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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:
Roomba · 05/02/2019 17:42

I cancelled mine years ago as we never watched live tv and only rarely watched iplayer (this was back when you didn't need a licence for iplayer, I dont use it since the rules changed). Filled in the online form, no problems since. I've had a letter once every two years or so asking me to confirm online again that I don't need a licence.

Variousartists · 05/02/2019 17:43

So what are the options for tv without a licence and without sky? Are they difficult to set up?

RaininSummer · 05/02/2019 17:54

I seem to watch a fair bit of BBC output especially quizzes and drama series and also listen to radio 2 and 4. If this convo and fee was about itv then I would definitely give it up.

MyDcAreMarvel · 05/02/2019 17:57

Now tv is a good alternative to sky as it is basically non live sky.

meepmoop · 05/02/2019 17:58

We haven't had it for years and haven't missed it at all. We have an Amazon Fire Stick so watch Prime and Netflix mostly.

FinallyHere · 05/02/2019 18:06

In my late lamented bachelor pad, i had no tv. Used regularly to get letters from the tv licensing authority asking me to explain why i had no tv licence, options included recently moved but crucially did not include 'because i do not have a TV'. Honestly.

They would ask me to reply, explaining that it would reduce their costs if they only knew why i had no licence. Much that i cared about reducing their costs while there was no easy "i do not have a tv option ". Pah.

In my now twenty year relationship with now DH, i have had to give up something that gave me satisfaction. He has had a tv licence in his own name since he left home and sees it as a sign of adulting.

Reader, i married him anyway, which is a line JA never used. Ever. Trust me.

PenguinPandas · 05/02/2019 18:15

We recently moved to new house but still have old one until we sell it so moved TV licence to new address. Are now getting letters to old address from TV licensing saying we believe you are running a business which involves people watching TV from here and we are watching you and will inspect you. House has no TVs in it and certainly no business so Confused Phoned the number and told the ansaphone we don't have a TV but it said we can only accept your answer for 6 months.

EggysMom · 05/02/2019 18:17

We're going to ditch ours - the only reason I'm delaying is because it's too late to stop the next DD payment, so it's on the calendar for next week!

Ratbagcatbag · 05/02/2019 18:19

I use Now TV, it's easy to stop and start as I want (so adding cinema packs and taking them off again when summer comes). I just got a letter from them when I cancelled 6 months ago and nothing more.
I don't miss BBC at all.

dartitus · 05/02/2019 18:23

Thanks for the feedback, may be going with the nowtv box as mentioned once my subscription ends

Stinkinants · 05/02/2019 18:23

Nope, we saw the light about 7 years ago and just stopped paying it.. quite content with catch up ITV, Ch4 and 5, Netflix and Prime. BBC should either go subscription based or have adverts rather than expect people to pay their unfair tax.

Original poster
Plump82 · 05/02/2019 18:23

This is all really encouraging. We might consider Now TV as well later if we feel theres not enough on Netflix.

OP posts:
PARunnerGirl · 05/02/2019 18:24

Conditions:

If the TV show/ channel you are watching is live, BBC or not, you need the license. So watching through Sky or whatever else doesn’t matter.

If you use BBC iPlayer, you need the license.

If you only stream programmes from something like Prime or Netflix onto your TV, you don’t need the license. It’s not live.

LoniceraJaponica · 05/02/2019 18:26

In what way is the BBC biased? I don't watch programmes with political bias.

avocadoincident · 05/02/2019 18:35

What and have no Springwatch???

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/02/2019 18:54

We didn’t have one for four or five years. Never heard from them.

ForalltheSaints · 05/02/2019 19:00

I wish I could withhold part of the amount so I was not in any way paying towards the disgrace on the BBC that is Mrs Brown's Boys.

ivykaty44 · 05/02/2019 19:09

In what way is the BBC biased? I don't watch programmes with political bias.

How many times has Nigel Farrage been on question time ( his party didn’t even have an MP) compare that with any other MPonly Ken Clark matches it... but at least he had a seat in parliament...I guess

GummyGoddess · 05/02/2019 19:12

We have never been hassled, we got rid in 2016 after we moved house and then forgot to connect the aerial and realised we didn't miss it. They sent us a refund too.

Badbadbunny · 05/02/2019 19:14

I keep thinking about stopping it. As each year passes, I watch less and less live drivel and even less on BBC iPlayer. It's up for renewal in August and I've made a diary note to cancel it prompted from this thread.

TheQueef · 05/02/2019 19:17

Haven't needed one.
I will admit to watching live TV at Ddads but he has a licence.
It's dead easy now to watch everything on catch up and visit licensed premises to watch Call the Midwife while I do washing up.

Ifangyow · 05/02/2019 19:22

I've not had a licence since my T.V conned out a few years ago and never got replaced.
Neither me or my husband watch tv in any form such as iPlayer etc.
A couple of years ago we had a tv license man turn up. We had already written to the licencing withdrawing implied right of access. When the man knocked on the door, my husband immediately started filming him. I've never seen anyone leave my garden so fast. They HATE being filmed. It's a surefire way to get rid of them. 😂
Never heard anything from them since.

Lightheart · 05/02/2019 19:22

I tried to ditch mine but got told if I have a tv that is able to watch Iplayer I still have to pay ?? I need to look into it more but the men who knock on and check scare me tbh

Ifangyow · 05/02/2019 19:24

Conked not conned.
Though conned could be a good description of the tax they call a licence.

LoniceraJaponica · 05/02/2019 19:27

I see the superior "we never watch any form of TV" posters are online now.

Do they never watch any kind of visual entertainment - YouTube, cinema, theatre, opera? Or are they far too busy following intellectual pursuits?