TV license

[Sky1992]

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?

Yes, a couple of my neighbours had this. Disgraceful.

I had to ditch Now TV, started a thread about it. Fraud or something going on. Was reallly sad about that because of Sky Arts. i'm especially hooked on Portrait and Landscape Artist of the Year.

I've since had a couple of emails from Now which I think are real, but the English is so bad, I am baffled and think there must be something going wrong there.

I have them all including Sky, I find Netflix particularly bad value though as it costs £15.99 for the UHD content, it is much cheaper for Apple+ and Prime, Disney is a bit crap but I get that with Tesco points. I just cancelled Netflix as the content is not very good though and the cheaper version has a poor picture quality. TV licence is reasonable good value compared with others

@EmmaAgain22
I have had NOW for years, also use their broadband, I have never had a problem with them, and agree Sky Arts is great, and Sky Atlantic and Witness
Sorry you had scam emails though, they probably are scams as they only ever email me if I have made any changes to the package

Just don't engage with them ,they have no legal right of entry ,don't open the door don't talk to them,they continue to send letters ,but they are on a cycle ,they start out quite pleasant ,we are aware thisproperty has no tv !licence please let us know if you don't need one etc, the become increasingly threatening ,with promises to visit your property and carry out their investigations,which you can choose to.ignore them,and then the cycle starts again ,it's a waste of everyone's time .

"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"

That's what it is designed for, sure. But the way it used to be worded, made it clear that it was ok to download something if it was plugged in at someone else's house, to watch later at your own house as long as it wasn't plugged in.

I suspect that is still legal, but they aren't making it explicit any more. But I can't say that for sure.

@user1964097
it is only good value if you want to watch anything on BBC though, I don’t and neither do millions of other people so I would rather earmark their fee for streaming services, as millions of people do these days. Which is why their revenue is falling

Definitely cancel it. And ignore knocks on the door and letters when they try to threaten you

Even better, never watch the 'news' or their 'programs' again in anyones house

I can't believe people still support these peodophiles and allow themselves to be lied to and indoctrinated by the BBC

I hope you're not someone who pretends to care about people struggling on low incomes. The BBC disgust me, the TV licence is completely regressive- a millionaire pays the same as a single parent on universal credit.

A pp said you don't go to prison for not paying the licence - while this is true, you can go to prison for not being able to pay the fine. Which is frankly shocking and anyone who thinks that is ok should have a thought for people not as privileged as them.

I used to work for citizens advice, and when I was helping people deal with debt, the TV licence payment had to be a priority because of the way the BBC treats non-payers. It has to be prioritized over actual important things like rent and utility bills. It's disgusting.

And anyone who's worrying about being chased by TV licencing - just throw the letters away. If someone comes round asking to come in to check whether you have a TV, just say no. They have no powers to enter your property without your permission.

In short: fuck off BBC and your fucking regressive licence.

DS doesn't pay it as he doesn't watch live TV or iPlayer, he has never had any bother though, it must depend where you live if you are harassed or not

@MrsEdnaWelthorpe

‘In short: fuck off BBC and your fucking regressive licence’

😭I think that sums it up nicely 🤣

Maybe it is if you have had a licence in the past you are harassed as they have your details, DS has never had one and moves house about every year so they probably don't catch up with him

I haven’t had a TV licence in over 15 years. I rarely watch TV, and when I do, it’s series on Netflix. I’m not into reality shows or documentaries or Eastenders.

I’ve had a countless number of licensing letters in that time, all with the scary red ink. They all go in the bin. Have had one visit from a TV licence inspector; he knocked, I opened the door, he identified himself as a TV license inspector and I said “good for you” and closed the door again. Not a peep since.

The current licensing setup is so obviously a cash cow for the BBC. It would not be a huge technical leap for them to move to a paywall but I suspect they know that given the choice, the amount of people willing to pay for the BBC would drastically reduce and so would their coffers. They are using a forceful and antiquated licensing mechanism which uses the threat of fine and jails in an age when other providers have managed to modernise their payment systems so that you can opt in and out depending on what you want to watch.

For those defending the TV license, why? Putting the national broadcaster role aside for a second, how would you feel if YouTube or Netflix suddenly started sending vans round houses and insisting we pay a blanket fee regardless if we watch their content? How is the Beeb any different?

They can't change it until 2027 as it is a contract

@user1964097
their ‘royal charter’ expiration is a mere four years away and action is needed now, here are the proposals (article a year old)
www.theguardian.com/media/2022/jan/16/what-could-replace-the-bbc-licence-fee

Based on the article I am happy for the fee to continue because it’s fairer then people can legally opt out. Whatever changes happen you can bet they will be the winners, they will not get off their lazy arses

I haven't had a licence in years now, I think about 10.
You can opt out of the licence letters for 2 years on the website by filling in the no licence needed declaration, I used to never do it on principle as I don't tell Microsoft I only use apple etc. But I've started doing it now, as the paper waste was ridiculous and it was annoying me how many they sent. As others have said you don't have to let the salesman in your house.

I love a mn TV licence thread though, it's always a mix of wrong info about the licence and fairly bonkers posts of well I don't believe people don't watch the bbc/you must be ignorant and never watch documentaries, how do you know the news etc.

MrsEdnaWelthorpe · Today 12:18

They have no powers to enter your property without your permission.

Not quite true - they can apply to Magistrates for a warrant to enter your home (must be accompanied the the police). But, this is rare, appears to only happen about 100 times a year in England, Wales and N. Ireland combined (none in Scotland).

They make it as difficult as possible to stop paying and deliberately obfuscate so that many people are confused about the “rules” around it. They also have an agenda which I personally don’t agree with and so I refuse to pay them for a licence fee. I don’t trust them to not be biased and I don’t like how people are threatened and made to feel scared for not renewing or holding a licence in the first place.

I don’t agree with the massively over-inflated salaries for some of them and I think they’re a shoddy organisation and nothing compared to their past glory when they made decent programmes and reported on news rather than biased speculation which is what happens now.

YANBU to ditch the licence fee!

I suggest you re-read all my posts.

I understand this subject a lot better than you.

@ThanosSnap
I almost completed the declaration until it came to the question ‘so what are you watching’ and as I thought that was intrusive I abandoned it.
The only physical paper envelopes through the door are from them, to ‘Legal Occupier’
They’re in a time warp

Apparently you need a TV licence if you watch any TV or streaming services. And / or iplayer.

I think there might be a blank bit on that section, or "other".

No, you need it for any live TV or iplayer.