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Original poster

Has anyone cancelled or considering cancelling their TV licence?

143 replies

Plump82 · 05/02/2019 15:57

We rarely watch live TV and have Netflix so are considering cancelling our TV licence. I know we can't watch Iplayer but looking on the TV licence website it seems we can more or less watch everything else on catch up.
I know we can declare not needing one online but will we get hassled with people knocking at our door?

OP posts:
VanillaSauce · 05/02/2019 16:00

Yes, we stopped 10 years ago. They send us a letter asking if we need one again and we reply no. Sometimes get a bloke at the door and we tell them where to go.

Crustaceans · 05/02/2019 16:02

I cancelled mine years ago. I’ve never had anyone at the door or any issues whatsoever. I in no way miss live tv or iplayer.

If someone came to the door, I’d just tell them I didn’t need one and they should go away. I’m not worried about anyone appearing though.

Original poster
Plump82 · 05/02/2019 16:04

I think we'll do it. Its due to be renewed in a week or so, so its a good time to get rid. We pay it in a oner. Wonder what we can do with the money instead!

OP posts:
BiglyBadgers · 05/02/2019 16:09

I haven't had one for years and years. Every now and again I fill in a form saying I don't need one and that's it. I once had some inspector come round, but he was very nice and seemed very apologetic about the whole business. That was years ago though.

MyBreadIsEggy · 05/02/2019 16:11

Cancelled mine a few years ago.
We don’t even have a tv aerial on our house (thankyou, shite military housing contractors who must not be named!).
I’ve had a few letters, so I emailed and politely invited them to come round and inspect my roof, they would see there is no tv aerial affixed Grin

PattiStanger · 05/02/2019 16:12

No, I watch live TV and use iplayer a lot so will continue to pay

PARunnerGirl · 05/02/2019 16:14

Yes, I cancelled it. You tell them online and they will likely send you a couple of letters asking if you are SURE you don’t need one. I called them and told them to stop this because it was so wasteful (paper, postage, delivery etc) and that was that.

I pay for the BBC I use in other ways (I.e. they don’t give Netflix Luther or Peaky Blinders for free!) and they are not the pillar of unbiased media that they (apparently!) used to be. The license fee system is also a disorganised racket and needs a complete overhaul throwing out

MouseUtopia · 05/02/2019 16:17

Yes, we don't need one so just fill out a declaration online every couple of years.

We haven't had anybody at the door yet, but they're not coming into the house if they do.

NiceJumper · 05/02/2019 16:18

Not had one for about 15 years. I ignore their every attempt to scare, threaten or gaslight me. The rare occasions I've had an inspector at my door, they get it closed politely in their faces.

I occasionally see what's on offer on the BBC when visiting my mum, and it looks as shite as ever.

Variousartists · 05/02/2019 16:19

I’m thinking of getting rid. I can’t think of anything on the bbc that I watch and I read the news online. Just wondering if I can do without watching shows live and will monitor that over the next few weeks.

Crimebustersofthesea · 05/02/2019 16:19

We didn't have one for a few years as we never watched live TV. Never had any hassle from them. When they changed the rules re I player we got one though. I'm sad and like masterchef and the apprentice

pickledparsnip · 05/02/2019 16:26

Haven't had one for over 10 years, and rarely miss it. Go for it!

LoniceraJaponica · 05/02/2019 16:29

No and no. Unlike most mumsnetters I do watch BBC TV.

For me and my family it represents good value for money.

Kemer2018 · 05/02/2019 16:33

I'd like to ditch this.
I've got Amazon firestick and virgin on t.v.
Do i need a licence?
What conditions must I meet in order to give it up?

LoniceraJaponica · 05/02/2019 16:35

As long as you watch no live TV, whether it is on a TV set or streamed on a device and no BBC iPlayer, then you don't need a licence.

happysunr1se · 05/02/2019 16:36

I haven't got a TV license. I don't watch regular TV.
I only watch streamed anime so I use my TV in the living room as a computer monitor. I have no other TVs.

I've had to fill in an online form to say I don't need a licence and the inspector comes round every few years.
The first time I was happy to show him the TV. He turned it on, saw it wasn't tuned in and was hooked up to the PC tower, no problem.

The second inspector, a few years later, I offered to show the TV aswell but he said no need and just went away, again no problem.

Sometimes when I visit family I catch a glimpse of regular TV and I'm happy to remember that I'm not exposed to commercials and my dd isn't exposed to stuff like toy or junk food adverts or annoying shows like paw patrol.

LoniceraJaponica · 05/02/2019 16:40

I don't watch TV commercials either as I record most of what I watch, and can zap through the adverts. Of course there are no adverts on BBC anyway.

YetAnotherUser · 05/02/2019 16:45

I haven't had a licence for a few years. My Freesat box stopped working, and I suddenly realised that almost all of the TV I was watching was available on catch-up or streaming services and I had no need for a licence.

Then they brought in the iPlayer rule, which did make me reconsider, but I quickly came to the conclusion that it just wouldn't be worth £12 a month for the very little I watched on the iPlayer.

I've not had anyone knock at the door yet, just sent off the letter that tells them I don't need a licence.

Hwgaaaaa · 05/02/2019 16:46

I canceled about 8 years ago now. I don't let them come in at the door, but it's only happened twice and the letters they don't send as long as you make sure to retell them thay you still don't need it every 2 years.

WitsEnd2018 · 05/02/2019 17:23

What are the conditions for not having to pay the TV Licence?

WitsEnd2018 · 05/02/2019 17:24

I don't like the BBC, it's so biased

Hwgaaaaa · 05/02/2019 17:27

What are the conditions for not having to pay the TV Licence?
No live TV watching of any channel
No BBC iplayer usage.

HariboBrenshnio · 05/02/2019 17:33

We recently got rid. We use an amazon fire stick with Netflix, Prime, HayU plus ITV, Channel 4 & 5 on demand. We don't miss BBC. We had to call them to stop them sending letters though even after we told them twice online we didn't need one.

dartitus · 05/02/2019 17:35

I just wanted to ask you lovely people; I have Sky (which obviously costs me a bomb) but we literally don’t watch BBC, it’s either sky sports or sky series, Netflix, Amazon etc.
My question is can you have sky but cancel your tv license? Anyone know the rules on this?

Hwgaaaaa · 05/02/2019 17:40

My question is can you have sky but cancel your tv license?
No the TV license covers all live TV not just the BBC.

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