TV Licence - Rip Off

Chappers27

For a start, let's just ignore the issue of whether I should pay my TV Licence or not.

I'm just on the TV Licensing website to renew my TV Licence. The cost of the licence is £147.

If I want to pay by direct debit on a monthly basis I have to pay £24/month for six months and then £12/month thereafter. What a scandal. Why is no-one whingeing about this? Surely you pay for a 12 month licence, with a little premium for direct debit, across a 12 month period.

I am furious at this. If I pay quarterly, its £38 a quarter, which is better but designed to secure as much cash from people upfront as possible. Like a slush fund for the BBC.

My car tax is spread across 12 payments and my car insurance is spread over 12 payments. Why does the BBC think it's special? Aaaarrgghhh!!

Anyone else have an issue with this?

NineDeuce

This is just for the first licence and to ensure they get the money.

Besides, most car insurance companies charge for two months within first payment and for one month thereafter.

Do I have a problem with this? No, I have more important things to be concerned about

Chappers27

Given that people are feeling the pinch, taking £24/m in advance rather than £12 a month is a problem for many people. This whole website is about streamlining finances and budgeting isn't it?

Why doesnt the car tax do it then? Car tax 12 equal payments. Council tax is 12 equal payments. Car insurance is 12 equal payments, if you ask for it. Just seems like the BBC is a special case, again!

AndyPK

its only recently car tax has been payable monthly.

iniltous

The payment for a TV licence if paid for monthly is really paid for over the first 6 months , so after the first 6 months 'this years' licence is paid for , you then start paying towards next years licence , so once you are on the monthly payment cycle , it's £12 a month thereafter, or whatever it goes upto when they increase the licence fee.
£24x6=£144, so after 6 months the first year is more or less paid for,the next 6 months after that you have paid in advance (6 X £12= £72) towards the following years licence and 6 months later that licence is paid for, and you start towards the year afters licence etc.
They give you a 6 month 'loan' for the first licence, you then give them the equivalent of 6 months licence fee £'s in advance after that.( so you are lending them a max of 6 months ££'s ) the alternative of course is just to pay he whole year up front.
Car insurance quite often add something to the price of the policy if you pay monthly, car tax ( I think is the case ) isn't just the yearly price divided by 12 , it's more , if you pay car tax in 2x 6 month chunks it used to be about £30 a year more

maisie_cat

I do wish people would stop using the term "rip off" for something that is in the small print and for which you have a choice of payment options before you buy

NineDeuce

Chappers27 wrote: »

Given that people are feeling the pinch, taking £24/m in advance rather than £12 a month is a problem for many people. !

Says who?....

spadoosh

Chappers27 wrote: »

Given that people are feeling the pinch, taking £24/m in advance rather than £12 a month is a problem for many people. This whole website is about streamlining finances and budgeting isn't it?

Why doesnt the car tax do it then? Car tax 12 equal payments. Council tax is 12 equal payments. Car insurance is 12 equal payments, if you ask for it. Just seems like the BBC is a special case, again!

Yes it is which is why it has an article that looks at the payment options of tv licence.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/tv-licence <

It makes people aware so they can budget accordingly. Im guessing the problem here is they cant make people look at the information.

This website has plenty of advice and solutions which should mean you can avoid being furious if you ever need to pay an extra £12 a month for 6 months.

Chappers27

It's the fact that the BBC are sitting on six months of credit from millions of people unnecessarily. I was furious. I've calmed down now :-)

Chappers27

maisie_cat wrote: »

I do wish people would stop using the term "rip off" for something that is in the small print and for which you have a choice of payment options before you buy

When you say 'people' you actually mean me.

Xbigman

They are not sitting on 6 months worth of credit. A TV licence is payable in advance. By allowing you to pay in six monthly instalments in the first year you are paying in arrears. They are helping you out.
In the second year they are asking you to pay 6 months in advance as well as 6 months in arrears. They are not doing anything to help you out or hinder you as this works out to be cost and budget neutral.

It might look like you are paying 18 months of TV licence fees in a year but it is because you failed to budget to renew your TV licence in the previous year that you need to consider these payment methods in the first place.
I do realize that some people have unexpected financial problems but there is nothing about the above payment plans that is not helpfull. There really isn't.




Darren