TV license (Telling us you don't need a TV license form_

wilkko73

I haven't got a tv license as  on demand content from Neflix and sometimes Amazon Prime and also some youtube content,we don't use BBC i player or ever watch any live content.
I have had a new declaration e mail today from the Tv license people and one of the questions it asks is Do you or does anyone in your household ever watch TV on any TV service? For example, on:

   
I'm wondering why they had asked this and why haven't they mentioned well known services like Amazon Prime and Netflix or are Amazon Prime and Netflix/youtube not what they are thinking of in the TV service question? do I answer yes or no to that question?

p00hsticks

I'm guessing that those listed are services that offer the BBC channels as part of their basic packages ?
I'm not sure how it's relevant to whether you need a TV licence or not though

oldernonethewiser

If you don't watch any live TV or use iPlayer then the answer is, no. 

Historically Amazon, for example, did not show live TV, now it does eg football. 

Watching that live would require a licence. 

Much simpler for those not needing a licence to not bother communicating with TVL. 

PRAISETHESUN

"Live" content in the context of TV licensing comes down to is the program you are watching being broadcast on a terrestrial TV network at the same time. Live sports or news coverage falls under this, whilst on demand stuff from the likes of YouTube/Netflix/etc does not. Ultimately I think it's a bit of a underhanded tactic on the part of TV licensing to try and panic people into buying licenses they don't actually need.

If you know you don't need a license then I wouldn't bother engaging with them. If you do make a no license needed declaration to stop the monthly junk mail rocking up, then make sure you use a throw away email account and definitely don't provide your name. If they turn up on your doorstep then a simple "no thanks" is all you should ever say to them.

Olinda99

good answer - but what is the reason for not providing your name ? they can probably get that from for example the electoral roll if they wanted it

PRAISETHESUN

Olinda99 said:

good answer - but what is the reason for not providing your name ? they can probably get that from for example the electoral roll if they wanted it

I mostly just like to make their "job" more difficult. If they want to go through the effort of trying to put a name to my address they are more than welcome, difficult since I'm not on the open register and haven't any reason to have provided my info the BBC in the past.

oldernonethewiser

The monthly letters I get are still, years after I moved in, addressed to "The Occupier"

Never felt the need to respond to any of them so into the recycling they go.

Cornucopia

Olinda99 said:

good answer - but what is the reason for not providing your name ? they can probably get that from for example the electoral roll if they wanted it

If they don't have your name, and you don't provide it if they pay a visit, then it is impossible for them to prosecute (whatever other evidence they might think they have).   Looking it up on the Electoral Roll isn't enough to form a court summons.

The correct answer to the OP's question is: no.    If you were to watch TV broadcasts, you would need a Licence.   

One of the reasons why people advise against submitting the No Licence Needed form is because TVL have turned it into a misleading questionnaire about whether you need a Licence or not, when presumably you already know you don't need a Licence because you wouldn't be completing their form if you did.

powerful_Rogue

oldernonethewiser said:

The monthly letters I get are still, years after I moved in, addressed to "The Occupier"

Never felt the need to respond to any of them so into the recycling they go.

No doubt like me, years later you are still in the final stages of their investigation with the letter still being addressed to the occupier!

PRAISETHESUN

powerful_Rogue said:

oldernonethewiser said:

The monthly letters I get are still, years after I moved in, addressed to "The Occupier"

Never felt the need to respond to any of them so into the recycling they go.

No doubt like me, years later you are still in the final stages of their investigation with the letter still being addressed to the occupier!

Mate, surely the BBC, being the quality establishment that they are, would not drag a fair citizen such as yourself under the bus without sufficient evidence. I dare say that their "investigation" is taking such a length of time because they want to make sure that they are  treating you fairly and want to make sure that at the end of the day that justice shall prevail.

Cornucopia

Being the BBC some of their words don't mean what you might expect (having checked a dictionary).

Some examples:-

"Investigation" - a flag on the database that's called "investigation".  Nothing more than that.

"Visit" - coming to a front door preparing to be ignored.

"No Licence Needed declaration" - not a declaration, just a bit of extra personal data that they don't even treat with respect.

"Live TV" - TV broadcasts NOT all live video content.  

And so on.