TV Licence - Not needed status will be cancelled

Saffypig

I don't have a TV licence, as we don't watch live TV.
However DD nicks my tablet to watch Prime & Netflix etc, and unbeknown to me she watched a few shows on iPlayer.  My fault, as i am that person who leaves their password saved in my apps.

I received a letter today stating my no needed status will be cancelled, as their records show usage of BBC iPlayer. So i assume they will look to backdate me and ask for payment for a licence? 

Where do i stand, as yes she used it a few weeks back, (I have now deleted the account), however we still do not watch live TV, so i don't want to pay for a licence.
Can i offer to pay for a couple of months, or just set up a new payment, let it run for a couple of months, then cancel it again? 
Anyone else been in this situation?  TIA

tacpot12

It would be best to buy the license online and immediately cancel it. They should ask you why you are cancelling and can explain the situation. This should result in you getting a refund for 11 months (assuming that DD used first used your account less than a month ago).  

You might have a look here: How we work out refunds - TV Licensing ™

Jenni_D

I don't know enough about this to be able to advise, but @Cornucopia might.  

pbartlett

I suspect if you do nothing then nothing will happen, other than you getting the usual monthly letters everyone gets if they don't have a licence and haven't said they don't need one.

In any case, they have no way of knowing if the iplayer was used at a premises with a licence eg a friend or parents etc

Wait a few months and then re-instate the not needed status

PRAISETHESUN

It's just a tactic to try and scare you into paying for a license. Nothing will come of it. They certainly can't fine you or force you to pay for a license as they have absolutely no proof.

All they know is that a BBC iPlayer account was used to watch something and the email addresses associated with that account has also registered a "no license needed" declaration. They have no absolutely no proof that it was used at your address, or even that it was you who watched it. I would personally just ignore it, and I certainly wouldn't bother paying for a license if you don't need one.

You can either renew your declaration or just leave things as they are. Nothing will come of it either way. If TV licensing ever do visit, you have no legal obligation to talk to them let alone let them into your home anyway, so just close the door in their face and leave it at that. Nothing they can do if you don't incriminate yourself.

Saffypig

Fantastic, thanks all.  

Cornucopia

Jenni_D said:

I don't know enough about this to be able to advise, but @Cornucopia might.  

Some excellent answers already given.  

I'd agree with signing up for a Licence for a month.   I wouldn't advise getting into a discussion about the circumstances with TVL call centre staff, though.   There's no need - changing your mind is a good enough reason to get a Licence and a good enough reason to cancel.