TV Licence article Discussion

Watchkeeper

No. The licence is for watching/recording programmes at the time of transmission. If you don't do that, you don't need a licence .

Cornucopia

... or using iPlayer to obtain BBC content.

You don't need a TV Licence to watch BBC content obtained through Youtube, Netflix, Amazon, UKTV player etc.

wymondham

Are Capita still visiting addresses during these times?  You could just cough?

[Deleted User]

wymondham said:

Are Capita still visiting addresses during these times?  You could just cough?

They shouldn't be as you shouldn't be entering other people's homes at the moment.

Nick_C

People are being charged with assault for deliberately coughing at others in a threatening way - and rightly so. 

veganpanda

wymondham said:

Are Capita still visiting addresses during these times?  You could just cough?

Thanks, that gave me a well needed laugh😀

Britannia12345

Why do you have to pay 6 months in advance if you pay by direct debit? That means they have 6 extra months of peoples money sitting in their accounts. Surely people paying by direct debit are the ones who can least afford to pay? 

[Deleted User]

Britannia12345 said:

Why do you have to pay 6 months in advance if you pay by direct debit? That means they have 6 extra months of peoples money sitting in their accounts. Surely people paying by direct debit are the ones who can least afford to pay? 

Because it's all a con.

cw18

It doesn't really make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

If I paid annually they'd have all my money as it came due.

By paying by direct debit, they get the money for the first one split over 6 months instead of immediately (so you get to hold on to your money a bit longer).    You then start to pay for the next one, with 6 months up front and 6 months in arrears.   That menas that as it's due for renewal they only have half your money instead of getting it all.   They then get the rest over the next 6 months.   Even with it otherwise invested in an interest paying savings account it still wouldn't make a lot of difference.   I can start paying monthly now and get interest on what's left in my account each month over a year, or I can keep it all in my account for 6 months earning interest on it all and then give them the lot meaning no new interest (other than on the pennies remaining in the account from the interest earned in the first 6 months).   The interest you'd earn wouldn't be much different, but you have to be able to resist the temptation to dip into that account for anything other than paying your licence fee.

And it means they get your first payments over 6 months rather than upfront (so it's not all available for them to spend), and then by the time the next is due they only have half your money to spend rather than all of it.   I don't see that they benefit, other than you're less likely to forget to pay.

I don't think there used to be any choice other than paying it all up front (I certainly paid my first few that way, and I'd have spread anything I could have due to not having a great cash flow), so I was more than happy to pay this way for my later years.

Britannia12345

It seems unfair though on people who are struggling to pay as they have to pay double for the first 6 months. That is a lot of money to someone struggling on a low income which is I suspect why a lot of people don't have a licence. It's all very well the BBC saying it's only so much pence a day but when you have to find £26 a month for 6 months that is a lot of money. They should have a more flexible payment plan and not charge for quarterly payments either.