Answering "no" to all questions on TV licensing website but it still says I have to by a license?

Neil_Jones

tallac said:

The TV license survey is trash. The first 4 questions are phrased along the lines of:
"Do you or does anyone in your household ever watch ..."

Then the final 2 questions are phrased like:
"Can you confirm that you and your household never watch ..."

So if you don't need a TV license then you have to answer No for the first 4 and Yes for the last 2. They effectively switched the question from a positive phrasing to a negative one.

Either this is intentional to make it more difficult to fill in the form or it's just really really bad user experience design and the person who created that layout needs to be fired!

Maybe reading before clicking is a skill worth honing.

tallac

Neil_Jones said:

tallac said:

The TV license survey is trash. The first 4 questions are phrased along the lines of:
"Do you or does anyone in your household ever watch ..."

Then the final 2 questions are phrased like:
"Can you confirm that you and your household never watch ..."

So if you don't need a TV license then you have to answer No for the first 4 and Yes for the last 2. They effectively switched the question from a positive phrasing to a negative one.

Either this is intentional to make it more difficult to fill in the form or it's just really really bad user experience design and the person who created that layout needs to be fired!

Maybe reading before clicking is a skill worth honing.

And for you, maybe worth honing the skill of not being a douche bag to other forum members.

Cornucopia

tallac said:

Neil_Jones said:

tallac said:

The TV license survey is trash. The first 4 questions are phrased along the lines of:
"Do you or does anyone in your household ever watch ..."

Then the final 2 questions are phrased like:
"Can you confirm that you and your household never watch ..."

So if you don't need a TV license then you have to answer No for the first 4 and Yes for the last 2. They effectively switched the question from a positive phrasing to a negative one.

Either this is intentional to make it more difficult to fill in the form or it's just really really bad user experience design and the person who created that layout needs to be fired!

Maybe reading before clicking is a skill worth honing.

And for you, maybe worth honing the skill of not being a douche bag to other forum members.

Neil may not know that TV Licensing are probably being deliberately obstructive to the Public seeking to access this public service, and that the service itself isn't legally required.   It's completely unacceptable, but no one seems to have any sway over the BBC.

tallac

Cornucopia said:

tallac said:

Neil_Jones said:

tallac said:

The TV license survey is trash. The first 4 questions are phrased along the lines of:
"Do you or does anyone in your household ever watch ..."

Then the final 2 questions are phrased like:
"Can you confirm that you and your household never watch ..."

So if you don't need a TV license then you have to answer No for the first 4 and Yes for the last 2. They effectively switched the question from a positive phrasing to a negative one.

Either this is intentional to make it more difficult to fill in the form or it's just really really bad user experience design and the person who created that layout needs to be fired!

Maybe reading before clicking is a skill worth honing.

And for you, maybe worth honing the skill of not being a douche bag to other forum members.

Neil may not know that TV Licensing are probably being deliberately obstructive to the Public seeking to access this public service, and that the service itself isn't legally required.   It's completely unacceptable, but no one seems to have any sway over the BBC.

Yep agreed. I honestly think it's them making things difficult by flipping the positive/negative wording midway through questions. 

It would be like having this:

Please check the box to indicate your marketing preference: 
[ ] You can contact me via email
[ ] You cannot contact me via phone

forgotmyname

We did the NLN a while back but now ignore them. They seem to get worse with their threats and appear to be purchasing email data
from 3rd party data collection companies and sending letters stating you have been watching iplayer because they linked an email
address to your physical address even if it was a previous occupier.  BlackBeltBarrister did a video on it.

I cancelled Prime as well and they don't send me threatening letters.   Maybe they should stop the threat letters and send true advertising
junk mail showing what people maybe missing.

tallac

forgotmyname said:

We did the NLN a while back but now ignore them. They seem to get worse with their threats and appear to be purchasing email data
from 3rd party data collection companies and sending letters stating you have been watching iplayer because they linked an email
address to your physical address even if it was a previous occupier.  BlackBeltBarrister did a video on it.

I cancelled Prime as well and they don't send me threatening letters.   Maybe they should stop the threat letters and send true advertising
junk mail showing what people maybe missing.

I always thought filling in the NLN form meant tv licensing crew would not knock on my door. I know they are not allowed into the house unless I invite them but still don't want that hassle. I also saw the black belt barrister video which I found very good.

km1500

they can still visit and 'check'

but you are right -;you don't have to let them in

tallac

km1500 said:

they can still visit and 'check'

but you are right -;you don't have to let them in

Recently, I've been using my video doorbell more to screen unrecognised folks. If it is someone I don't want to answer to then I tell them I'm not at home and then ignore anything else they say.

FlexDream

I had a letter from TV Licensing and used the url tvl.co.uk/notv and answered correctly, and the website said I didn't need a TV licence BUT still wanted me to pay a 'one off' processing fee!

That's ridiculous, and instead I used another URL www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence which is more legit and doesn't charge. I think I can see what's going on here.

If you don't need a TV licence you can (but don't need to) make a declaration.
If you do make a declaration there is no cost for this.
You can use www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence.
Any site which attempts to charge you e.g. url tvl.co.uk/notv should be ignored and you should not pay.

Incidentally, if I now revisit tvl.co.uk/notv it knows I have now made a declaration out at www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence so it clearly is an integrated part of the TV Licensing 'operation'. 

Cornucopia

FlexDream said:

I had a letter from TV Licensing and used the url tvl.co.uk/notv and answered correctly, and the website said I didn't need a TV licence BUT still wanted me to pay a 'one off' processing fee!

That's ridiculous, and instead I used another URL www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence which is more legit and doesn't charge. I think I can see what's going on here.

If you don't need a TV licence you can (but don't need to) make a declaration.
If you do make a declaration there is no cost for this.
You can use www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence.
Any site which attempts to charge you e.g. url tvl.co.uk/notv should be ignored and you should not pay.

Incidentally, if I now revisit tvl.co.uk/notv it knows I have now made a declaration out at www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence so it clearly is an integrated part of the TV Licensing 'operation'. 

BBC/TV Licensing doesn't and cannot charge a "processing fee" for routine administration of a TV Licence.  

Both of the URLs above resolve correctly to the TV Licensing website.

The most likely explanation is a minor typo in the URL leading to a scam website - and TV Licensing is one of the UK organisations that is used in scamming attempts.