Page 4 | TV license

Sky1992 · 2022-12-27T00:57:26+00:00

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?

ichundich · 27/12/2022 08:14

Ansumpasty · 27/12/2022 07:44

I don’t pay for one and haven’t for years now. Neither do most of my friends. Obviously no live TV and no BBC I player, but I don’t know many who watch that anyway.
We have Netflix, Prime, Disney+ etc, plus all the ‘on demand’ catch up for the likes of Channel 4. They have all the best series/documentaries/wildlife programmes, etc. You just can’t watch anything live or BBC i player.
Watch it at your mums if you must and save yourself some money!

If you watch 4oD you need a TV licence!

Athenen0ctua · 27/12/2022 08:16

I don't have a licence as I don't watch any live TV or use iplayer. I agree it's not worth the money for what you use it for, just stop watching ee at yours if you are worried, but it's no different to occasionally logging on to a family member's streaming service, which many people do without being called leeches.

Ansumpasty · 27/12/2022 08:17

ichundich · 27/12/2022 08:14

If you watch 4oD you need a TV licence!

Show quote history

No you don’t.

This is taken from the tv licence website itself:

”You don't need a licence if you only ever watch on demand or catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer”

Justellingthetruth · 27/12/2022 08:20

@Adelant

Well that’s a disgraceful and shameful attitude.

think more widely about the concept in that.

if you are able.

Justellingthetruth · 27/12/2022 08:21

@Sky1992

you would be breaking the rules
so ethically you are wrong

RampantIvy · 27/12/2022 08:29

TwoMonthsOff · 27/12/2022 08:11

@RampantIvy I meant to say also the catchup channels

you can watch anything except LIVE Tv or bbc iPlayer

You still need a TV licence to watch the main channels on catch up. Besides, we always record anything on the commercial channels so we can whizz through the adverts. Watching ITV on catch up is excruciating, not that we watch a lot of ITV programmes, but we like the option and flexibility.

We both enjoy current content on TV and don't want to wait for several months to watch the Christmas Call the Midwife or some of the excellent crime dramas on TV for example.

I am happy to pay for my TV licence and don't care whether I pay via this method or if they rejigged the payment method and it was behind a paywall, as for us it is excellent value for money. We also have Netflix and amazon Prime.

Mummieslncorporated · 27/12/2022 08:30

You still need a TV licence to watch the main channels on catch up

Only if you watch them live.

Subjectivist · 27/12/2022 08:32

YABU for watching Eastenders

Notplayingball · 27/12/2022 08:33

WineDarkNo308 · 27/12/2022 08:03

It’s £159 for the year and there are 177 episodes on iPlayer currently so I make it about 90p per episode 😉

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Fair enough. That really is value for money 😂

RampantIvy · 27/12/2022 08:34

Only if you watch them live.

I stand corrected about non BBC channels on catch up. However, you do need it to watch iPlayer if the device you are watching on is plugged in.

Anyway, it is irreleveant. The TV licence represents excellent value for our family.

Athenen0ctua · 27/12/2022 08:36

MyNameisMathilda · 27/12/2022 01:22

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

Other taxes are not a fixed fee that is nothing to the rich but a big hit to the budget if you are a low earner. They should fund it through income tax if they want a tax, or make it subscription based.

orbitalcrisis · 27/12/2022 08:46

If you're watching EastEnders at your parent's house then you don't need a licence. But you're not allowed to download it there then watch it at home.

I haven't had a licence for 14 years. I've had 4 visits from inspectors and I've let them in each time but I'm not going to anymore, they've behaved very badly over the years. 1. They carried on sending letters after an inspector came, they claimed he must have been a con man and I should call the police if he comes again. 2. They then sent the same man. 3. Rather than leaving me alone for the next 5 years (as it was then) as they're supposed to, they started sending letters 'to the new occupier' instead. 4. The last inspector was really rude to me in my own home.

They'll send you letters every few months whether you fill in their online form or not btw. You get a letter, fill in the online form, they'll send letter every few months saying an inspector is coming, an inspector will come and tell you they'll leave you alone for 2 years, but they don't as it is now approaching 2 years since the online form was filled in. Just stop paying and ignore all the letters. If someone turns up at your door just tell them you are not interested and close the door. It's a lot less hassle to not comply than it is to comply.

Ansumpasty · 27/12/2022 08:53

orbitalcrisis · 27/12/2022 08:46

If you're watching EastEnders at your parent's house then you don't need a licence. But you're not allowed to download it there then watch it at home.

I haven't had a licence for 14 years. I've had 4 visits from inspectors and I've let them in each time but I'm not going to anymore, they've behaved very badly over the years. 1. They carried on sending letters after an inspector came, they claimed he must have been a con man and I should call the police if he comes again. 2. They then sent the same man. 3. Rather than leaving me alone for the next 5 years (as it was then) as they're supposed to, they started sending letters 'to the new occupier' instead. 4. The last inspector was really rude to me in my own home.

They'll send you letters every few months whether you fill in their online form or not btw. You get a letter, fill in the online form, they'll send letter every few months saying an inspector is coming, an inspector will come and tell you they'll leave you alone for 2 years, but they don't as it is now approaching 2 years since the online form was filled in. Just stop paying and ignore all the letters. If someone turns up at your door just tell them you are not interested and close the door. It's a lot less hassle to not comply than it is to comply.

Call them, rather than fill in the online form. I’ve done that in my last 2 homes and they send the exemption certificate out quickly and you never hear from them again. The first time, they backdated the money for me, so that was a plus!
They’ve been very polite and helpful both times…I was expecting something similar to bailiffs from the fear mongering my mum showered on me about TV licences when I was young 🤣

Greenfairydust · 27/12/2022 08:56

I cancelled my TV licence because I realised I had hardly watched live TV for about a year.

Also, I was appalled at how the BBC just became a government mouthpiece during the Covid saga and how ''journalists'' like Laura Kuenssberg helped prop-up Johnson and his government and deceive the public.

They also avoided saying anything about Brexit that would have been critical of the government.

So for me the BBC lost its independence over that period and is no longer a public broadcaster that can be trusted. So why on earth should I fund another propaganda machine?

I don't watch any live TV and will only watch things like the Channel 4 and ITV online players which don't require a licence.

The whole licence thing needs to be scraped and it is ridiculous that this was ever criminalised.

TwoMonthsOff · 27/12/2022 09:00

@ichundich
🤣🤣

orbitalcrisis · 27/12/2022 09:02

@Ansumpasty I have called them, several times, that's when they told me an inspector had never been. They send a letter telling me I don't need a licence and that an inspector will visit, they then send reminders if they don't come. Then man came and told me they'd leave me alone, then a couple of months later they started sending letters to the new occupier. I called them again and they said they would re-add my details, then sent they started sending letters again to the new occupier.

I've been at my current house for 11 years and no matter what I do, I still get letters every couple of months so I stopped calling or filling in the form about 2 years ago.

Ansumpasty · 27/12/2022 09:09

That’s so strange- that’s like a personal vendetta! I thought inspectors visiting was just a myth. Could be a location thing?

TwoMonthsOff · 27/12/2022 09:11

@Ansumpasty

definitely not a myth, they’re employed by Capita

Wanderingoff · 27/12/2022 09:15

Well how else will Gary Linekar maintain his lifestyle?

And Graham Nortons housing needs don’t come cheap.

KillingLoneliness · 27/12/2022 09:17

We don’t have a tv licence but we only watch Netflix, crunchyroll and disney, we cancelled our tv subscription so we only have internet so I cancelled the tv licence as well. Completely pointless for us to pay it when we don’t watch any bbc or live tv anyway.

TwoMonthsOff · 27/12/2022 09:19

@Wanderingoff
1.63 million pa for Linneker
about 1 million for Zoe Ball
it’s outrageous

Mummieslncorporated · 27/12/2022 09:27

RampantIvy · 27/12/2022 08:34

Only if you watch them live.

I stand corrected about non BBC channels on catch up. However, you do need it to watch iPlayer if the device you are watching on is plugged in.

Anyway, it is irreleveant. The TV licence represents excellent value for our family.

Unless it's plugged in at a address that has a licence. Then you are covered by the home owners licence.

"Can I watch TV on my mobile phone without a TV Licence?
If you’re using a mobile device powered solely by its own internal batteries – like a smartphone, tablet or laptop – you will be covered by your home’s TV Licence, wherever you’re using it in the UK and Channel Islands.

However, if you’re away from home and plug one of these devices into the mains and use it to watch live on any channel, TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer*, you need to be covered by a separate TV Licence at that address (unless you’re in a vehicle or vessel like a train, car or boat)"

Wonnle · 27/12/2022 09:55

orbitalcrisis · 27/12/2022 09:02

@Ansumpasty I have called them, several times, that's when they told me an inspector had never been. They send a letter telling me I don't need a licence and that an inspector will visit, they then send reminders if they don't come. Then man came and told me they'd leave me alone, then a couple of months later they started sending letters to the new occupier. I called them again and they said they would re-add my details, then sent they started sending letters again to the new occupier.

I've been at my current house for 11 years and no matter what I do, I still get letters every couple of months so I stopped calling or filling in the form about 2 years ago.

Same here they never believe you don't need a licence do they .

Make anyone out that hasn't got one to be a criminal , it's up to them to prove you need it not the other way round .

Watch ChilliJonCarne on youtube a lot of is pretty funny when the goons turn up

orbitalcrisis · 27/12/2022 10:11

@Ansumpasty Did your letter not say that they had to send someone to check? Mine always have done. Admittedly, now I don't live in a rough area I get fewer visits. I've only had 2 in 11 years. The first was a bit of a dick, I asked him if he was here to read the meter and he said, "It's worse than that I'm afraid" but didn't tell me who he was until I verbally prodded several times! He looked disappointed when I just said, "Ok" invited him in. The second guy though... Kept muttering under his breath that they'd get me next time and when I'd say I hadn't done anything to 'get' me for, "That's what she thinks" but wouldn't tell me how or what they would 'get' me for! Something to do with iPlayer on my smart TV. Something I didn't even use when it was allowed! 6 years later and they haven't tried to 'get' me even once! So maybe that's why you have never had a visit thinking abut it, I didn't realise I hadn't had one for over 6 years!

FaazoHuyzeoSix · 27/12/2022 10:12

I said she can watch at her parents house. that's fine as the licence her parents are paying covers all devices used at that property while they are on the property. what OP was proposing was to download at her parents house then watch it later back at home, which wouldn't be covered.

the thing about not charging the device is for the opposite-way-around scenario. if her mum, who has a valid TV licence, comes around to OP's house (if OP stops being a license payer) and brings her own device, then OP's mum can access BBC TV content in OP's house so long as the device doesn't need charging. this also allows licence payers to access bbc content if they are on a train or at a cafe etc.