Mother over 75's TV licence - can we use the TV?

IRR_2

My mother has just passed away with a TV licence till 2012.Only occupier.

In the current climate we intend keeping her home going maybe for 6-9 months whilst we do bits of decorating on occasional visits to check the place is secure.

On those visits would we be allowed to view the TV?

macman

Yes, because there is a valid licence for that property. There's no requirement for the licence holder to be the viewer.

IRR_2

This was encouraging and what I expected so I risked contacting TV licensing to do it official etc and they said no it has expired.

I didn't have a lot of confidence in the guy on the phone so can anybody point me to info/website saying otherwise. Chap on the bank bereavment helpline when dealing with another issue said it's the property not the occupier also.

macman

It will say on the licence when it expires. Reading your post again, it say expiry 2012, which cannot be correct since it is a 12m licence, so the latest validity now would be November 2011.
How can a website tell you when your own licence expires? If yiou can't fnd the licence, check our mother's bank statements to see when the licence was paid for.

IRR_2

Thanks for your interest macman. Just looked at it again, it's auto renewed each year for 3 years - on closer inspection it has been auto renewed for the next year so yes basically it expires 31st Oct 2011 assuming I tell them she has deceased!!

When I mentioned website I was wondering if there were any more relevant ones other than this that would help me.

Thanks.

macman

Google is your friend...
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/

IRR_2

That was obviously my first port of call but nowhere was there an answer to such a simple question.

macman

Frankly I can't work out what your question is!
If the licence has expired then you need a new one to legally use the TV.

victor2

This is from the TV licensing website....

If anybody was living with the deceased licence holder.
The over 75 TV Licence will continue to cover them until the TV Licence for that year runs out.

Not exactly your circumstances but I would have thought as long as the house is in your mother's name, you'd be OK. Probably better to call them and check - maybe you'll get someone more useful on the phone next time!

Scrounger

From the TV Licensing website:

An over 75 TV Licence will continue to cover anybody (who was living with the licence holder as part of their household) until the TV Licence expires.

So it looks like you're covered for another year. :beer:

Scrounger

Kurtis_Blue

Well no, clearly by the terms of TVL and the OPs situation the licence is no longer valid.