Can we not have a tv licence?

Schwade

BLT wrote: »

Great plan, I look forward to seeing his name in the local papers for evasion of TV licence tax.

to OP, dont let BLT scare you.

snugglepet20

I used to work for TV licensing and you do not need a licence if you are not receiving any type of broadcast signals. We were told to advise detuning the TV and removing aerials to prove this. Also ring customer services and tell them you do not need a licence and they will exempt you and stop the red letters. You may get a visit from an enforcement officer to check but if you are not doing anything wrong its no problem.

FYI for the people that say they can't do anything if you repeatedly refuse entry and they think you are watching a TV without a licence they can get a police warrant to search your premises and take you to court because it is a criminal offence.

lucylucky

snugglepet20 wrote: »

I used to work for TV licensing and you do not need a licence if you are not receiving any type of broadcast signals. We were told to advise detuning the TV and removing aerials to prove this. Also ring customer services and tell them you do not need a licence and they will exempt you and stop the red letters. You may get a visit from an enforcement officer to check but if you are not doing anything wrong its no problem.

FYI for the people that say they can't do anything if you repeatedly refuse entry and they think you are watching a TV without a licence they can get a police warrant to search your premises and take you to court because it is a criminal offence.

And it is a complete waste of time as the OP is doing nothing wrong, so has no reason to have any contact with TVL/Capita

derrick

snugglepet20 wrote: »

FYI for the people that say they can't do anything if you repeatedly refuse entry and they think you are watching a TV without a licence they can get a police warrant to search your premises and take you to court because it is a criminal offence.

Searching the premises would serve no point unless the occupant actually had a TV turned on and tuned in to a live broadcast!
"Thinking" they are watching would not be a valid reason to issue a warrant, you need some sort of evidence!

You don't need a licence to own a TV!
Only to watch LIVE broadcasts!

snugglepet20

I was not suggesting that OP was doing anything wrong if you actually read my post. I only suggest that ringing TVL will take 5 minutes and save hassle and stress from red letters, visits etc which will keep coming if they do not buy a licence.

As for my other comments it is a myth that you cannot be caught, people are prosecuted all the time and they do get warrants issued under reasonable suspicion (virtually everyone has a TV after all), they collect the evidence when they are there, if they already had it they wouldn't need to search the premises would they?!!

lucylucky

Ringing TVL does not, in my experience, stop the letters.

I would advise the OP not to contact the TVL as she has no need to.

EDIT - not sure why you said "which will keep coming if they do not buy a licence."

As the OP does not need a licence it would be a remarkably stupid and expensive thing to do

Forgetful

I have stopped my tv licence since november 2009 when they switched it over to digital... We do not have any equipment that recieves digital tv plus we hardly ever watch it so we decided not to pay for the tv license anymore. I called them up and they sent me a letter to confirm this also telling us we will get a visit sometime in the future....

david39

My wife works for the local magistrates court and they have one day per fortnight set aside solely for TV licence cases, by far the majority of which result in a hefty fine.

So lots of people are not managing to avoid prosecution.

Incidentally, I don't know the procedure that occurrs when the knock on the door comes, but it seems that most people are persuaded to take out a licence immediately, under the impression that they will appear in court and just be fined. But this new licence does not cover the period during which they were caught. This means when they get to court, they have to pay again for a licence to cover at least the previous 12 months, plus a fine, plus costs, all of which rack up to several hundred pounds and a criminal record in most cases.

lucylucky

david39 wrote: »

My wife works for the local magistrates court and they have one day per fortnight set aside solely for TV licence cases, by far the majority of which result in a hefty fine.

So lots of people are not managing to avoid prosecution.

Incidentally, I don't know the procedure that occurrs when the knock on the door comes, but it seems that most people are persuaded to take out a licence immediately, under the impression that they will appear in court and just be fined. But this new licence does not cover the period during which they were caught. This means when they get to court, they have to pay again for a licence to cover at least the previous 12 months, plus a fine, plus costs, all of which rack up to several hundred pounds and a criminal record in most cases.

Glad to hear people who evade their responsibilities are being caught and prosecuted.
Fortunately it is of no concern to the OP as she clearly has no need of a TV licence.

snugglepet20

lucylucky wrote: »

Ringing TVL does not, in my experience, stop the letters.

I would advise the OP not to contact the TVL as she has no need to.

EDIT - not sure why you said "which will keep coming if they do not buy a licence."

As the OP does not need a licence it would be a remarkably stupid and expensive thing to do

Ring up again if you keep getting letters. The letters are computer generated and keep coming to every address without a licence until they are physically stopped by a customer service person or a licence is bought, clearly your request for them to stop has not been dealt with properly.

Also you tell OP not to contact TVL and yet say that the letters are stupid and expensive as she does not need a licence. How does TVL know this if OP does not contact them, they are not psychic!