Cancelling my current TV Licence - Some clarification needed.

HiroProtagonist

Hey everyone,

First time post - but I've lurked the forums on and off for a while now - if I need any kinda money saving advice, the first thought that runs through my mind is always "go have a look on that nice Martin Lewis' website"

Anyways, I needs some advice and clarification regarding cancelling my tv licence, and although I've read a few different threads, with various start dates over the years, I just wanted to make sure my information was correct.

Basically I first moved into my own place when I was 18 (26 now), and have always either contributed towards the cost of a tv licence (when I flat shared), or, since May 2005, have paid the full price for one (the date I moved into my current flat, on my own).

I pay for my licence with a TV Licencing card (ideal at the time, as I was unemployed, and it helped me balance my finances), and currently have a valid TV licence, up until April 30th 2011.

However, I don't watch TV all that much - or to put it more specifically, I can't remember the last time I watched live tv - either via a freeview box, Virgin Media STB, or live-stream on iPlayer.

However, I do download the odd episode of Dragons Den, That Mitchell and Webb Look, Sherlock, etc, etc, via iPlayer - typically the next day.

While I've always regarded a tv licence as a "necessary evil", something clicked around a year ago, when I bought a new monitor (Samsung 2333HD). Although it was purchased as a monitor, the fact it contains a Freeview tuner meant that, when purchasing it, I had to supply my address, so that a check could be performed (later) to see if I owned a tv licence (no probs, as I did).

However, it was the assumptive nature, that annoyed me. I purchased a monitor, and yes, it can indeed be used as a tv (I've got a blu-ray player hooked upto it as well as a computer), but that doesn't mean it'll be hooked up to receive live broadcasts.

So that attitude, the fact there's hardly anything actually on the TV that takes my fancy, and the fact I've got 1000+ DVDs / Blu-Rays - a large number of which I've yet to watch, made me decide not to renew my licence in 2011.

However, a thread on this forum pointed me in the direction of the TV licencing website, where you can claim a refund for "unused quarters" on your licence. I've just completed it, and it generated a .pdf file that needs to be signed, and requires evidence attached to it, to explain the reason for a refund (I selected the "I no longer need a tv licence" option).

However, and here's the kicker - it requests evidence, such as proof you're starting university, death of the person named on the licence, etc, etc - there was nothing that I noticed, about simply "I no longer watch live tv".

Soo (I'm a waffler - in case y'all hadn't noticed). Do I simply need to include a letter with the refund form, outlining pretty much the above - that although technically I own a tv (though it's used as monitor) it isn't hooked up to an aerial. And that, I only use it to playback blu-rays / DVDs, as well as using as a computer screen.

Also - would it be worth mentioning the iPlayer aspect - i.e. what little tv programming I do watch, comes via catch-up the next day?

Any help / pointers, would be really appreciated.

Cheers in advance,

-Michael.

Edit -> I'm beginning to think I might have just gone and posted this in the wrong section. If a moderator wants to move it to the appropriate sub-forum, feel free

HiroProtagonist

*Bump*

Any suggestions - or pointers to a sub-forum where I should re-post this?

shammyjack

A simple forum search for " tv license " ( always search in lower case ) would get you this

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?searchid=87953107

the link to the official main thread is halfway down .

shammy

Aesop

shammy, your link doesn't work.

The answer is here

and the thread can be found here

HiroProtagonist

shammyjack wrote: »

A simple forum search for " tv license " ( always search in lower case ) would get you this

<<Link removed, as it won't let me post anything with a link>>

the link to the official main thread is halfway down .

shammy

Hi Shammy - I clicked your link and got the following:

"Sorry - no mathces. Please try some different terms"

[I screen capped it, but the forum won't allow me to post links "to stop spammers clogging up the site".


I have tried the search bar at the top of the site "Search the..." [then selected forums], put in "tv licence" - both yesterday and today, and all the results revolve around peoples SOAs (except today, when it added this thread).

Any chance you could post the direct thread link, to the official forum thread?

HiroProtagonist

aureol212 wrote: »

shammy, your link doesn't work.

<<Links removed, due to the "As a newbie, you can't post links, in case they're spam>> error I keep getting.

Cheers for that - I'll hop over and read it now

shammyjack

The link works fine on my PC !

HappyMJ

shammyjack wrote: »

The link works fine on my PC !

That's because you have the cookie...that little peice of information stored on your P.C telling you what you searched for. Search results can't be copied and pasted into the forum.