TV Licensing - Do I Need to Remove Antenna Cables from room?

18 Posts
I had a threatening letter from TV licensing informing me that my property is "under investigation" as I haven't applied for a TV license. I don't watch live TV and decided when they brought in the iPlayer catch up requirements that a subscription to BBC iPlayer isn't worth £147 a year.
I only watch Netflix, YouTube and very rarely 4od catchup. No antenna is plugged in to my TV, however there is a regular TV antenna and Sky satellite cable coming in through the wall. It's a rental, so I'd rather not chop the cables, but if they wanted to, could I be fined for having cables coming into my living room that could produce a live TV signal?
I only watch Netflix, YouTube and very rarely 4od catchup. No antenna is plugged in to my TV, however there is a regular TV antenna and Sky satellite cable coming in through the wall. It's a rental, so I'd rather not chop the cables, but if they wanted to, could I be fined for having cables coming into my living room that could produce a live TV signal?
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They send these letters out in their millions. They are meaningless, and receipt of one (or more likely many of them) is nothing to be concerned about.
TV Licensing Glossary of terms:-
"This property is under investigation" - we know that you don't have a Licence, and we've ticked the box on the computer that says we know.
"The property is under official investigation" - we know that you don't have a Licence, and we've ticked the box on the computer that says we know... and we did it in our office.
"You have 10 days to get properly Licensed" - we have no right to require you to do anything, and we are not giving you 10 days not to do it.
"Your property is scheduled for a visit" - we know that you don't have a Licence, and we've ticked the box on the computer that says we know.
And so on. It is an exercise in misinformation - a national scandal.
We may check this with a visit."
So I won't bother then..
"you did not respond to our previous letters" - you don't need to respond to our letters.
"the enforcement officer will be ... polite and fair" - the salesperson is paid commission based on the outcome of their visit which mitigates against politeness or fairness, and there is little supervision to support that promise.
Not sure at what stage to tell them it's down The Kings Arms* where I'm a known regular for certain games..
*Not actual pub name.
There are lots of legitimate legal strategies that can be used if you want to assert your noble & historic rights as a UK citizen.
For example: I probably mentioned before that BBC/TVL banned themselves from my address after I told them that I did not consent to being interviewed under caution using their paper form (which I asserted was not PACE-compliant).
But wry amusement aside, how can an interview under caution be justified? I'm not going to allow any such nonsense anyway, but surely there must be some prior evidence? As I haven't got or watch TV on what grounds would they justify asking?