Declared that I don't require a TV licence. What's expected if they inspect my property?

[YoGatoradeMeBitch]

I've done a declaration online to say i don't need a TV licence since we only use Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. Its says online they may come and check. Anyone had this?

I don't mind them coming to check but I'm wondering how invasive it is? Will they want to check rooms for tvs etc? Really don't want a stranger in my bedroom!

We don't have our own TV Licensing over here. And the guys that work on the ferry knows the van.

so as soon as it gets on the ferry to come over, the guys on the boat phone their friends who pass it around the island that the tv licensing lot are coming over.

So back in the old days people just used to hide their tv in a cupboard apparently

For some years the wretched TVLRO had no record that my flat exists and if we bought a new TV a neighbour got bothered and chased about it. So since then I have paid cash and given a bogus name and an address in my own street but a number one greater than exists and the post code of the highest number there is. Whether they are sending letters to that address I don't know and I don't care: I have a licence which i can produce if called upon.

I have always understood that the purpose of the vans was to encourage people to go and buy a licence. Since they used to run around during the day at a time when the only daytime television was schools broadcasting I doubt if they could detect anything!

So you have to pay and have a licence just to watch normal everyday TV? Sorry not from UK

Never sign anything either. Even if they tell you you have to. Don't sign.

Yes LunaMay and we get the BBC without adverts. Long may it continue.

And viewers abroad (mainly in Ireland) watch for nothing and viewers in some parts of the UK (mainly in NI) watch Irish TV for nothing and BBC Radio is free. And the sky doesn't fall in.

There is an argument for the licence fee depending on the number of TVs but it would be hopelessly intrusive to enforce.

One visit in 5 yrs, they just kind of looked around a few rooms & left again. I suspect the true evaders panic making it easy to tell that they need to look harder.

When we moved to our current flat we found the aerial didn't work, and the LL had no plans to fix it as we could subscribe to a communal satellite/ Sky service. Since we watched little TV we decided to stop watching live at all, cancelled the licence and completed the declaration.

TV Licensing turned up within two weeks, I think. Pissed me off straight away by ringing the buzzer and demanding to be let in without telling me who he was/ where he was from. I had to ask several times before he'd tell me what it was about. I offered let him in to inspect/ show him the aerial didn't work but he refused to come in, and told me he'd probably keep coming back every few months regardless!

I didn't think of it at the time, but there's no point in inspecting us anyway. Yes we could prove we don't watch live TV through the aerial, but that wouldn't prove we don't watch it online and I've no intention of showing them my internet history as proof. So if he does come back I won't be letting him into my home unless he has a warrant.

I sent a reply saying that if they could get my TV to work I'd gladly buy a licence, I never heard from them again!

I'm not surprised. The government are probably shitting themselves that if everyone cottoned on to the loopholes, the BBC would go broke in no time

Be prepared for a lot of hassle by post though. I haven;t had a TV for over 10 years. No matter how I declare that I do not require a TV Licence because I have no TV and do not watch live programming, I have still received the onslaught of letters. They start off as polite reminders that become more threatening in content and tone - talk of fines, court action, etc etc, and then usually end up with a statement that they have completed their investigations and are about to take it to Court and that the judgement will be final and binding. It's unpleasant and unnerving, even when you know you are in the right. So be prepared. As I say, phoning them, writing to them, online declaration didn't manage to stop it. I did put an end to it by making a written formal complaint via their customer services department. I actually got an apology. But I confidently expect it all to start up again at some point.

Text - you already require a Licence if you watch live programming on ANY device.

And that includes live programming that originates outside the UK.

I think they are bloody cheeky fuckers.

I've stopped watching TV because of these idiots. The sooner they make BBC an opt in thing the better, I'd rather watch paint dry than any one the drivel they produce.

I've just been given an enforcement order . For not paying my tv licence (not itentionally, just circumstances made it hard)

I only watch catch up and netflix, does this mean i dont need one?

And how do they know??!

You don't need a license to watch Now Tv if you only watch its catch up programmes.

However, it does have Live channels which you would need a license

I don't think there's a way to turn them off either

yes luna. but it's (mostly) good telly.

If you do not watch live programming, then no.

We gave up our TV when the digital switchover in early 2012 made our steam-drived set obsolete. I informed the licensing people on line, and heard nothing till late in 2012 when I had a knock at the door and it was a very pleasant man, almost apologetic, showed his ID and I invited him in to see we had no TV. He was surprised, as he said most people kept a TV to watch DVDs. Told him we watch DVDs on the laptop, and a maximum of an hour a week on i-player.

He went away happy and said we might get a visit in about a year or so, just to check things hadn't changed, but have heard nothing since. No threatening emails, letters etc. No more visits. Nothing.

A friend who hasn't had a TV for over 25 years gets regular nasty letters from them, but no visits.

Pushapush that doesn't sound right , what happened ?

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/legal_requirements_and_rights_re

You need a licence if you are watching or recording TV as it is broadcast. It doesn't matter whether you are using a TV, phone. tablet or PC. That's ANY live TV - not just the BBC.
TVL detector vans may exist, although I have yet to read any coherent explanation of how they work. The BBC refuse to give any info on how they work or how many detectors vans exist, but estimates suggest there are about 5 of them and they dont work anyway , the rest contain a pizza box, sleeping bag and a wank sock. The handheld devices are bollocks too. PDAs with fancy graphics.

You do not have to let the salesman officer into your house unless he has a warrant and is accompanied by the police (TVL procedures say they must have the police with them when executing a warrant). TVL/Capita salesmen officers get paid a £20 commission if they con sell you a licence, so please don't think they are just doing a job. Honesty doesn't pay. Well it pays minimum wage, I suppose, which is why it is wise not to trust the sods.

Never, ever speak to them. If you do speak to them (apart from 'No thank you' ) for Gods sake don't sign anything. Ever. Don't give them your name. (NB it is not illegal to give them a false name, but I really wouldn't talk to them)
If you do get raided they are only allowed to search for tv receiving equipment. And they can't go rifling through your smalls drawer or your bills, unless they're big enough to hide a tuned in, functioning tv. They are not allowed to search your PC, phone, tablets etc (unless they have a warrant under ROIP Act. They won't have) Make sure any TV is disconnected from the aerial and internet, or they may be able to get a live station up and you'll be committing an offence (or they can argue you are). They are NOT allowed to connect the TV up themselves, or ask you to do so (because that would be breaking the law).

Seriously - if you really don't watch live TV the safest option is to not communicate with them in any way. If you follow this simple guideline you have more 100s of times more chance of being burgled than TVL/Capita turning up with a search warrant.

You may have gathered that I am seriously fucked off with the threatening, abusive, duplicitous bastards and I can't bloody wait for the day when they scramble the BBC signal and we can all pay for what we actually watch. Just like I do with Netflix.

Crikey. I have no idea what some of you do to wind them up so much. 10 years, no telly, 2 visits and 2 letters. All very matter of fact, just checking the situation had not changed.

No threats, no duplicity. I always gave my name, signed their piece of paper, let them in to see for themselves, they always said who they were, showed ID. Even when we did have a telly, for the Wii, we showed them what was connected to, told them that the Wii was not enabled, they were happy with that. No angry anything, just a smile, a thank you and an explanation that we would get another visit/letters as a matter of course.

If you do ignore the letters they do get escalated. The default assumption is that you do have a telly. So ignoring them is, in my experience, the wrong thing to do!