Do I Need a TV license?

Sea_Fossil

I spend most of my time away from my property,  mostly down under with my boys (Men).  On my return from my last trip I had decided to dispose of the TVL and stick to Netflix and Amazon.  The letters started to arrive so I eventually phoned them and left my details etc on their automated system, but to no avail, so I wrote to the Darlington address stating the obvious but still got another letter more threatening than the previous ones even though I told them in my the letter I do not watch or record live etc.  I also stated that I was taking legal advice with a view to taking action for the distress and anxiety they had caused with their threatening letters during this traumatic time.  However Leaving my property for any reason is certainly not an option until I get my vaccine.

Cornucopia

It can take several weeks for TVL to stop sending their noxious letters, even under normal circumstances.  

I wouldn't worry about the letters - they are not personal, and contain an awful lot that is not true, not specific to you, or just plain fakery designed to create a misleading impression (and yes, to instill fear in the public).  

jon81uk

Mickey666 said:

The crazy thing, of course, is that there is a lot of BBC content on Netflix that can be legally watched without requiring a TV licence!  The whole licencing thing is no longer fit for purpose and gives government a huge problem with how to fund the BBC.  I wouldn't be surprised to see a general 'household tax' introduced to fund the BBC, though I can imagine the controversy it will cause.

Yes but you pay Netflix to watch those older shows. Same as we used to pay HMV for a DVD of them. Don't need a license to watch DVDs either.

fatbeetle

I'd also like to convince the BBC that I do not watch broadcast TV at home, (mainly because I do not.) I'm getting the threatening letters now, but have not contacted them as this may give them a foot in the door. Short of tearing out the aerial and other wiring, how do you do it?

Rodders53

fatbeetle said:

I'd also like to convince the BBC that I do not watch broadcast TV at home, (mainly because I do not.) I'm getting the threatening letters now, but have not contacted them as this may give them a foot in the door. Short of tearing out the aerial and other wiring, how do you do it?

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence

Just tell them, using their own official process.  Then they will stop sending letters for a bit.  Then repeat.


Or make a rod for your own back.

Xenon

fatbeetle said:

I'd also like to convince the BBC that I do not watch broadcast TV at home, (mainly because I do not.) I'm getting the threatening letters now, but have not contacted them as this may give them a foot in the door. Short of tearing out the aerial and other wiring, how do you do it?

You do not have to convince them of anything - if you are not watching live tv (and there is no way for them to know unless they get a warrant to enter your property).

Simply bin the letters and if someone comes to the door - either ignore them or tell them to go away (and remember you do not have to speak to them or disclose any information).They are nothing more than salespeople who have zero legal rights to enter your property.

wild666

If you want to listen to the radio channels through your TV, maybe because it's not a smart TV, go into the settings and choose the option to delete or skip each live TV channels. 
Then if you ever decide to let a goon in, maybe because they have a warrant and are accompanied by plod, anyone who presses for a live TV channel, maybe BBC1 would get the last radio channel the set was programmed to. 

jacyoung2103

I could do quite happily without watching the BBC or any channels live.  What i do watch live via the internet is county cricket streamed direct from the ground by the club, it's not shown on Sky or any of the TV channels.  i can't figure out if this counts as live TV, does anyone know?

Cornucopia

jacyoung2103 said:

I could do quite happily without watching the BBC or any channels live.  What i do watch live via the internet is county cricket streamed direct from the ground by the club, it's not shown on Sky or any of the TV channels.  i can't figure out if this counts as live TV, does anyone know?

If it's not available on a linear TV channel via Freeview, Satellite or Virgin Media cable, then it doesn't require a TV Licence.

Jaybee_16

If you pay for a TV Licence by direct debit, remember to cancel the mandate with your bank. I didn't.
About three months after cancelling the TV Licence, a random amount was taken from my account. Phoning my bank revealed it was TV Licencing who decided to start the DD again. Bank refunded and closed the debit mandate.