TV Licence article Discussion

Cornucopia

enfield_freddy wrote: »

is it the property , or the person watching that is "taxed" ?

The property. However the offences relate to people.

I ask , because it states that people over "whatever age" are except ,

as it clearly states "a person" , is it the property or the person watching?

In this case, it is a property within which someone over 75 lives. (And the Licence is free no matter how many younger people live with them).

enfield_freddy

Cornucopia wrote: »

The property. However the offences relate to people.


In this case, it is a property within which someone over 75 lives. (And the Licence is free no matter how many younger people live with them).

umm , is that written into the act?

Cornucopia

enfield_freddy wrote: »

umm , is that written into the act?

Which bit?

The Licence relating to a property is determined by the BBC under the terms of S.364 1(a) & 2(c).

The Offences relating to people are in the wording of the two offences at S.363 (2) and S.366 (8).

Marvel1

My TV licence ends 31/10/15, same time as Rugby World Cup, if I cancel today, am I ok until the 31/10/15?

Cornucopia

cjdavies wrote: »

My TV licence ends 31/10/15, same time as Rugby World Cup, if I cancel today, am I ok until the 31/10/15?

How do you pay?

If you paid annually by cash, you can just let the Licence expire on 31/10. Nothing more to do.

If you pay quarterly or annually by DD, you'll need to contact BBC/TVL to cancel, and they should simply let the underlying Licence lapse on 31/10 (you may have to remind them of this).

If you pay monthly by DD or by a cash payment plan, then you need to contact TVL to cancel, and you should also receive a refund of your over-payments (up to £72). With this option, you should be able to cancel on 31/10 itself, because the payment account and the underlying Licence are separate.

Marvel1

Cornucopia wrote: »

How do you pay?

If you paid annually by cash, you can just let the Licence expire on 31/10. Nothing more to do.

This is how I paid, thanks.

[Deleted User]

cjdavies wrote: »

This is how I paid, thanks.

In that case, my advice is to let it expire, then have no further interactions with them.

Mark_Rogers

Reading back through some of this thread is quite scary, as it is clear that aside from the money - these guys really, REALLY want you to own and watch a TV. Hence all the bullying and scaremongering even for people who don't want a bloody telly in their home, its almost easier to pay and be done with than to be harassed regularly via post and visits.

And in you have a license, you might as well have a telly. And if you have a telly, you might as well watch it.

I will have to pay for a license for the first time soon and am seriously considering against it, you can get everything you want on the Internet nowadays.

But I am not sure if I have the bottle to go through it all. As has been mentioned, these guys sound like a mindless bunch of goons.

Will it become a case of my word vs theirs if it goes to court? How could they possibly prove that I have used my telly to watch live TV? Will they listen outside my window for the Coronation St. theme tune? Do I have to disconnect my aerial, or remove all aerials entirely? Etc, etc.

Its a long thread and I've read through about 10 pages or so, the general consensus seems to be refuse them entry and not to self incriminate. But is it really as easy as that? It seems there's some uncertainty about how they actually catch people.

It would be good to hear from more people who have actually been prosecuted by TV Licensing.

EssexExile

Mark_Rogers wrote: »

How could they possibly prove that I have used my telly to watch live TV?

Well if you haven't, they can't.

WannaBLoaded

Mark_Rogers wrote: »

Reading back through some of this thread is quite scary, as it is clear that aside from the money - these guys really, REALLY want you to own and watch a TV. Hence all the bullying and scaremongering even for people who don't want a bloody telly in their home, its almost easier to pay and be done with than to be harassed regularly via post and visits.

And in you have a license, you might as well have a telly. And if you have a telly, you might as well watch it.

I will have to pay for a license for the first time soon and am seriously considering against it, you can get everything you want on the Internet nowadays.

But I am not sure if I have the bottle to go through it all. As has been mentioned, these guys sound like a mindless bunch of goons.

Will it become a case of my word vs theirs if it goes to court? How could they possibly prove that I have used my telly to watch live TV? Will they listen outside my window for the Coronation St. theme tune? Do I have to disconnect my aerial, or remove all aerials entirely? Etc, etc.

Its a long thread and I've read through about 10 pages or so, the general consensus seems to be refuse them entry and not to self incriminate. But is it really as easy as that? It seems there's some uncertainty about how they actually catch people.

It would be good to hear from more people who have actually been prosecuted by TV Licensing.

I've never had a tv license.

And i watch telly all of the time.

The simple answer is, in my own experience, unless you answer the door, let them into your property and give them your name, there is nothing that they can do.

But i live in a second floor maisonette so they can't even get in to knock my door lol.

If you live in one of those houses where you lounge is onto the street and you leave your curatins open they may see and take a picture or something, but even then i think that they need your real name to proceed with court. It is no good them guessing who lives there.

As every letter i have ever recieved over 10 years or more from them is addressed to legal occupier, this leads me to believe that they can't use council records as evidence of who lives at the address etc.

Ultimately i think it is one of those acts where you have to self incriminate for them to be able to do anything.

They are not allowed into your home unless you let them in and they can't get you to tell them your name.

Even if they were to call the police, for example, and the police actually turned up, you don't even have to let the police in.

My life motto is going to be !!!! the tv license, they can !!!! off.

I don't think i will ever have one unless i end up living with someone who is likely to let the morons in when i am not there and land us in hot water.

even the fine is pathetic

i have saved more over the years than their maximum fine so i would still be in profit.

Don't be scared though.

Also, i used to live in a property where the mail went onto a matt in the porch and i lived there for like 8 years. If they visited they would have seen the mail while i was at work and been able to pick it up and read the name. But again, i don't think they could use that as evidence either lol.