TV Licence visit? What next

Swan_2

Wig wrote: »

They don't need to be detuned, it is only the act of "using to recieve TV programs" that is illegal without a licence, The fact an appliance is capable.../tuned or detuned is irrelevant

that's certainly handy to know, one less job to do

I think I read that you should do that on one of the sites where I first learned that I didn't need a license for gaming & DVD use, perhaps they suggested it as a belt & braces approach?

two_sheds_2

I haven't had a TV for 3 years. I got threatening letters every few months - I phoned them up to explain I don't have a TV and they are welcome to come in and have a look - they won't make an appointment, so always turn up when I'm out ... the letters seem to have stopped now.

It is a waste of time communicating with TV Licensing, because they don't believe anything you say.

Blacksheep1979

Bamber19 wrote: »

ok, choose to ignore the fact that if you never speak to them you have absolutely no chance of ending up in court, and as i said, when you actually speak to them it makes no difference, you still get the accusing letters through the door, there was a thread on this not too long ago. It's not about rights it's about not being bothered by people who wont listen to you anyway as they believe everyone has a television and uses it to watch broadcast programmes.

ok fair enough you're right - if you ignore them you won't end up IN court but you will have court bailiffs turning up at your door as happened to a friend of mine. Well actually they turned up at my door as we'd moved into his house (student flats n all).

If you bury your head in the sand it doesn't make the problem go away or people less likely to take court action.

Broke_Student

Student halls must be the worst offenders! We get 100's of letters come in on the same day every month. Nobody replies to any of them - they go straight in the bin!

:rotfl: :rotfl: "As of 5 November 2005 Room B is under investigation by the TV Licensing National Enforcement Division" :rotfl: :rotfl:

The view here is what are they going to do? Get permission to step onto campus, tailgate someone through the outer security door, break through the flat door and knock on the bedroom door to find nobody there or get told to f-off. Then the resident changes after a few months...

Their threats are pretty confronting on paper. Last year there were some that went along the lines of "Someone will enter your room within 2 days" :eek: .

I've been told a story about how they actually did visit one of the smaller off-campus student blocks last year. Everybody saw the guy and dumped their TVs into the room of the one person who did pay:D . He found no TVs and the person with 20 TVs left their door open for him to see on the way out. Don't think he was too impressed!

udydudy

Not at all. I had a TV in my rented flat 2 years back, when a friend was shifting and wanted me to keep it for a year. I was using it to watch films using a dvd player.

To be safe I sent an email to the licensing authorities and they kindly replied that as long as there is not recieveing equipment attached (e.g. antenna, dish or set top box) then there is no need to have a licence.

My advice is anyone who wants to use the TV to watch only movies should send the licensing authorities an email declaring the same and then even if the TVL agents visit they will not bother you if you show the email reply as long as you do not connect it to a set top box or antenna. remembeer their van equipment can pinpoint whether you were using it (i.e if you remove and hide the antenna) whilst they were parked outside your house!!.

I am not sure how this applies to the new flat screen TVs with built in free view facility.

If I still have that email on my computer I will paste the wordings here for anyones reference.

happyevs wrote: »

I remember reading on my licence This licence doesnt gaurantee picture quality so if you have a TV you have to pay whether you watch or not the licence is for alowing you to have a TV at that Address

Bamber19

adouglasmhor wrote: »

I am sure that your links about BROADCASTING licenses are very interesting to you, but they are a bit irrelevant to the discusion. And I like most people find them pretty boring, did you google up some links without reading them?

You think the Wireless telegraphy Act is irrelevant to this discussion???

Wig

Swan wrote: »

that's certainly handy to know, one less job to do

I think I read that you should do that on one of the sites where I first learned that I didn't need a license for gaming & DVD use, perhaps they suggested it as a belt & braces approach?

They suggested it because it was disinformation put out by TVLA. People who used to phone up TVLA, used to ask
do I need a licence...?
TVLA: Not if you don't use it for receiving....
Joe Public: But if an officer comes to my house how will he know?
TVLA: detuning it and removing the aerial would be ok.

In reality if an officer comes to your house, you can
a) shut the door in his face
b) tell him you don't use a TV for recieving programmes
>>b1) Refuse him entry when he asks if he can just take a looksee
>>b2) Show him in and show your TV (which will be more than likely set up just for dvds only)

- but he can't turn on the TV and change the channels and plug in the aerial which may be lying on the floor, and search for a "tuned in channel" and say "Ahh Ha Mr Jones, I have found a tuned device, this means you must have been watching Coronation St"

Point is they have to prove you were watching live broadcast transmissions. Anything else is hogwash.

Canny_Geordie

maninthestreet wrote: »

If the tuner in the TV is still functional, then a licence is required.

Quite right, you are not paying for the TV itself but the receiving equipment within it. If it were just a monitor, like a computer monitor, it would have NO receiving capabilities!

Doesn't matter what you say it is used for, you still need a license!

Wig

Fruitcake wrote: »

This subject keeps coming up here.

PART 4
LICENSING OF TV RECEPTION
363 Licence required for use of TV receiver

(1) A television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence under this Part.


368 Meanings of "television receiver" and "use"

(3) References in this Part to using a television receiver are references to using it for receiving television programmes.


Note the wording in Section 363 paragraph (1), "installation and use."
Not "installation or use," it says "installation AND use." In other words the Law says you only need a licence if it is installed AND you use it. If it is installed but you don't use it, you don't need a licence. If it isn't installed, you don't need a licence.

Also note the wording in Section 368 paragraph (3), "using it for receiving television programmes." If you are not using it to receive television programmes you do not need a TV licence. If you are using it for anything else, as a pot stand, to play games, to play pre-recorded programmes, to listen to a radio broadcast, you do not need a licence.

Almost right IMHO

Statutory Instrument 2004 No. 692The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004


Meaning of "television receiver"
9. - (1) In Part 4 of the Act (licensing of TV reception), "television receiver" means any apparatus installed or used for the purpose of receiving (whether by means of wireless telegraphy or otherwise) any television programme service, whether or not it is installed or used for any other purpose.

(2) In this regulation, any reference to receiving a television programme service includes a reference to receiving by any means any programme included in that service, where that programme is received at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public by virtue of its being broadcast or distributed as part of that service.

****************

Interestingly para (2) is referring to the new condition which makes internet "live TV" illegal without a TV licence.

Wig

Canny_Geordie wrote: »

Quite right, you are not paying for the TV itself but the receiving equipment within it. If it were just a monitor, like a computer monitor, it would have NO receiving capabilities!

Doesn't matter what you say it is used for, you still need a license!

Quite wrong actually. No you don't need a licence, I suggest you read my post above this one.