TV license/iplayer letter

[Shoe465]

I don't have a TV license as I don't watch TV.

I have netflix and Disney. And youtube.

All the arial wires in my home are cut at the wall and I don't watch any live TV or any catch up etc on Iplayer or any other terrestrial streaming account.

I've just got a letter saying they've detected someone using iplayer several times at my address and I have to buy a license now.

But we don't??

Can I ring them and ask for more information about when this happened and what was watched?

I do have teenagers but I can't imagine them wanting to watch anything on iplayer.

I got one of these. Turned out my son had watched a few things on iPlayer, not knowing we weren't supposed to. I just went on the TV license website and declared we didn't need one. And obviously told everyone not to go on iPlayer.

That was about 3 months ago and not heard from them again.

I would check with your teenagers first - they might have clicked on some content e.g. via the news website, without thinking.

I will ask.

If they have unknowingly watched something will I really have to pay now?

I mean for how long? Does them watching a show mean I have to pay for a year of license?

How long does the 'punishment ' last?

I mean we won't use it going fowards (I refuse to fund BBC out of principle too)

So how would we navigate it if they did watch something?

They're out right now but I'll text them

I'd also suspect the teenagers have watched something. Maybe the Olympics?

@Shoe465 it's a shame to prevent your children watching iplayer. The BBC at its best is a British institution worth encouraging children to appreciate, though I realise that, like any provider, they aren't always at their best, and the license isn't cheap.

If your children have watched it they would have needed to first answer 'yes' to the question "have you got a TV license?".

I don't have a TV licence, but DS has accidentally watched iplayer. I just explained to the grumpy man who turned up that DS has various disabilities and obviously doesn't know that we don't have a TV licence anymore.

Definitely not. They're into manga and comics not sport.

There was no punishment and I didn't pay anything. I just declared no license needed. And it was accepted. It's true, I don't need a license. It was a mistake.

Just got a text back saying 'no, no idea'

They have no interest in anything on there.

They have manga subscriptions and their favourite series on netflixs they watch repeatedly

They have autism

Thanks. I just redeclared as not needing.

If they contact again I'll ask for clarification of what was watched

Can you watch iplayer without a log in? I don’t have a log in and live alone.

but if you have a log in they can presumably see that so they should, in theory, know the answer.

I don't know. I don't watch it so don't know how it works

Could it have been a visitor to your house?

I’m pretty sure the Tv license website says that anyone who has a device that enables watching TV must have a license whether they watch or not. So practically everyone must have a license. Outrageously unfair and probably unenforceable but that’s what BBC is reduced to if it’s going to remain ad free. Personally I think the programme quality has dropped so low it’s time to wind it down as it’s turning into media’s poor relation getting by on handouts

I’ve only joined to say I had the exact same letter today and we don’t watch iPlayer either. I don’t even have a BBC account. Bizarre

Tv license people will send these messages to try their luck and hope people will buy a license. Its one of their scare tactics. Just ignore it. If you want to make sure then delete any old bbc accounts. I got one of these when my house was empty and i was living aboard. They are hoping it will scare you into buying a license. Check out chillijoncarne on youtube

I do watch the BBC and would most likely pay a subscription, but its outrageous that anyone who doesn't watch it should. Just make it subscription (not that Labour will). If it's so wonderful, people will pay. It's ridiculous in the 21st century.

Completely untrue. You need a tv license if you watch or record live TV on any channel. Or stream on iPlayer. You're fine without one if you don't do those things. It's very easy to declare no license needed. I think you have to renew every 2 years. I (legally) haven't had a tv license for 7 years.

The amount of people who still believe they must pay this ridiculous tax just because they own tvs is unbelievable. People need to opt out, or bbc should become a monthly subscription service.

It absolutely does NOT say this.

I have had the legal no license needed declaration for ages.

From the BBC

We contact customers who have declared that they do not need a licence but at the same time are shown from the information that we hold to be watching or downloading BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer on several occasions.

Our Privacy Policy explains that we may use data collected from other parts of the BBC or third-party suppliers to establish if you are using BBC iPlayer.

If you would like to see what BBC iPlayer use is associated with your BBC account, you can request a copy of your BBC account datausing your BBC account sign in details. This will include information on which programmes have been viewed and when. You’ll then receive a copy via email of the activity associated with your BBC account.

I just checked using an incognito browser, and was asked to sign in or register. You have to specify an email address to register, and they ask for your postcode, but not your name, full address or confirmation of license.

They do ask about the license at the point of use - not every time though. I think it's whenever you use the account on a new device, after which they probably store the answer as a cookie.

Many legitimate users won't have an email address that matches the obe of the TV license account.

I don't have a sign in though?

I just went to sign in to look and it says there's no account with that email