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!

@IncompleteSenten "How much of the fee we pay the BBC do they forward to the other channels that we have to pay the BBC to be allowed to watch?"

NONE.

@BeaucoupFish

3,5 billion!!! It’s ridiculous

A very tiny amount of that goes on content surely

Probably about £100

@ROBERTA
I genuinely 😂 at that 🤣🤣

I believe they spend the 3.5 billion wisely …eye watering pension funds for Tony Hall and Alan Yentob (amongst many others) and salaries for their ‘talent’ like Gary Linneker and Zoe Ball around 1.5 million pa
I don’t understand why everyone can’t see what a scam this is
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bbc-salaries-pay-list-2020-gary-lineker-zoe-ball-cut-b446750.html

I don’t watch any sports. I get my news from Apple news which I subscribe and pay for. There’s enough royal news on there and I just scroll through it. Why spring and autumn watch？ Surely I can ask why you don’t watch the Witcher, the crown or the mandalorian or black widow? I don’t listen to the radio either. I have Spotify and podcasts.

[quote R0BERTA]@IncompleteSenten "How much of the fee we pay the BBC do they forward to the other channels that we have to pay the BBC to be allowed to watch?"

NONE.[/quote]
Wrong
S4C still gets funding from the licence fee
Channel 4 used to get funding
It also contributes to providing freeview, freesat, and broadband infrastructure

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-licence-fee-pay-for-top13

"Channel 4 used to get funding".

A common misconception, but C4 has never received funds from the Licence Fee (and nor have any other major broadcasters).

OP I think it's fine not to have a license if you never watch bbc but I'm a little confused about how you know that so many of the programmes don't appeal to you if you don't watch them?

@Whatiswrongwithmyknee I am not OP but I am on a holiday in Shrewsbury. Staying at the local premier Inn. DH switched on the telly, flipped channels for a bit. We both agreed- this is why we don't have a telly as we were both bored stiff. Sent me to sleep. It would be a good, albeit expensive sleeping aid!

[quote onlychildhamster]@Whatiswrongwithmyknee I am not OP but I am on a holiday in Shrewsbury. Staying at the local premier Inn. DH switched on the telly, flipped channels for a bit. We both agreed- this is why we don't have a telly as we were both bored stiff. Sent me to sleep. It would be a good, albeit expensive sleeping aid![/quote]
I don't know, about 40p a day for a sleeping aid might be good value!

@Whatiswrongwithmyknee we didn't even switch it on prior to going to sleep last night... I think it's a habit thing- if you always had a telly you can't imagine life without. My DH had a hippie mum so no telly even with 4 kids in the house. I grew up overseas and in my country satellite TV was banned and we only had 4 local channels and international channels were subscription only so my dad only chose to subscribe to channels he liked like Bloomberg. So neither of us have watching TV as a pastime. I do like Netflix and YouTube though! I like choosing what I watch. Plus DH and I both watch shows in German and mandarin respectively which isn't available on local TV.

@ShaneTheThird

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

No you don't.

Strange comment.

YANBU at all. I've literally had a licence for well over 3 months now, yet these people are still writing to me about sending enforcement officers. Like, wtf? Check your records. I'm so annoyed right now lol.

@BeaucoupFish

It is perfectly legitimate to go Licence Free and just as *@dabbydeedoo* did - go online and declare this status. But please do not bend the rules if you don’t watch Live TV or use the I-Player then it is fine So just to clarify there are lots of online resources with advice I do not hesitate to recommend ChilliJonCarne YouTube Channel And also the TVL resistance Forum if you have any questions or unsure about anything Lots of correct information out there

"It is perfectly legitimate to go Licence Free and just as *@dabbydeedoo* did - go online and declare this status."

Or not declare, if you so choose.

@Royalbloo

They can still send one of their detector vans, but they can't knock on your door x

Detector vans. Hahaha.

I lived with my grandad growing up and we didn’t have a tv (80’s)
Every week without fail,he’d get a letter demanding he buy a license
Every week he wrote back saying ‘I don’t have a tv!’
So they’d write again and so on for years
It took my dad phoning them to demand they stop hounding a pensioner over something he didn’t even have or he’d go to the papers
They stopped for a about a year and blow me,they started again!
Even came to the house to demand a look to see if he was lying
He refused to let them in every time but they scared the hell out of me as a child-they really tried to bully him
They even showed up just after he’d gone into a home due to dementia
It makes me sick looking back-we honestly didn’t have one