TV Licence article Discussion

6xate

We only return to the UK and use our property for up to 3 months of the year. Is there any way in which we can avoid paying the whole years license fee?

Cornucopia

Two options:-

1. Buy a licence and then get it refunded after 3 months. TVL only refund full quarters, so you'd need to apply to get it refunded just before 3 months are up.

2. Only use catch-up services. If you never watch/record TV broadcasts, you don't need a licence in the first place.

Callie22

Cornucopia wrote: »

2. Only use catch-up services. If you never watch/record TV broadcasts, you don't need a licence in the first place.

Although that's not what the tv licensing people would like you to think. We don't watch tv, but the latest letter that I got from them stated, in big letters at the top, 'whatever you watch, however you're watching it, you need a tv license'. Written to mislead, I think ...

Cornucopia

They are well known for it.

Ihateconmen_2

I'm confused. It says here that if you're a lodger you don't need a separate licence, but on the tvl website it says you need a separate licence unless you are related to the owner of the current licence or share a tenancy or mortgage with them. Does anyone know what the correct information is? I'm about to become a lodger so I need to know whether I need to keep my own licence or not!

Cornucopia

Have we discussed lodgers?

TVL make (up) the rules, and the rule for lodgers is about the most extreme of all their rules. There is no basis in law for a lot of what they say.

I'd be tempted to put the TV receiver (Sky box, for example) in the common part of the property and use a cable to take the signal into the lodger's part of the property. A Sky box has a remote-control extender built in.

Ihateconmen_2

Sorry, what do you mean by it being the most extreme of all their rules?

Thanks.

Cornucopia

Pretty much everything else makes sense, or has an element of compromise to it. But a lodger is living as part of the landlord's household, so why force them to get a licence for their own TV?

As an example, a Hotel will pay (much) less per room than a lodger. Why?

Donny-Lass

I filled in the required information on the TVL web site saying we didn't watch live TV so didn't need to buy a licence. I was told by email that I wouldn't be bothered for 2 years.

I had a TV inspector visit at 7pm last night, told her that I didn't watch live TV that my TV was not plug in. She didn't believe me and asked to come in and check. I refused and said that was the end of the conversation. She then replied with so I will get a warrant, I said crack on.

Will she need to have police officer with her to gain entry to my house if & when she returns with a warrant?

cw18

Not necessarily

The following quote is from http://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/tv-licensing-rights-of-access.html


"If a goon turns up with a search warrant then it is an offence to refuse them access. We are aware of two recent cases where the occupiers, who had previously been listening to "Freeman of the Land" mumbo jumbo, thought they were immune from prosecution if they refused to consent to a search warrant execution. Both of those occupiers were subsequently convicted of search warrant obstruction.

The warrant will allow them to search for and inspect television receiving equipment - it does not give them carte blanche to search through personal documentation or anything like that.

In theory the warrant permits TV Licensing to force entry to conduct their search if the property is unoccupied or the occupant refuses to answer the door. In practice it is TV Licensing policy not to force entry in these circumstances, but to return later and make further attempts to execute the warrant.

They will usually be accompanied by the police, who are only there to prevent a breach of the peace. However, be aware that search warrants are granted to TV Licensing and there is no legal requirement for the police to be present when they are executed. The police should not provide any assistance to TV Licensing with the actual search.

TV Licensing search warrants are exceptionally rare. If you're legally licence free, as we hope all our readers are, then you should never need to worry about the threat of a search warrant. If TV Licensing ever do turn up with a warrant then you are well within your rights to film them and we strongly recommend you do."




BTW: The letter confirming they've received your declaration states they will contact you again in 2 years (was actually 22 months for me), but that they MAY send an inspector around during that time. I've been license free since the end of 2010 and haven't yet had a visit despite them being informed of 3 TV purchases in that time (they've written to me after each notification and I've just confirmed I still don't use a set to watch live TV)