TV Licence refund - Confusion

JessyRM

Hi All,

I'm hoping someone might be able to help me with this. I am moving out of my property on the 11th of April and moving in with a friend and will not need my own TV licence.

I have paid on a monthly DD since December 2015. Am I right in thinking I am owed 6 months as this was paid in advance? Would it be worth cancelling for the 31st of March and not watching live TV until I move? I assume I would then get the full 6 months..

Sorry if this is a daft question I'm trying to get my head around it

Thanks

agrinnall

It's a bit hard to understand exactly how they do it but I think in essence that you're right that after the first 6 months (when you pay double the amount of the normal DD) you are then always 6 months ahead in your payments. I would expect that to mean that you should indeed get a refund of 6 months when you cancel your licence, although I can't see it stated quite as plainly as that anywhere.

One thing to note is that at the moment refunds are made in 3 month blocks (so if you cancel 5 months before the end of the licence you only get 3 months refund) but from April that is changing to 1 month - however, it should make no difference to you, so your plan to cancel on 31st March seems sensible. Just remember that you won't legally be able to watch iPlayer until you move house.

gettingtheresometime

I thought that in the first year, you paid for the entire year in the six months and in the second half of the first year (if you're still with me!) you pay for the first six months of the second year.

So effectively in the first year you pay for 18 months worth of licence

JessyRM

Thanks, I think i'm on the right track so will cancel on the 31st. Not a problem with not watching stuff as i'm visiting family for a week before moving anyway

theonlywayisup

Their rules are changing on 1 April. You will be entitled to pro rata refunds from that date. Until then, the rules are that you get a block refund of either 3, 6 or 9 months. I'm guessing if you are due 7 months you will only get 6 and if due 4 only get 3. It may be worth giving them a call to ask exactly when your start date is, then you can work out if you will get the full 6 months back (if it's just under 6 months then you may be worth waiting until 1 April to get the pro rata amount - if you see what I mean).

agrinnall

theonlywayisup wrote: »

Their rules are changing on 1 April. You will be entitled to pro rata refunds from that date. Until then, the rules are that you get a block refund of either 3, 6 or 9 months. I'm guessing if you are due 7 months you will only get 6 and if due 4 only get 3. It may be worth giving them a call to ask exactly when your start date is, then you can work out if you will get the full 6 months back (if it's just under 6 months then you may be worth waiting until 1 April to get the pro rata amount - if you see what I mean).

Which is what I'd already said in post #2, but I think in the OP's case it makes no difference as the payment is always 6 months ahead, so cancelling at the end of March will give a 6 month refund anyway (and cancelling on 1st April would only give 5 months).

theonlywayisup

agrinnall wrote: »

Which is what I'd already said in post #2, but I think in the OP's case it makes no difference as the payment is always 6 months ahead, so cancelling at the end of March will give a 6 month refund anyway (and cancelling on 1st April would only give 5 months).

Apologies, I missed your post as I was reading on a phone.