TV Licence- AIBU?

[Namechange10002468]

Name change as I'm sharing some personal financial background here.

OK- so in October last year we really had to tighten our belt due to DH redundancy. We basically cut everything that wasn't absolute necessity. We could only afford to keep one TV based/entertainment thing and decided to keep Netflix at 5.99/month over TV licence which was £13.25/month and at the time we hadn't watched anything live or on BBC iplayer for 5 months.
We are now thankfully in a slightly better place with finances- although nowhere near where we used to be- and would like to renew our licence so DCs can have Cbeebies and also so DH can watch all the football. We logged on expecting to be able just renew and go back to paying the £13/month. Except the website refuses to allow us to renew on any payment option other than a £159 annual payment.
AIBU to think that, considering so many people since Covid have found themselves in financially difficult times, it is really unfair of the BBC/TV licencsing people not to be offering affordable payment options for those wishing to purchase a license? I actually feel so angry. We do not have £159 to give up front and to be able to do so would mean other bills going unpaid, less food in the shopping for the next couple of months or going into a overdraft that charges interest.
Interested to know others' thoughts on this because right now I want to fire off a stinking complaint to them.

We stopped ours about a year ago and would never go back to it.
I won't support an organization that bullies elderly people and makes misleading threats on letters. They are absolutely disgusting and I can't believe the way they carry on is legal.

Sorry, rant over lol

That's really shit. If they want to stop It being used like an adhoc service they could have you commit to a year but pay monthly.

Have you tried phoning the number they supply? There’s are some Options to pay little and often which they might be able to help you with over the phone.

It says on the website that you can pay in monthly installments

@ScottishNewbie

We stopped ours about a year ago and would never go back to it. I won't support an organization that bullies elderly people and makes misleading threats on letters. They are absolutely disgusting and I can't believe the way they carry on is legal.

Sorry, rant over lol

Hi , i am thinking about cancelling mine , i feel exactly the same as you . Have you stopped watching tv all together ? I'm trying to find away round it , we watch free view mainly ,very rarely the main channels , especially bbc . I begrudge every penny i pay them .

Historically You have always had to pay in advance. So you pay a full year straight away, and then the same year pay monthly for the next one

Looking at the site you can pay the £159 over 6 months then start paying towards the next one

Call them

Have you tried starting a new application rather than renewing? Just try with a different email address.

@tsmainsqueeze
The more we make a stand against them with our money, the quicker they will be forced to change the way they do things. It's the most criminal acting, but legal organisation ever. Can you imagine if they were an insurance company? There would be a national outcry.

We mostly watch Netflix and Prime to be honest. If there is something BBC we desperately want to watch then we stream it. I know it's wrong, but I just can't stomach giving them my money.

[quote ScottishNewbie]@tsmainsqueeze
The more we make a stand against them with our money, the quicker they will be forced to change the way they do things. It's the most criminal acting, but legal organisation ever. Can you imagine if they were an insurance company? There would be a national outcry.

We mostly watch Netflix and Prime to be honest. If there is something BBC we desperately want to watch then we stream it. I know it's wrong, but I just can't stomach giving them my money.[/quote]
You'll have to stomach giving them over £1k when they find you!

That was meant to say fine you

[quote ScottishNewbie]@tsmainsqueeze
The more we make a stand against them with our money, the quicker they will be forced to change the way they do things. It's the most criminal acting, but legal organisation ever. Can you imagine if they were an insurance company? There would be a national outcry.

We mostly watch Netflix and Prime to be honest. If there is something BBC we desperately want to watch then we stream it. I know it's wrong, but I just can't stomach giving them my money.[/quote]
Absolutely agree , you have given me something to think about .
Only the bbc says its wrong !!
I have paid for a licence without fail for almost 30 years but their arrogance and bullying is totally unacceptable.
I just don't want to be harassed by them , do they hassle you ?

@Namechange10002468

Name change as I'm sharing some personal financial background here.

OK- so in October last year we really had to tighten our belt due to DH redundancy. We basically cut everything that wasn't absolute necessity. We could only afford to keep one TV based/entertainment thing and decided to keep Netflix at 5.99/month over TV licence which was £13.25/month and at the time we hadn't watched anything live or on BBC iplayer for 5 months.
We are now thankfully in a slightly better place with finances- although nowhere near where we used to be- and would like to renew our licence so DCs can have Cbeebies and also so DH can watch all the football. We logged on expecting to be able just renew and go back to paying the £13/month. Except the website refuses to allow us to renew on any payment option other than a £159 annual payment.
AIBU to think that, considering so many people since Covid have found themselves in financially difficult times, it is really unfair of the BBC/TV licencsing people not to be offering affordable payment options for those wishing to purchase a license? I actually feel so angry. We do not have £159 to give up front and to be able to do so would mean other bills going unpaid, less food in the shopping for the next couple of months or going into a overdraft that charges interest.
Interested to know others' thoughts on this because right now I want to fire off a stinking complaint to them.

Get a firestick and ltq subscription. £40pa and you get alllllllll the channels, plus netflix, plus prime, plus apple tv, and more.

@Gemma2019 they would have no grounds to fine me I don't watch the BBC channels ever, as I said in previous post, I will stream a show on a streaming site if we really want to watch it. But usually stick to Netflix and prime

@tsmainsqueeze When we cancelled we received letters for ages, with each one getting more threatening. I never responded and nothing has come of it. They can't do anything because we don't watch BBC channels ever. There is no legal grounds for them forcing us to have a license. They just like to threaten everyone so that enough give in out of fear to keep them going.
If you don't watch their channels, they can't fine you and you're not doing anything wrong.
They just count on people not wanting the hassle.
And if they ever send anyone around, I will tell them the same thing.

Illegal streaming sites are the FBI's jurisdiction and 1. They only care about the people who own the sites and 2. The BBC have absolutely no way of ever knowing if you use those sites. (If you do, which is obviously at your own risk. But Netflix and Prime are the safest bet).

They knock on my door around every 6 weeks. I ignore them every time. Sometimes ds3 yells there's someone at the door mummy! 😂 I yell back I know!

Namechange10002468 If you call them up and tell them that you haven’t watched live tv for 5 months, they will set up a new licence for you, but your first 6 payments will be around £26, then will drop down to £13.

@ScottishNewbie

"Illegal streaming sites are the FBI's jurisdiction."

Too much gin?

Their payment system is so fucking bizarre. I'm on a "pay £31 for three months, then £13.25 per month thereafter" plan. It makes no sense. Why can't I just pay £13.25 every month like EVERY OTHER SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE EVER.

God forbid should you try to cancel your licence and ask for a refund. It's the most complicated thing I've ever had to do, and I don't know if I'll ever see that money again.

@sbhydrogen

Their payment system is so fucking bizarre. I'm on a "pay £31 for three months, then £13.25 per month thereafter" plan. It makes no sense. Why can't I just pay £13.25 every month like EVERY OTHER SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE EVER.

God forbid should you try to cancel your licence and ask for a refund. It's the most complicated thing I've ever had to do, and I don't know if I'll ever see that money again.

Asked if I could have monthly direct debit £13 payments as I'm living on benefits alone and £26 a month is unaffordable.

The solution they offered was that I could pay £6.50 weekly at the post office

@Gemma2019

That was meant to say fine you

Very aware of this , hence never missing a payment .

ScottishNewbie -thanks.

When my in laws died their house was empty so I cancelled the license. I've honestly never seen anything like the amount of letters received from TV Licensing. The amount they must spend on admin is insane. Had several cards put through the letterbox too from missed visits.

The solution they offered was that I could pay £6.50 weekly at the post office
Like it's somehow less money if split into more installments?! I hate this. I've been on benefits before, I can manage my money fine thanks, but that doesn't help if there's just not enough of it.

@kowari

The solution they offered was that I could pay £6.50 weekly at the post office Like it's somehow less money if split into more installments?! I hate this. I've been on benefits before, I can manage my money fine thanks, but that doesn't help if there's just not enough of it.

Exactly, plus the extra faff of getting to the post office once a week

Sometimes it only gives you those options if you try to pay for the year if you backdate it by a few days/weeks.