Cancelling TV license

Something needs to be done, either get rid of it completely and make it subscription or have it that everyone pays like a tax, at the moment we have this weird half a job where you can sort of cancel it but not really, which must be costing lots, employing the likes of Capita to administer it

But that's just your subjective opnion
How hard is it to grasp different people like different things ?

Maybe it should just be lumped in with tax, so if you pay tax it's just part of the system, the problem with it is they have given a little bit of choice regarding it as you can cancel it but not without a lot of bother so there is endless debate on it on places like MN.

I doubt Reform or any party really would get rid of it if they actually assumed power. The BBC is state corporate television and soft power, that is good at appearing to be impartial but is anything but. It is too useful a tool to be dispensed with. Oh they'll pretend to threaten cutting it but Conservatives have never got rid of it despite knowing it would be an easy vote winner.

Reform are a party without internal coherence. Dispense with a mighty arm of British soft cultural influence? No. They'll at best demand it 'reform' to a vision more in-line with their external vision. At very best.

It's here to stay. It does broadly represent British culture in a sea of American offerings which is a plus in its favour I suppose.

Haha. Do you also believe that a tree will grow in your stomach if you swallow an apple seed. 😅

Maybe write to your MP, the only party that had it in their manifesto to get rid of it was Reform, it will be coming up for renewal in 2027.

The 'just self report and fill in the online form and they'll leave you alone' is simply not true for everyone. This is a myth alikened to that of the detector vans.

For some people, this action triggers constant 'Has anything changed?' letters with warnings that they may still be inadvertently watching live TV or contravening the terms of not needing a licence like watching Iplayer and the harassment starts for the first time once they identify themselves formally to the BBC and announce that they ought to not to be paying. For others the second it lapses they are harassed. You have told them you know what the rules are and so they feel it's easier to catch you breaking them having previously been aware of them.

I was very aggressively and repeatedly (3 x in two weeks) doorstepped by a man who was quite intimidating, just a few months of not renewing the declaration. This happened about 5 years ago. At the time I was sick, struggling with work and had no money and something like just £12 to live on weekly after bills. It was one of the worst and most stressful periods of my life. I explained this, but the inspector didn't give a toss and tried to force me into agreeing and signing up to a weekly direct debit. In fact he did put the fear of court into me so that I did sign up because he refused to go away, but I later phoned, complained and canceled which was long drama in itself although I later got an apology.

What people don't realise is when they come, unless you shut the door immediately, they treat any attempt to refuse them entry as default for watching live TV and start the threats to send you to court right there on the doorstep. The awful man who came to me said: if you're not prepared to let me in I have to assume you are watching live TV and watching Iplayer.

My mistake was admitting I still had a SmartTV with iplayer capability (built in) It didn't matter after that what I said. Truthfully the TV was a Panasonic, and they no longer put out system updates meaning Iplayer didn't even work (which is why I even mentioned it, thinking that would be sufficient proof to leave me alone). But he simply stated that he couldn't assess the veracity of what I said without letting him in. He even put his foot in the doorway to prevent me closing it. Which being a non-confrontational person I would have found difficult to do anyway.

TV was off the majority of days with me only watching the odd pre-recorded American based program - usually Pickers - but this was turned against me also as it meant I must have an outside aeriel and therefore be watching live TV.

Now I currently don't have a TV, having borrowed it to someone who hasn't returned it and I haven't pushed for it back. I don't miss it at all. I have Amazon Prime and barely watch anything on that either, at best 3 programs a year. I just like the quick deliveries.

This time having been burned previously, I simply let the letters come then bin. No drama about it. Saving myself from drama actually.

They produce an absolute ton of varied
content on multiple mediums. I can’t believe that it’s possible to write it all off as “rubbish”.

You should announce to the tv licensing webpage and then you're fine. Easy peasy.

Imagine the uproar if Amazon or Netflix sent threatening letters to people accusing them of watching their content illegally and threatening to send people round to their home to come in and check?

Why are people saying to just fill out the declaration and if you don't that means you are enjoying the drama of not declaring it lol there is no drama at all 🤨 I don't have a license and I haven't declared that I don't need one and I don't stand by the front door waiting for someone to knock to challenge me about it so I can kick off about why I don't need one lol I just shut the door and that's it. I could fill in the declaration but honestly I can't be arsed and it's a non issue

Fill out the declaration, reconfirm online every 3 years that you still don't watch live television. They don't hassle you.

Do you watch live TV though ?
If not what on earth would you buy a licence. .

After moving to the uk the bbc app is the only paid for one I watch. Don't have any live tv as never worked it out here 😂

Netflix is appalling now so that's been cancelled after 13 years. Had Disney for free for 12 months, none of us watch it so won't renew. Still have Prime as it's linked to my account but haven't watched anything on there since Bosch about 7 years ago...

Most used are C4 and BBC.

British TV watchers absolutely spoiled with great content.

We don’t have one but I’m going to get one literally just so I can watch the Olympics!

I personally think that the licence fee is well worth it for all that you can get from the BBC - although I treat it purely transactionally and, whilst I enjoy a lot of their content, I certainly don't love the BBC at all, nor swallow the propaganda that they are impartial. Of course, others will very much not think it is worth it at all.

That said, it is outrageous that you have to pay the BBC if you only watch live TV from other providers, whom you are already paying by watching/enduring their adverts.

I also agree that it's appalling to demand that people tell them if they don't use their services. Their bullying, lying tactics (were they ever prosecuted for corporate lying with their TV detector van fairytales?) should be illegal, and I'm amazed that they aren't.

It's all very well saying to just tell them if you don't need a licence and they'll strike you off their list and leave you alone; but this very rarely happens. You see it that you're telling them you don't need to pay; but they see it that you have stepped up a gear from just not contacting them to officially lying to them, because they cannot get it into their thick, arrogant, bullying heads that anybody might choose not to buy and use their services.

Much as I like traditional TV transmissions, at least this should finally come to an end once all TV is streamed and you can just subscribe (or not) and enter your account details and password.

My ex husband paid for TV licence and obviously transferred it to new his new house when he moved out. I didn't bother getting new one and got a letter about every two weeks for six months then one day actually got visit from TV inspector! I wasn't in but they left hand written note and I had nosey at security camera.
I did actually have smart TV that for long boring reasons to do with cables buried in wall was still capable of live TV so I now have a shiny new TV licence.

Only of you watch it many people don't and think its a load of rubbish.

I told them ages ago I don't watch live TV, I barely watch TV netflix ect in general but yes they keep harassing you now I'm just the "legal occupier" so they go in the bin

Why can't the BBC be an opt in service instead of opt out?

Why are they allow to harass people for not subscribing to their service? You don't get it from any other content provider.

Or avoid all that unnecessary drama and reams of letters by just telling them when you stop paying that you don’t need one, and that’s the end of it.

I swear some people just want to create some kind of unwarranted ongoing personal conflict about this, which is completely avoidable.

This. No need for any drama. Just cancel it, do the declaration and move on with your day.

I love the BBC and watch a lot of content including BBC sounds and radio. You get an awful lot for your money..

We canceled 3 years ago haven't heard anything since. Still watch itv player and the 4 one which toys allowed to do just not iplayer. And Disney and netflix which together come to about the same as tv licence but much better. Can't stand the bias and london centric worldview of bbc if I want current affairs I watch gbnews on YouTube.

I got caught without a tv license years ago. They told me in a letter what time I (actually my idiot brother who was staying 😅) had been watching live tv and what channel. It was spot on.