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Original poster

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

165 replies

YoGatoradeMeBitch · 01/08/2015 14:42

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!

OP posts:
Roomba · 02/08/2015 10:37

I registered that I don't need a licence online about three years ago. I got a letter confirming the registration, then absolutely nothing at all for two years. They wrote to me after two years to check whether I still didn't need a licence, and I just had to reregister online. No one came to check, no hassling letters, nothing. Easy!

Charlesroi · 02/08/2015 16:38

One of the things that really gets to me is the presumption that I'm on the fiddle and I have to inform them that I'm not (you can't just put in the address, you have to give name, phone, email too. I'm not going to give that information to an organisation I have no business relationship with).

I shop in Asda at least 3 times a week. I've never had to inform the manager that I haven't helped myself to his premium champagne, nor has he ever come banging on my door like the police on a drugs raid to demand £145 - just in case I've been applying the 'five fingered discount'. It's very wrong.

DadfromUncle · 02/08/2015 17:03

I gave up live telly over 2 years ago - at first they started with all the threats etc, despite me filling in the "I don't need a licence" thingy (I really don't).

I emailed them opining that it was harrasment and they should pack it in - and asking for the formal complaints procedure and a full explantion. To my surprise they responded by apologising and leaving me in peace. They also claimed the reason they were hassling me was that some detail in my declaration was different from the stuff I gave them when I had a licence so, in spite of me having had the same name and address for the 9 years I've lived here (and a licence in my name for the first 7) they assumed I was someone else - yeah right.

Someone upthread claimed Just as a fyi to be careful though as govt trying to push through legislation if not done already that you'll need to have a license if watching live on a device other than a TV

I think this isn't correct - the govt may allow BBC to require a licence for people watching BBC on catchup, but they have no hope of making us pay a licence to watch Netflix or even Youtube content - surely unenforceable.

GraysAnalogy · 02/08/2015 17:05

I've done this for a few years, they send letters about coming checking but never do. They won't be gaining entry anyway. They can see my TV from the door, that's all they're getting.

Changeasgoodasis · 02/08/2015 17:08

You already need a license if you ever watch live TV on any device. You don't if you only watch catch up. I wondered if they are going to start trying to demand access to people's devices. I once moved into a new place and someone came knocking the next week as the person before had not had a license and they were following up from them. It was a lone bloke and there was no way I was letting him in.

DadfromUncle · 02/08/2015 17:20

Changeasgoodasis No, you need a licence if you watch any live telly from any source.

Given how practically unenforcable the current rules are (in reality they depend upon people incriminating themselves or someone lying), I find it beyond belief that "they" would want to (or have the workforce to) take a look at everyone's tablets etc - it's never going to happen.

DeeWe · 02/08/2015 17:22

The first thing that will happen s they send about 2 letters a month saying you need to contact them and declare no licence needed. This is despite you having done so immediately on receiving the first, and getting an email confirming the after you have complained about the second.

I have suggested recently that maybe they can send an inspector round who can listen to the complaints of my hard done by children about how they are deprived of modern essential living by the lack of a licence, but I will be refusing to bother responding to the letters in future on the basis they ignore the response anyway.

TheWatchersCouncil · 02/08/2015 19:17

Charles - precisely. I am not required to prove I am not practising medicine simply because I do not have a licence to practice medicine in this country. Nor am I required to prove I do not possess a dog just because I do not have a dog licence. All sorts of things in life I do not have to prove I do not do or have and the regulatory authorities concerning those activities and items do not hound and harrass me insisting that I am doing something wrong. Yet with TV licences it is apparently different.

terrifiedbytvlicenseman · 03/08/2015 11:01

I've name changed as this will out me to my MN friends.

I had a horrific experience where a TV license guy pretended he was a policeman, pounded on my door late one night and was shouting through the letterbox that it was the police and they were going to kick my door in if I didn't open it. It was at a time (post 7/7) where muslim households were being raided and I thought it was our turn. I was alone in the house with three young kids and had bad PND so my anxiety levels went through the roof at the thought of me being taken away and the kids being left with a stranger.

When I opened the door the man said he was a TV license guy, and when he saw how distressed I was he said they were allowed to pretend to be the police in order t get people to open their doors. He then said he was going to look around the whole house, I told him he was welcome to but I would not be going after him (I was standing at front door with it wide open at the time) he said he was not allowed to go around the house alone so would just look in reception rooms in the ground floor.

This was years ago, I am so angry at myself that I did not have the strength to report him, but I still feel really jittery when I hear a "loud" knock on the door.

Madmum24 · 03/08/2015 11:08

I wonder how many prosecutions are carried out annually for people who are caught without a license?

We only have forrin TV (satellite) but do not access any english channels, so do I still need a license?

I was told that the act of owning a TV (even if it doesn't have a plug on it!) is reason to need a license, so this thread is proving to be very educational.

GraysAnalogy · 03/08/2015 11:09

Oh my I can't believe that happened to you that's awful. DP would have drop kicked him off our doorstep. I really wish you could have reported him at the time, what a prick :(

Roomba · 03/08/2015 11:42

That is horrific! There's no way in earth that they are allowed to pretend to be police officers. And even the police need a warrant to enter your home.

I'm wondering why I've had such an easy time of it compared to you lot. I wonder if it is due to my ex running his business from my address in the past? Maybe they think it is a business address or something hence the lack of follow up? Not that I'm complaining.

specialsubject · 03/08/2015 11:59

I operated 'no licence' for a while, never watching anything live. Declared it, got a couple of black bordered letters then nothing.

to reiterate the correct info here:

  • ownership of a TV is irrelevant
  • if you watch ANY broadcasts LIVE on ANYTHING, you need a licence. Doesn't matter what channel.
  • watch delayed and you don't need a licence
  • Capita (the 'they' of all this) are a company with a long history. They have no right to enter your home without a warrant.

let's hope this nonsense is sorted soon, ideally with 'packages' so I can pay for the decent stuff and not for endless cooking, no-talent shrieking, blubbering while wearing sequins and so on.

Coffeemarkone · 03/08/2015 12:04

OK I admit I have a criminal record for this.
I was called to the magistrates court on the same morning as Mark Bridger.
There was a massive bank of TV cameras there, you can imagine.
I put up my hood and pled guilty on paper, just to get away.
I hate the BBC.
BTW I did not sign anything. Apparently that makes no difference.

DadfromUncle · 03/08/2015 12:06

Totally agree with specialsubject who has summarised the current (slightly odd) situation perfectly.

I would cheerfully pay for BBC radio, especially if they could make the national stations less London centric, but I don't miss flopping down at TV to find yet another cooking/property/antiques/property/soap/sport/talent (sometimes combined) programme - none of which I have the slightest interest in. I was also sickened by the massive payoffs the BBC was doling out to all it's chums who had fallen out of favour.

bloodyteenagers · 03/08/2015 12:17

Cannot find last recent figures.. Mm they are supposed to be released yearly.

Anyway 2013,
122,686 women were prosecuted and 106,932 convicted. That compared with 55,099 men prosecuted, and 46,024 convicted

They have also had to pay out in 2013, £100,000 compensation to 2,500 people harassed and wrongly persued.

DadfromUncle · 03/08/2015 12:49

Suspect (but have nothing to prove) that the vast majority of convictions were like Coffeemarkone - i.e. guilty plea. As observed elsewhere on thread - detector vans "evidence" has never been used to convict anyone. Of the people who pleaded not guilty and were convicted (if any) I suspect they must've been caught "red handed" - observed by the man from Crapita watching cash in the attic by him peering through the window.

I am not in any condoning breaking the law, but the fact is, if people knew their actual rights, the TV licence would be virtually unenforceable - like many other laws it relies on general acceptance, a degree of ignorance of the actual laws (like that myth about needing a licence just to own a telly), and, ironically, a lot of offenders confessing.

DorisDazzler · 04/08/2015 02:50

I haven't had a tv licence in years and I DO watch live tv.

I doubt any person ever has been caught red handed. What usually happens is the occupier engages with the capita rep and incriminates themselves. People are asked to sign a declaration acknowledging they have no license , and they wrongly believe they have to sign it. If they had the power to prosecute they would. They need proof of wrongdoing to get a prosecution , and most people unwittingly provide it for them.

It's simply not enough for a capita rep to go to court and say I saw Doris watching tv through her window. The burden of proof is on them and without a signed confession / my name / actual evidence there is no proof. Capita reps have no authority. They are simply reps. People are under no obligation to speak to them or allow them into their property.

www.tvlicenceresistance.info/forum/

Coffeemarkone · 04/08/2015 10:46

good post Doris.
However I should say, that I never signed anything, and still got taken to court. 'Refused to sign' they said. thing is, I HAD admitted my identity. Bad mistake.

DadfromUncle · 04/08/2015 10:59

Doris Totally admire your honesty. I haven't any real way of knowing, but I suspect there is an element of prejudice and lack of knowledge of the law amongst magistrates too. They seem to thjnk that accused of something is the same as guilty. Just as one example, a magistrate signed a warrant for a utility company to kick my door in once (they didn't). This all related to a previous occupant of a flat I was renting for a job away from home. Clearly the process was "we need to kick this door in, sign here" without any examination of any of the facts.

Lasvegas · 04/08/2015 11:12

The fact is that watching ANY broadcasts LIVE on ANYTHING, means you need a licence.

How can they prove you are watching something live? do they spy through the window and see what you are watching? if you are watching catch up then go away if live take a photo of you in your house watching something live? isn't this spying through a window illegal?

GraysAnalogy · 04/08/2015 11:31

I like how they say they have these vans that detect. I have never seen one of these vans. Nor do I know how they'd work. I don't think they exist

areyoutheregoditsmemargaret · 04/08/2015 11:50

I'm glad you all think it's so admirable to watch TV without a licence. Even those of you who only watch Netflix etc, do you never listen to BBC radio? When the BBC is gone, you will miss it.

LemonySmithit · 04/08/2015 11:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GraysAnalogy · 04/08/2015 11:51

I've had this argument on another thread.

I don't watch or listen to ANYTHING bbc. I won't miss the BBC at all. Not everyone has this love for the BBC and clings to it like a comfort blanket.