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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

TV license

326 replies

Sky1992 · 27/12/2022 00:57

So AIBU to stop my direct debit towards TV license since the kids only watch netflix, you tube or Disney and I only watch eastenders and most times I watch it at my parents?

Also is it worth cancelling it and only watching eastenders when I'm not at home or downloading it at my parents who do have TV license and watch it mine once its downloaded?

OP posts:
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7
Florenz · 27/12/2022 02:03

The stupid "rules" that only apply to the BBC are outdated in the modern media age. It should be treated no differently to any other content provider. Put it behind a paywall for people that want to pay for it, and let everyone else watch whatever they want without worrying about "TV license detector vans" driving past.

NewBootsAndRanty · 27/12/2022 02:04

@SkylightSkylight if I even try to watch or download anything on iplayer, it asks me to sign in / confirm I have a licence.

Pineapplep · 27/12/2022 02:05

You can also request a refund for months you have not used, you would just need to provide some basic evidence-I received a refund for 1 1/2 years as I never watch regular just streaming.

Adelant · 27/12/2022 02:06

Florenz · 27/12/2022 02:03

The stupid "rules" that only apply to the BBC are outdated in the modern media age. It should be treated no differently to any other content provider. Put it behind a paywall for people that want to pay for it, and let everyone else watch whatever they want without worrying about "TV license detector vans" driving past.

And the worry is overblown, I haven’t had a visit from a TV license inspector (that I know of) in 8 years and I live in a very busy city. The letters get recycled as soon as they come in.

PocketBattleship · 27/12/2022 02:09

But you have to pay for it even if you never watch it. It’s a draconian rip off.

No, you don't. If you have no TV you don't have to pay it.

Adelant · 27/12/2022 02:14

PocketBattleship · 27/12/2022 02:09

But you have to pay for it even if you never watch it. It’s a draconian rip off.

No, you don't. If you have no TV you don't have to pay it.

But I do have a TV and I do watch live channels. Just nothing from the BBC and the other public service channels.

TimeToFlyNow · 27/12/2022 02:14

I cancelled mine a couple of months ago. Had a visit from tv licence guy last week , he was fine though. I just told him I only watch Netflix and Disney +

Can't remember the last time I watched anything live. Waste of money

RedAndBlueStripedGolfingUmbrella · 27/12/2022 02:30

Adelant · 27/12/2022 02:14

But I do have a TV and I do watch live channels. Just nothing from the BBC and the other public service channels.

Show quote history

If you watch any live TV, BBC or otherwise, you have to pay the licence

shuttheblindsintheevening · 27/12/2022 02:37

I cancelled mine a few months ago as I only watch Netflix, Prime or non-live catch up. Even when I did occasionally watch live TV (when I had a licence) I never watched any BBC content so it seemed strange to pay £13 a month for something I never used. So I cancelled it and if I ever want to watch a big live event then I just go to a friend's house. For me, it wasn't worth having.

L0bstersLass · 27/12/2022 02:42

Adelant · 27/12/2022 02:14

But I do have a TV and I do watch live channels. Just nothing from the BBC and the other public service channels.

Show quote history

Suggest you refresh your understanding... www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ104

Hawkins001 · 27/12/2022 02:43

PocketBattleship · 27/12/2022 01:35

Is it a rip-off? it gives you legal advert-free access to everything it offers.

Show quote history

Not always advert free when they stick their own adverts at the end of the shows sometimes

beccahamlet · 27/12/2022 02:43

It's a TV licence. With a c. License with an s is the verb. Eg 'You have to license your TV'.

Hawkins001 · 27/12/2022 02:44

beccahamlet · 27/12/2022 02:43

It's a TV licence. With a c. License with an s is the verb. Eg 'You have to license your TV'.

Except you don't, if you don't watch live broadcasts, etc

Oakbeam · 27/12/2022 02:53

Except you don't, if you don't watch live broadcasts, etc

According to the licensing website, you need a licence to watch non-live programmes on BBC iPlayer.

EvenleyWitch · 27/12/2022 03:20

MyNameisMathilda · 27/12/2022 01:22

Cheapskates. It's like saying I don't want to pay tax that goes towards your kids' schools.

Cheapskates? Have you seen where your license money goes? Paying celebrities a 5 figure salaries is not my idea of money well spent, and even pensioners are now made to keep pay the fee until they're dead and buried, so call people who avoid paying the license fee, immoral or illegal, but calling someone a cheapskate is saying they're got more than enough money to pay, they're just too tight to pay it.

EvenleyWitch · 27/12/2022 03:24

The Beeb certainly do not have any obligation to do anything for British culture or identity. Wasn't really sure we had anyway.

Florenz · 27/12/2022 03:28

It's ridiculous. The BBC is a content provider, just like Netflix, just like Amazon, just like Disney Plus, just like Youtube. It should be treated no differently. The license fee is a ridiculous, outdated concept. Let people who want to watch BBC programming pay the subscription, and those that do not, not pay. They could open it up to the whole world, just like the other streaming services do.

EvenleyWitch · 27/12/2022 03:29

Yes, it's a rip off. If all I'm getting for the licence fee is free advertising, I think I'd rather take the adverts.

Shooshan · 27/12/2022 03:34

I don't have one but we genuinely don't need one.

We watch YouTube, Netflix, disneyplus, amazon prime.

Haven't watched any live TV in years or anything on catch up etc. None of the BBC, itv, Channel 4 shite

FaazoHuyzeoSix · 27/12/2022 04:31

you would still need a tv licence to download EE and watch it at yours. if you never access any iPlayer content then YWNBU to cancel but you would have to only ever watch EE while physically located in a building which is covered by the occupants' own valid licence.

but if you watch EE all year around that's over 100 hours of entertainment you enjoy, and a tv licence is only costing you £1.50 per hour of entertainment. compare that to the cost per hour of other forms of entertainment and it doesn't seem that expensive to me. we probably only watch about 50 hours of programming per year (a little more in years where there is new Dr Who broadcast) and I consider that reasonable value for money.

latetothefisting · 27/12/2022 05:01

FaazoHuyzeoSix · 27/12/2022 04:31

you would still need a tv licence to download EE and watch it at yours. if you never access any iPlayer content then YWNBU to cancel but you would have to only ever watch EE while physically located in a building which is covered by the occupants' own valid licence.

but if you watch EE all year around that's over 100 hours of entertainment you enjoy, and a tv licence is only costing you £1.50 per hour of entertainment. compare that to the cost per hour of other forms of entertainment and it doesn't seem that expensive to me. we probably only watch about 50 hours of programming per year (a little more in years where there is new Dr Who broadcast) and I consider that reasonable value for money.

Actually you don't. If you Google the license fee FAQs under "do I need a licence to watch TV away from home?"

It explains that if OP watches or downloads eastenders at her parents house she is covered by their license as long as she doesn't charge her device while watching it. It's a bit of a weird loophole but shes technically right. I do this and have never had any issues.

The problem is with the licenses archaic set up. If they made it easier to set up and cancel month by month like netflix, now tv etc I'd happily buy it for a month, watch a few things I wanted, then cancel for another few months. But I refuse to pay £160 quid, which is quite a lot for most people, when I don't watch anything for months.

No idea why people make up so much crap about what they think you need to pay the license for (radio, bbc news etc) when the faqs are so easily accessible and comprehensive.

Mummieslncorporated · 27/12/2022 05:43

She’s downloading it at her parents on go her device and watching it at home. You officially are required to have a license to do that

I don't know if they changed it, but when the tv licence rules were changed initially, they had this funny rule that you could use iPlayer at someone else's address that had a tv licence - as long as you were plugged in, and that you could watch anything that you downloaded anywhere else - as long as you weren't plugged in. I can't find any reference to it now though, so they have possibly realised that it was quite a big loophole.

Mummieslncorporated · 27/12/2022 05:44

Cross post latetothefisting! I took a while to try and find the rule again, but couldn't find it on the website.

amylou8 · 27/12/2022 06:09

I don't have one as I don't need one. I used Netflix, YouTube and Amazon. The occasional worth watching thing on BBC isn't worth £13 a month to me and I don't watch live TV. Netflix doesn't threaten me with a criminal conviction if I don't subscribe to their channel, the BBC do, so as far as I'm concerned they can poke it.

malmi · 27/12/2022 06:15

Not sure I believe people who say they have a TV and watch live channels but never ever any BBC content. I mean, there is such a diverse range of content they make. Would be interested to hear what they are actually watching.

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