Page 6 | To stop paying the bbc my license fee.?

bemorebernard · 2023-10-05T03:27:42+00:00

I'm thinking of stopping paying the bbc Anyone know the rules ?

GrapplingGoat · 05/10/2023 20:24

I haven't had a license for over 15 years. I've used many streaming services and haven't spent nearly as much as a license would cost. I currently use Netflix and Now TV (Now TV on a special offer as its too expensive otherwise) and never feel like I'm missing out.

potonsill · 05/10/2023 20:25

SidekickSylvia · 05/10/2023 19:38

'Payed'?

Is this Pedants' Corner?

MrsBrew005 · 05/10/2023 20:30

I cancelled ours when I realised we never watched live TV. You can't watch iplayer or anything live, but we use multiple streaming services and can still view itv channel 4 etc on catch up. We don't miss the live channels tbh. Not anti BBC or anything, just realised we were wasting mine. Tell TV license you won't watch live etc (and actually don't) and they don't contact you

Wiccan · 05/10/2023 20:31

Payed 🤣🤣🤣

AvengedQuince · 05/10/2023 20:32

potonsill · 05/10/2023 20:25

Is this Pedants' Corner?

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The person who wrote 'payed' had previously been calling others names because of spelling mistakes.

potonsill · 05/10/2023 20:33

Oh, fair enough then!

MrsEdnaWelthorpe · 05/10/2023 20:39

Thelittleweasel · 05/10/2023 14:59

@garlictwist @bemorebernard

The fiction that no one gets caught is just not true. An eccentric friend of mine [hoarder] was visited. There is no need to grant access so they went away and returned later with a warrant to gain entry. He had a TV so they took him to court. He did not attend so they fined him in his absence. He did not pay so they jailed him (shocking but it can be jail for non payment!). Friends clubbed together and paid the fine and got him out of Wormwood Scrubs!

Many people are fined [mainly women, sadly]

Can I go to prison for not having a licence?
No, there is no need to worry. You cannot go to prison for simply not having a TV licence. The court can only give you a fine.
But if you fail to pay that fine, the court can take further action. They can send bailiffs or sheriff officers to your home. And they can take money from your wages or benefits if you refuse to pay what you owe.
They can send you to prison if you still do not pay after all these steps to collect the debt have failed. This is as a last resort.

They got a search warrant after a visit by an inspector where the householder didn't allow access? I don't believe a word of it.

LaaDeeDa321 · 05/10/2023 20:39

Hahaha. Yes @Judashascomeintosomemoney Fair comment. Absolutely no idea where payed came from. License is still my pet hate 😀

MrsEdnaWelthorpe · 05/10/2023 20:51

NeedToThinkOfOne · 05/10/2023 19:12

True story: I forgot to change the address on my licence when I moved house, genuine oversight which I only realised when an agent called at my door. Not in any way aggressive when I answered, yet he called with the assumption that I was watching TV without a licence, so had every right to not be friendly, as such. He actually provided me with ways of checking HIS identity before we spoke further and stood back from my doorstep. All I had to do was give my previous address and listen to him mansplaining how I should ensure all my documents are updated with my new address (such as driving licence and others out of his scope🤣) no further action, even though I had obviously been watching tv at that address without a licence for the property. Based on his attitude towards me, -who he assumed hadn’t paid for a licence- they employ perfectly level-headed people who are just getting their job done and they must get some threats and attitude back from people too? It certainly wasn’t my experience that an aggressive nightclub bouncer type was trying to get me to sign up or he would take my tv away and get me sent to jail.

You're happy to have random people turn up at your door to quiz you about whether you watch TV? And you just stood there while he lectured you about the minutiae of the TV licence- which you had told him you'd paid for? You must be bonkers. And have plenty of free time on your hands.

JuliusWho · 05/10/2023 20:53

I haven’t lived in the UK for years and I’d be a bit conflicted on this if I still did.

On the one hand, I very likely wouldn’t need a licence as I don’t watch live tv.

On the other hand, and while everyone has their complaints about it (including me, at times), I cannot think of a better news service.

MrsEdnaWelthorpe · 05/10/2023 20:54

SidekickSylvia · 05/10/2023 19:38

'Payed'?

Yes, what kind of idiot would make a mistake like that?

Wiccan · 05/10/2023 21:06

Maybe you're dyslexic @LaaDeeDa321 some of us are , it's nothing to be ashamed of 😉.

NeedToThinkOfOne · 05/10/2023 21:18

AvengedQuince · 05/10/2023 19:56

Not in any way aggressive when I answered, yet he called with the assumption that I was watching TV without a licence, so had every right to not be friendly, as such.

He could see there was no licence but why would anyone assume you were watching television?

Because that’s literally their job? Going on the assumption that you are currently watching tv when they call or that you have been watching, perhaps the evening before? 🤦‍♀️

AvengedQuince · 05/10/2023 21:26

NeedToThinkOfOne · 05/10/2023 21:18

Because that’s literally their job? Going on the assumption that you are currently watching tv when they call or that you have been watching, perhaps the evening before? 🤦‍♀️

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I thought if they were doing their job like a reasonable person it would be to ask if you need a licence, telling you what requires a licence if you weren't aware. I don't see why they would assume you do a particular activity that many people no longer do.

Palacelife · 05/10/2023 22:14

I think this is a shame, as the BBC do set a high standard for programmes.
American kids tv in particular is mind numbing compared to say CBeebies and they do amazing documentaries and good news channels
why would we want everything lead by businesses?

110APiccadilly · 05/10/2023 22:20

NeedToThinkOfOne · 05/10/2023 07:18

If your protest is against the BBC but you still want to watch live tv on any platform in the U.K. or listen to say sport on radio 5 (first example I could think of) you need a U.K. tv licence. You lose out and nobody cares about your anti BBC stance 🤷‍♀️

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You don't need a TV licence to listen to the radio.

AvengedQuince · 05/10/2023 22:29

Palacelife · 05/10/2023 22:14

I think this is a shame, as the BBC do set a high standard for programmes.
American kids tv in particular is mind numbing compared to say CBeebies and they do amazing documentaries and good news channels
why would we want everything lead by businesses?

You can pay the licence if you want to watch it. We don't pay because we don't watch live television. It's not either bbc or US programming either, I last put the television on a few months ago. DS liked horrible histories when he was primary age but he didn't watch much before then. We just aren't that interested.

yogasaurus · 05/10/2023 22:32

Palacelife · 05/10/2023 22:14

I think this is a shame, as the BBC do set a high standard for programmes.
American kids tv in particular is mind numbing compared to say CBeebies and they do amazing documentaries and good news channels
why would we want everything lead by businesses?

Why would people want to pay for things they don’t watch?

Irridescantshimmmer · 05/10/2023 22:47

One day in 2014, I unplugged my TV completely, arial and power then cancelled my direct debit for the the TV License.

I was told they would send someone out to check, so I told them thats fine and I'm still waiting for them.

So I was already aware that iplayer, live tv, was what I needed to avoid online and to be honest, I've missed it like a brain haemhorraige.

I was not keen on sport or soaps and the news I read online so Netflix and spotify and free you tube are all I need and I am more than happy with my decision.

They will send you a cheque.

I got cheque for £60, not sure how much you'll recieve though and is because you will have been charged in advance for the licence.

They will send you a letter asking you to update them every 12 months. You can do this online. I have great fun telling them what I have not missed such as endless ads and sport on every channel.

So long as you stick to the rules, it all works out a lot more cost effective to not pay the TV Licence but only by not watching TV.

kirbykirby · 18/10/2023 23:03

I cancelled mine last week. I think the BBC is awful.

Justifiedcheese · 19/10/2023 10:10

kirbykirby · 18/10/2023 23:03

I cancelled mine last week. I think the BBC is awful.

And I think it's bloody wonderful.

Lifelessordinary1 · 19/10/2023 10:31

I do not have a TV license as i do not watch live TV.

You do still have access to a lot of BBC content though.

You can still listen to BBC radio stations and BBC sounds.

Most BBC programs end up on Britbox after a couple of years and you can still watch this.

You can also watch BBC on Youtube - mainly only useful for news coverage

And you can watch it at another property that has a TV license - so i watch the occasional BBC at a friends house.

AvengedQuince · 19/10/2023 10:33

Justifiedcheese · 19/10/2023 10:10

And I think it's bloody wonderful.

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This is why it's great that we have a choice to subscribe or not.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 19/10/2023 10:34

NeedToThinkOfOne · 05/10/2023 07:09

Whereas, I’m thinking of ‘stopping paying Netflix’ based on the utter tosh documentaries they put so much money into, which enables already very wealthy people to control the narrative about their lives and piss away money on glitzy premier events and parties for those people. That’s what my money pays for these days, not the third season of a decent drama, which gets cancelled once people are hooked…

By the way, it isn’t a BBC licence fee it’s actually a U.K. TV licence fee. Cancelling it is really not the anti-BBC rebellious-ninja-move, some people think it to be.

Edited

This

molotovcupcakes · 19/10/2023 10:52

Whatever people say about the BBC they are probably the only organisation who are at least trying to open up the industry to a wider range of people, black and Asian people, working-class etc.

Everyone that I have ever met that has worked for the BBC have been very middle class and from the home countries.
I think that very few working class people ever get the chance to work for the BBC let alone become managers there.