TV License Student Rip Off?

littleboo

HooCanTellMee wrote: »

Hi littleboo,
I know they don't have to watch tv, but surely the BBC would be better off to take a smaller amount off of the students rather than none at all, if they should have to pay per tv why not all of us, that would mean I would be liable to pay at least four licences! No, I don't want to pay more, but it does illustrate the point. Also the fact that even if they declare that they are not intending to watch live tv, they are then subject to an inspection visit, to make sure that they don't! How do you prove that the monitor that you use for the computer isn't being used as a tv, most of them come with a tv tuner. We have three that are used only as pc monitors, but all of them came with inbuilt tv tuners and aerial sockets.

I'd agree that students shouldn't have to pay if their other address has a licence. However, my daughter is going into her 3rd year of Uni and has never had a licence, has never made a declaration, has never watched live TV and has never been visited. And she doesn't know anyone who has. In halls, I think the universities present the worse case scenario to protect themselves. I would imagine it would quite difficult for students in halls to be inspected, inspectors cant just wander up to a front door as they do elsewhere.

Moneymaker

Wow, students have time to watch TV? It wasn't like that in my day. We were expected to do homework then revision. At weekends we went home or to the Students Union building, or the pub, or played sports. No time to watch TV.

Next you'll be telling us they have free Internet in each room.

HooCanTellMee

Hi sulphate,
His address is Room "XX" , Flat "XX", so yes a corridor with rooms, shared bathroom and kitchen. We agree then, it is just a racket, either everyone should pay per television or the BBC should be reasonable and charge one licence for a flat or house regardless of the number of televisions in it, or at least have a maximum of say two licences per front door?

HooCanTellMee

Wow Moneymaker,
Yes, free internet access in the room, lots of revision now done by looking up on websites, work expected to be done on computer then submitted either printed or some expected to be downloaded to his tutors. Like you I remember it being mainly bookwork but times do change!
Too far to come home at weekends, train fares too high and would spend a lot of time travelling. Mine doesn't drink, has just had major back surgery so sport is a definite "no no", surgeon would have a fit! He doesn't watch a lot of television, typical would be recorded American Football, Match of the Day and Doctor Who, hardly glued to the set! Quite happy to pay a share of another licence, just think the BBC is being greedy.

poppasmurf_bewdley

The scenario about students having to buy a TV licence arises each year as the new term starts.

Can I ask whether those who believe students should not buy a TV licence should also receive free TV's. After all, they don't have much money do they?

I amazes me that people can have a TV set worth hundreds of pounds yet object to paying £142 to watch something on it.

Moneymaker

With free Internet, he should settle for watching catchup TV on his monitor screen. No need for a licence.

terryya

Where do you draw the line though? Do you say that all people living in a block of flats only need one shared licence?

If you want to watch live TV, buy a licence. If you don't, don't. Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything.

The best advice has already been given though, don't answer the door or if you do tell them nothing. Going to uni is about much more than getting a degree, so 18 year olds shouldn't be relying on mum and dad for anything (apart from money of course :beer: )

[Deleted User]

I expect that as long as there is one license in the 'shared' house/flat then you wouldn't ever get a visit from a TV license person. I know we never did.

In halls of residence, we never bought licenses as the guards told us they would never let them in the building. When we shared a house, we bought once license and split the cost. The idiots who lived across the road didn't get a license at all AND they let the TV license people in. Big fine for them.

aym280

We were specifically told to buy a licence when discussing about accommodation. I don't have a licence at home nor will he. My son is very savvy coming to saving money (well, sometimes!) I think universities see students as hens who lay the gold eggs. They charge for everything. My son is statemented and he is renting a flat coming with a car park space from the university itself. They refused to designate a place for him so that he can have some peace of mind (For him to go to that lousy uni, he has to take a train to Greenwich or Stratford and then come back from zone 1 to zone 6!) . Instead, they want to charge him £7 per week if he wants a designated space. I really didn't want him to go to that university. But his grades were poor. Another uni nearby charge £5200 upwards for sharing kitchen with with own ensuite shower room(No food!). When asked why it is so expensive, the recruitment officer said: we are in the southeast and it is expensive here! GREEEED! written all over these institutions. I told my son to pull out after one year of fun and wait till he's 21 to go to a good uni! This uni my son is going to asks for upwards of £6000 for hall with breakfast and dinner! Now, what about lunch? GREEED, again!

TV licence for each student is pure greed! Probably, UNIs have kick-backs! We really should ask for the abolition of this archaic law. The BBC has already slipped in adverts any way. Some flower shows spring to mind! What claim have they got! What irks me is the way BBC executives throw money at one another: making them redundant and instant cash comes with redundancy pays and then hire them back on payroll again! It's all a clichy network...

aym280

HooCanTellMee wrote: »

Hi Heinz,
We did read up, but it is the fact that they have to have a licence for each room that gets my hackles up! If I can have several televisions in my house why couldn't the students in a flat be allowed to club together and share a licence, it isn't as if they are rolling in cash! Or even the University having a licence to cover student halls and include it as part of the rental of the flats. It is a massive amount of cash if you consider the number of students in halls throughout the UK. I just feel it is unfair, most students have to live in halls, especially in their first year.
My son doesn't appear to have a tv aerial socket in his room, so would probably struggle to get a signal. However his computer monitor does have a tuner in it, most of them do, he has never used it for viewing tv, never tuned the channels, at home he watches mine. Even if he declares that he is not intending to watch live tv it states that he will probably get a visit, to make sure he doesn't! Why? It smacks of big brother! I am not suggesting that he doesn't need a licence, just that it should be per flat, not per room.
It is time the BBC funded itself, there are now BBC channels that you can't get unless you have fast broadband internet, so some of their services are not open to all. We don't get a discount if we can't get these channels, it would make more sense if we could pay for what we can get. I don't pay for fast fibre optic broadband, I can't get it! BBC Iplayer is not an option for me, but I imagine that part of my license fee is paying for it. Fact is my broadband is way too slow, rural village and exchange in the next village along! Maybe the fees could be put towards getting reasonable broadband to all.
I appreciate that you took the time to looking into the small print. Just an angry parent today!

We were told this joke that students were notified before the VISIT and they all scurried to somewhere else - hence nobody home. Besides, if they visit more than once, go for the harassment email to the director and that did send some visitor never to return again, as reported in some newspapers! Stick to download whilst it is still working! At least you are above board!