To think TV licensing are complete bullies?

[dabbydeedoo]

I went online and said I didn't need a TV licence because I don't watch live TV (I don't). I then received a letter telling me someone would be round to check, and they could apply for a search warrant from the court if I didn't let them in.

Is it just me or is this absolutely ludicrous? We're in a pandemic and I have absolutely no intention of letting someone into my flat. And even if I did, what exactly are they going to do? I have a TV connected to my laptop that I use for watching streaming services and YouTube. Completely legal, but how on earth can they prove I don't watch TV on it?

It feels so bullying and scammy!

Do you use BBC IPlayer? If so you need a license even if you don’t watch anything live.

You are not being unreasonable, they sent some very threatening letters to a friend of mine who was really struggling at the time and it absolutely terrified her. She didn't even watch live TV either.

I doubt they're actually able to do much and you don't have to let them in, but they can be very aggressive.

No this is absolutely not bullying. It's shameful to suggest it is.

Yes they are, and they are not providing the independent non biased service we are paying for either.

It makes me angry that the first mail that excited first year students get when they move into uni halls is a threatening letter from licencing.

They will no doubt be losing lots of revenue as young people don't really watch TV as such nowadays.

You have to pay to watch YouTube as well. It's scandalous.

@ShaneTheThird

You have to pay to watch YouTube as well. It's scandalous.

No you don't.

Imagine content creators wanting to be paid for their time and effort. How about you pay the licence for using the service and then they won’t have to waste everyone’s time chasing you?

It's not nice, but don't worry about it, OP - they are very unlikely to turn up. My partner has been getting these letters for years and years. The letters follow a routine: they get nastier and nastier, until the point where they are more or less threatening to break your door down and drag you screaming to court ... and then the cycle starts again with the first letter. Nothing ever actually happens.

@ShaneTheThird

You have to pay to watch YouTube as well. It's scandalous.

Only if you want the premium no ads version.

AHH then the fuckers conned me. I only watch YouTube on the Xbox and was told that was classed as a streaming service as you can access live news on it. How the hell do I cancel my TV licence, bastards

@littlejalapeno

Imagine content creators wanting to be paid for their time and effort. How about you pay the licence for using the service and then they won’t have to waste everyone’s time chasing you?

Didn't you read the part where she said she doesn't use the service?

OP, I get these letters some time as I also don't need a license, but no one has ever come round, at least when someone was in. If they do, you don't have to let them in.

@ShaneTheThird

AHH then the fuckers conned me. I only watch YouTube on the Xbox and was told that was classed as a streaming service as you can access live news on it. How the hell do I cancel my TV licence, bastards

It should be illegal to lie like that to get people's money.

Just don’t let them in if they do turn up.

It is bullying.

I stopped paying for a licence over a year ago and have had a constant stream of threatening letters. The letters agressive in tone,, in red text stating that our address is now under investigation, that we could be fined, etc, etc.

We had an unannounced visit by an 'inspector'. He started off with 'have you got a TV', I confirmed that we had and I swear his eyes lit up. He asked what we watched I truthfully told him that we don't watch live programmes, watching only on Amazon Prime and Netflix. He said that was fine and that we wouldn't receive any further threatening letters for two years... however, the letters are still arriving.

For us it's not about the cost of the licence it's about the immorality of making the elderly, such as my 95 year old father, to pay for their licence whilst paying huge salaries to their staff. That and their biased reporting, etc.

This cuts both ways - there are people who very publicly encourage fraudulent non payment (and make money from the clicks on their videos etc)

This tars people with the same brush, and the TV licence needs to be enforced where applicable as it is a tax

Did the letter explicitly say someone will visit ?
Normally it is the case that someone may visit to confirm, and you also may or may not get a reminder checking every year or so.

If you do get a visit:
They won’t arrive with a warrant and you are not obliged to let them in or even answer
If the individual is aggressive then don’t let them in, call the police if necessary, get as much info as you can (their name ideally) and complain
If you answer & talk to them then only state that you don’t require a licence - you don’t have to tell them anything

If they suspect that you do, and they put together enough details to obtain a warrant then you must let them in (after checking the warrant)

You do require a TV licence if you watch broadcast TV, or iPlayer

Broadcast TV counts even if you don’t watch the BBC and only have Sky, cable TV etc
Catch up for other channels does not count such as ITV player. But if you watch the current broadcast on ITV player then you do

Unplug the aerial from the TV if there is one, but you can still have a DVD player etc
Ensure that no one in the household still goes on BBC iPlayer

Yes they are, I grew up without a TV and my mum still doesn't have one. She got a lot of threatening letters from them over the years despite repeatedly telling them she didnt own a TV. Not very pleasant for a single mum with two young kids.

@littlejalapeno

Imagine content creators wanting to be paid for their time and effort. How about you pay the licence for using the service and then they won’t have to waste everyone’s time chasing you?

If she’s not using it then she doesn’t need to pay for it

I've been receiving them for years. Sometimes they will give a date. One year we waited patiently for them to show up on boxing day, never came.
Months later had one of their bullies show up. Telling me how I legally had to let them in and how I legally had to have one. Was told he would be back with a warrant to gain access.

Legally you don't have to let in anyone apart from a few people and tv aren't one of them.
To get a warrant just like police they have to present evidence a crime has been committed. Owning a tv isn't criminal offense. And due to data protection they cannot ask sky etc for confirmation

You only need a license if you are watching live tv or iplayer. You don't need one to stream Netflix etc.

Unfortunately they are bullies and liars, preying on poor and ill-informed people.
The BBC does some excellent work, but it is also home to some appalling overpaid charlatans and egregious pay-offs and cover-ups.

YANBU at all and they are very deliberately misleading.

They could apply for a search warrant if you don't let them in, it's true, but it wouldn't be granted without an actual good reason to think you're breaking the law, and "she wouldn't let me in to see" is not one.
And anyway, they won't.

I've had them come to the door occasionally (I lived in student housing for a long time) - I always tell them I don't need one, decline to comment any further, and tell them they're not coming in.
Then it's really satisfying closing the door in their face

@littlejalapeno

Imagine content creators wanting to be paid for their time and effort. How about you pay the licence for using the service and then they won’t have to waste everyone’s time chasing you?

imagine if the content creators produced what they are contracted to do, like non biased programming?

Do you think that people should pay a licence to Netflix so that the creators get paid even if they don't watch Netflix?

@ShaneTheThird

AHH then the fuckers conned me. I only watch YouTube on the Xbox and was told that was classed as a streaming service as you can access live news on it. How the hell do I cancel my TV licence, bastards

Yes that’s untrue

‘Capable of’ only applied under old rules and was for devices with an TV receiver, such as a TV or TV card in a computer. This was at the time that shops were required to take a name and address when selling TVs etc

If you watch the news etc ‘as it’s broadcast’ on your XBox by a TV channel then you need a licence, but the ability to see live streamed content on YouTube does not qualify
I could live stream on YouTube - but I’m not a broadcaster. Just an average person

the TV licence needs to be enforced where applicable as it is a tax

People who need a licence should pay for one, but it certainly isn't a tax - where on earth did you get that from?

@ShaneTheThird

AHH then the fuckers conned me. I only watch YouTube on the Xbox and was told that was classed as a streaming service as you can access live news on it. How the hell do I cancel my TV licence, bastards

Go online and cancel it. It should be a very simple process and also cancel your direct debit or standing order.

My brother has LD and when he moved into his supported living flat, the TV Licensing people bombarded him with letters that to him were very threatening. He never watches TV and doesn't even own one but he was really scared by the tone of the letters he received.