TV Licence article Discussion

spurs246

The BBC iPlayer has a convenient feature allowing you to "rewind" the live TV channel up to 2 hours. If I were to only watch with a 5 min delay (or 2 hour delay) would I require a licence? Technically I am not playing / recording content as it is being broadcast.

Cornucopia

TVL have previously issued guidance on this issue, and have stated that they would regard anything under 2 hours delay as potentially "live broadcast".

There's no legal justification for this view, but it helps to know what they say.

guestjim

I stopped having a licence because the Licencing had charged me for the arrears of the previous resident, when it id likely the house was empty.

As well as wind back when the programme is live you can sign on a little later than the start and use the watch the programme from the beginning option almost simultaneously but not live
Most ITV stations have a Play on Demand option for their popular repeated programs as they are live - e.g. Morse - and you can choose that option as it plays.
When the TV Licence Officer - sign of Fascism when every tinpot bureaucrat is called an officer - came I told him I've filled in the form, cheerio closed the door and they left. Don't get in conversation with them!
If you have an aerial attached to your smart TV it is for radio receiving.
Using playback is better anyway. Less adverts on commercial channels. Watch what you want when you want.

expat_mike

There seems to be some confusion over where the UK TV licence is legally required but lets try and clear this up.

Firstly, if you are capable of watching live UK television outside of the United Kingdom but broadcast/distributed from the UK via terrestrial, satellite or the internet, there is no legal requirement to purchase a TV license as you are not in the UK, its that simple.

Ex-pats living in Spain for example can watch all 5 channels for free via a Sky box and no licence is required or even enforceable. However you may need a large dish as a few years ago the BBC deliberately downgraded the signal strength on the SKY channels they use to prevent reception on a standard size dish. Ideally in bad weather, along the Costas you need a 6 foot dish to receive the signal adequately.

If you want live or catch up on BBC via the internet, you need to subscribe (sometimes free) to IP spoofing sites in the UK to fool the BBC internet servers into thinking you are actually in the UK as they check your IP address and if non UK they will block you. Again, a TV licence is not legally required outside of the UK and certainly is not enforceable.

The channel Islands is a difficult one as I'm not sure of its status regarding TV licensing but mainland Europe is not covered by the TVL.

Cornucopia

The Channel Islands have a TV Licence. You're right that there are complications; I believe Jersey has a £2000 maximum fine, and Guernsey only £500, or it could be the other way around.

jack121299

Do I need a TV License if we are a business? we do not watch TV at work but do have monitors that provide such facility. We received a call from the TV Licencing dept telling us we would face a fine if we did not purchase a license.

cornz

Detector vans and hand held detectors are a con. They do not exist. Not one person has ever been prosecuted on the strength of evidence from a detector. This is because the beeb have never disclosed how they work and as such are inadmissible as evidence. They are a psychological "threat" and nothing more.

cw18

jack121299 wrote: »

Do I need a TV License if we are a business? we do not watch TV at work but do have monitors that provide such facility. We received a call from the TV Licencing dept telling us we would face a fine if we did not purchase a license.

From what I can see I'd say "no", especially if you have no aerial or alternative means of receiving a live signal.

But it does mention 'customers' watching on site as well as staff, so I guess it depends on what kind of business you are - although I would expect customers to be covered by their home licence if they're watching on a tablet or such that isn't plugged into your mains.

If you're a staff only location then I'd perhaps consider covering yourself by getting staff to sign a form (that goes into their records) which states you've informed them that there is no licence covering the site, and as such they mustn't watch TV on any plugged in devices whilst on site.

Mecoconuts

What a load of BULL that Article is ......it has nothing to do with how you 'watch' TV but how you recieve it.

Here is the LAW :

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/legislation-and-policy-AB9#link1

If you can receive TV regardless of means then you PAY for it.

As usual MSE misinformation AGAIN......am not surprised members have declined over the years .....the websites a mess too.

Money Sponging Expert should be the new website name....to go with the previous owner.

expat_mike

I have an important question for some posting here, since when did UK legislation become applicable outside of the UK ? If I live in Spain, then Spanish law applies and NO Spanish law prohibits me from receiving, viewing or recording any TV signal received by me in Spain.