving it turns out that although it stated in the information pack "if you bring your own tv you must have your own licence" there was no tv point and no reception with an indoor aerial. The Uni. had just taken over the accommodation from a private company and said were unaware that there was no reception with indoor aerials. Luckily DD split her tv licence fee with her flat mates for the tv in the living room and she using her own personal tv for watching dvd's.

glider3560

lrlrip wrote: »

DD moved into student halls three weeks ago. On the morning of her move she purchased a tv licence for her own personal tv. On arriving it turns out that although it stated in the information pack "if you bring your own tv you must have your own licence" there was no tv point and no reception with an indoor aerial. The Uni. had just taken over the accommodation from a private company and said were unaware that there was no reception with indoor aerials. Luckily DD split her tv licence fee with her flat mates for the tv in the living room and she using her own personal tv for watching dvd's.

The TV in the living room may already be covered by the university's TV licence - that may be worth checking.

lrlrip

glider3560 wrote: »

The TV in the living room may already be covered by the university's TV licence - that may be worth checking.

Ok thanks I will check that out.