Lost month with TV License

jango195

Hi,
This is a little old now, but my TV License was due to expire at the end of September last year so I used the online system to renew on the 27th September, thinking that, like almost every other service, it would apply the new license when the current one ran out. Instead I found out that it applies from the 1st of the month you renew, so in this case my license runs until the end of August, which means that I've paid for a years worth of license, but I'm only covered for 11 months. When I looked through the information on the TV Licensing website, I couldn't find any mention that this would happen. I tried emailing them at the time and the response was essentially that there's nothing they can do about it. Is this the case, or can I do something to either get a refund for the month I've lost or preferably get a one month extension to get the whole 12 months I paid for?
I've tried searching for this but I couldn't find an answer, I'm sure I can't be the only person who has had this issue.

HappyMJ

jango195 wrote: »

Hi,
This is a little old now, but my TV License was due to expire at the end of September last year so I used the online system to renew on the 27th September, thinking that, like almost every other service, it would apply the new license when the current one ran out. Instead I found out that it applies from the 1st of the month you renew, so in this case my license runs until the end of August, which means that I've paid for a years worth of license, but I'm only covered for 11 months. When I looked through the information on the TV Licensing website, I couldn't find any mention that this would happen. I tried emailing them at the time and the response was essentially that there's nothing they can do about it. Is this the case, or can I do something to either get a refund for the month I've lost or preferably get a one month extension to get the whole 12 months I paid for?
I've tried searching for this but I couldn't find an answer, I'm sure I can't be the only person who has had this issue.

If you already had a TV licence in the same name and same address then you should get 12 months added on to the existing licence. I'd get back on to them. It doesn't sound right at all.

My question is why not wait until the end of September to pay? You've paid almost 2 months early. Why give them the benefit of your money so early.

jango195

I'll get back in touch with them as soon as I can. I only paid 4 days early, the last day of the license was the 30th September, I paid on the 27th. From now on I'm just going to pay the day after it expires, save myself this hassle.

JJ_Egan

Big TV licence thread on MSE forum .

tvlb1

TV Licensing call this process "TV licence short-dating" and have attracted widespread criticism for it (Google it). A TV licence expires on the last day of the eleventh month after its purchase (e.g. buy on 31st August 2015, will expire 31st July 2016 - pay for 12 months, get only 11 months). As HappyMJ says, this should only happen when you purchase a TV licence for the first time.

The BBC, which acts as statutory Television Licensing Authority (e.g. legally responsible for all aspects of TV Licensing), states that having only 12 possible renewal dates makes the cost of administering the TV licence much cheaper for them. It is a coincidence, the BBC would have people believe, that short-dating rakes in an extra £25m of TV licence revenue per year.

Cornucopia

jango195 wrote: »

I'll get back in touch with them as soon as I can. I only paid 4 days early, the last day of the license was the 30th September, I paid on the 27th. From now on I'm just going to pay the day after it expires, save myself this hassle.

This is 2014? It may well be that they would have sorted it out if you had called them earlier.

You could try complaining to the BBC's Head of Revenue Management. She is ultimately responsible for TV Licensing. Her details are on the complaints page of the TVL website.