Continue to pay for TV license or not?

[Deleted User]

Hi all,

I've just renewed the TV license last month. And the idea of whether or not I should actually continue to pay for it suddenly pop into my mind.

I do not know the rules/regulations for TV license at all, your thoughts and suggestions in this would be highly appreciated!!

I have a foreign satellite installed at home, but I never use it to watch any programs [however it is still connecting to my TV].

My TV is now connecting to a laptop & gaming console and I mainly use it to watch videos on Youtube, iplayer (not lived) & playing games.

I am not sure in my case whether I am required to continuously pay for the TV license or not? And if I want to discontinue my license or if I decide to not renew it next year, do I need to inform the TV licensing company and tell them why? How can I prove to them that's the case? Will they have a home visit?

Many thanks in advance for all your help!!

macman

If you don't watch any live TV, you do not need a licence.
Whether the programmes are 'foreign' or not is not relevant.

jay1181

Hi if you don't watch LIVE TV of ANY sort no matter what country its broadcast in then you will NOT require a license.

If your sat box is connected I would disconnect it before you call TV license people as you may get a visit from them.

If you don't watch live tv then this is not an issue ?

Cornucopia

Since you say you don't know the rules, I would suggest you make yourself familiar with them before getting rid of your licence, because TVL can be tricky to deal with. (It shouldn't be that way, but it is).

You can obtain a refund for your existing licence at any time. You receive a refund of unused full quarters.

You don't have to prove anything to TVL. They may come to visit you, but you don't have to let them in. Better to just ignore them. Don't give them any information, and definitely do not sign ANYTHING, no matter how innocuous they make it sound. There are many cases of false, fabricated and unfair prosecutions.

[Deleted User]

jay1181 wrote: »

Hi if you don't watch LIVE TV of ANY sort no matter what country its broadcast in then you will NOT require a license.

If your sat box is connected I would disconnect it before you call TV license people as you may get a visit from them.

If you don't watch live tv then this is not an issue ?

Hi Jay1181, Thank you! Home visit is fine for me. However I am a bit curious of how they can actually check?
Moreover, base on the information Cornucopia kindly provided, it sounds like less information provided to them the better? So should I actually allow them to arrange a home visit? Sorry I am a bit confused now.

Cornucopia wrote: »

Since you say you don't know the rules, I would suggest you make yourself familiar with them before getting rid of your licence, because TVL can be tricky to deal with. (It shouldn't be that way, but it is).

You can obtain a refund for your existing licence at any time. You receive a refund of unused full quarters.

You don't have to prove anything to TVL. They may come to visit you, but you don't have to let them in. Better to just ignore them. Don't give them any information, and definitely do not sign ANYTHING, no matter how innocuous they make it sound. There are many cases of false, fabricated and unfair prosecutions.

Hi Cornucopia, Thank you for all of these! What do I need to say to them when ringing them up for a refund? Whether or not simply tell them that I do not watch live TV good enough? How about if they want to arrange a time for home visit etc?

---

How about if I continue to pay for this year, but not renewing it next year? will it make things a bit simpler? And whether or not in this case I should still need to inform them that I am not renewing?

I will definitely look into the relevant rules.

macman wrote: »

If you don't watch any live TV, you do not need a licence.
Whether the programmes are 'foreign' or not is not relevant.

Hi Macman, thanks for the tip.

HappyMJ

[quote=[Deleted User];68505554]Hi Jay1181, Thank you! Home visit is fine for me. However I am a bit curious of how they can actually check?
Moreover, base on the information Cornucopia kindly provided, it sounds like less information provided to them the better? So should I actually allow them to arrange a home visit? Sorry I am a bit confused now. [/QUOTE]

They check by asking you to show them what you can watch on your device. As soon as you tune into a channel which is being broadcast you are committing the extremely serious offence of watching live TV and they'll prosecute you for that and you can expect a fine larger than what a petty thief would get for nicking a telly from an elderly neighbour.

So my advice just don't let them in. At the door say I don't watch telly thanks for visiting bye...and close the door. Then get your camera out and if they knock again film yourself telling them to go away. They have been told to leave if a "customer" is filming them. They won't return.

Cornucopia

[quote=[Deleted User];68505554]... should I actually allow them to arrange a home visit? Sorry I am a bit confused now.
[/QUOTE]
They don't "organise" a home visit as such. They simply turn up unannounced,, they won't ever make an appointment. The reason being that they hope to catch people evading the Licence Fee.

What do I need to say to them when ringing them up for a refund?

Just say you'd like to cancel your Licence because you're not going to be watching TV broadcasts live any more.

How about if they want to arrange a time for home visit etc?

They won't ask this. They might tell you that they may visit. I would just say "okay". It's not committing you to anything.

How about if I continue to pay for this year, but not renewing it next year? will it make things a bit simpler?

Possibly. I personally don't believe that it makes any difference whether you cancel or let the Licence lapse, and I don't think it makes any difference whether you tell them you don't need a Licence or not.

And whether or not in this case I should still need to inform them that I am not renewing?

They still ask you to. You still don't have to, unless you are paying by installments.

I will definitely look into the relevant rules.

Definitely do this. It's difficult to overstate how difficult TVL can be to deal with. They are basically out of control, and that's because they are not answerable to anyone independent of the BBC, of which they are an important part.

The Call Centre staff aren't too bad, although not all of them are as well-versed in the rules as they should be. The visiting staff can be very difficult: they are already in a sensitive situation by virtue of being on someone's doorstep, and yet they can be rude, aggressive, coercive, economical with the truth, and at the extreme there are amongst the workforce those who can only really be described as rogues, who are not beyond committing criminal offences in the execution of their work, or as an adjunct to it.

If anyone from BBC/TVL is reading this and thinks it might be a little libelous, please do complain, as I have the evidence to back up the claim, and would love to publish it.

[Deleted User]

HappyMJ wrote: »

They check by asking you to show them what you can watch on your device. As soon as you tune into a channel which is being broadcast you are committing the extremely serious offence of watching live TV and they'll prosecute you for that and you can expect a fine larger than what a petty thief would get for nicking a telly from an elderly neighbour.

So my advice just don't let them in. At the door say I don't watch telly thanks for visiting bye...and close the door. Then get your camera out and if they knock again film yourself telling them to go away. They have been told to leave if a "customer" is filming them. They won't return.

Cornucopia wrote: »

They don't "organise" a home visit as such. They simply turn up unannounced,, they won't ever make an appointment. The reason being that they hope to catch people evading the Licence Fee.


Just say you'd like to cancel your Licence because you're not going to be watching TV broadcasts live any more.

They won't ask this. They might tell you that they may visit. I would just say "okay". It's not committing you to anything.

Possibly. I personally don't believe that it makes any difference whether you cancel or let the Licence lapse, and I don't think it makes any difference whether you tell them you don't need a Licence or not.


They still ask you to. You still don't have to, unless you are paying by installments.

Definitely do this. It's difficult to overstate how difficult TVL can be to deal with. They are basically out of control, and that's because they are not answerable to anyone independent of the BBC, of which they are an important part.

The Call Centre staff aren't too bad, although not all of them are as well-versed in the rules as they should be. The visiting staff can be very difficult: they are already in a sensitive situation by virtue of being on someone's doorstep, and yet they can be rude, aggressive, coercive, economical with the truth, and at the extreme there are amongst the workforce those who can only really be described as rogues, who are not beyond committing criminal offences in the execution of their work, or as an adjunct to it.

If anyone from BBC/TVL is reading this and thinks it might be a little libelous, please do complain, as I have the evidence to back up the claim, and would love to publish it.

Hi HappyMJ & Cornucopia,
Thank you soooo much for the help given!!!