Cant pay.. OR Wont Pay!!

Katie-Jo_3

My husband and I couldn't afford many things (including our TV license!) So we sold the TV and used that to pay off part of our debts. We have been without for nearly a year now, and it's not that bad.

We can still watch a particular show at a friends house if we are desperate to see it, and we watch DVD's on my Husbands work laptop.

msmicawber

I can't make up my mind whether TV should be considered a luxury these days or not (when considering whether concessions should be made for poorer people, etc). However, I do believe that failure to pay should be treated as with any other debt and not be a criminal offence. No one should go to prison for not having paid their TV licence. There were moves to decriminalise it a few years ago - does anyone know if that was done?

Turning_into_scrooge

Scarlett1 wrote:

I would like to think that mandi's children getting to school safely and on time is more important than any debt, whether it was 60p or 6000 pounds

I absolutely agree with you but unfortunately the government doesn't. The safety of Mandi's children is paramount, and really, i feel, should be first on the list, but where the government is concerned they will prosecute you for none payment because you paid your children's bus fare. Government needs to get their priorities right.I never watch television, if it wasn't for the fact my son lives here with me i wouldn't have a T.V. in the house and have any need to pay for a license as i don't benefit from it.

Scarlett1

Turning_into_scrooge wrote:

Government needs to get their priorities right

or give us a choice whether we want BBC or not, tv licensing must rake in a fortune that they wont want to lose

caz57_2

http://www.tvlicensing.biz/phpBB2/

You could read here, and decide not to pay for it!
If more people resist the licence fee, it WILL be scrapped.

You don't get Rupert Murdoch, banging on your door, harrassing and threatening to take you to court, if you don't pay for Sky!

not_a_number_4

mlmoneysaver wrote:

Yeah, you got me thinking about this one. But I think overall TV is not a necessity

Not for the British people anyway :mad:
But for asylum seekers it seems it is (so say the government in their tenancy agreement,the one we're not supposed know about ) which says that the landlord has to supply a new (not less than ) 21" tv & tv licence for duration of their stay :mad:

movingforward2010

i never watch telly since ive had broadband lol

iwanttosave_2

Scarlett1 wrote:

I would gladly give up watching BBC to save myself the license fee, I dont watch BBC2 anyways and all I watch on BBC1 is eastenders and neighbour, oh and doctors

would I be stuffed though if I wanted to watch freeview

I think that they should do it where if you dont pay your licence, all you get is static on those channels, I dont watch TV at all, I have it for the kids to watch Citv and chauff watches things like CSi, yet I still have to pay £32 a quarter for something I don't use.

Turning_into_scrooge

Scarlett1 wrote:

or give us a choice whether we want BBC or not, tv licensing must rake in a fortune that they wont want to lose

Yep choice would be good and take off the BBC from cabel and sky hence taking the need for a license away, but alas they won't do that, will they?

ronsinc

I don't think it should be means tested, but I don't agree with the licence itself, and I absolutely disagree with the powers the licensing authority have.

What powers ?? TVL have no more powers than the milkman, Please remember this,

(1) you do not have to talk to a TVL officer, its best if you don’t talk to them at all just close the door.

(2) don’t reply to any of there communications.

(3) don’t let them give you sleepless nights there threatening letters hold no more power then someone trying to sell you double glassing .

Ron