To not pay tv license?

[Hettiejane]

We don't have a tv aeriel but use a fire stick to watch Netflix and prime mostly, occasionally YouTube very rarely any type of live tv.
We did used to watch bbc iplayer but very rarely and ive now deleted the app.
Our tv license is due and im reluctant to pay it as we don't watch any bbc shows now and feels ridiculous to pay £160 when we already pay for Netflix etc my partner is worried we'll get fined or something as we had been watching iPlayer previously. Aibu to not pay?

If you're not using it to watch iplayer or live TV, deregister with TV licensing. Daft to pay for something you're not using.

I’ve never paid for a TV licence. I’m in my 20s and for as long as I can remember have relied on YouTube, Netflix etc for entertainment.

I don’t think there’s any truly unique content requiring a tv licence, you can find similar enough shows/news etc elsewhere.

I stopped mine. Declared online.

They've sent a couple of letters saying its been detected im watching live TV? Ive ignored them. I see they are now trying to include all live channels including freesat as well as netflix/prime where you can watch live boxing for example.

Lots of people don’t watch the BBC channels and lots just pay for Netflix etc. if you don’t watch it you don’t have to pay. This is why on BBC there’s continual messages about “we do this, bring you that so thank you for paying”. My Mum keeps getting letters about my Gran and her licence. She’s been in a home with dementia for years. The home has TVs with home licences and BBC has been told 3 times and 3 times cancelled but they still send Gran letters about paying her licence. You’ll prob get letters about it for years. Just be careful not to accidentally watch BBC channels when a detector can is around. My gran competes with the TV when in the lounge so no one can hear a thing!

Don't pay it. Completely ridiculous to pay when you aren't using it, and I'm sure the 'detection' letters were known to just be speculative? Just make sure you aren't using any BBC services and don't have the ability to (no apps etc).

That's the law, though, isn't it?
You can't watch any live TV if you've declared that you don't need to pay the license

I actually remember they used to be websites that would stream things with a few seconds delay, sports events. I presume they would've tightened up on that for all kind of reasons

I don't watch any live TV so I don't have to worry but I did actually ask them about live streams on social media and they didn't know the answer! I decided I was being too overcautious, a live stream of a business event for example, they can't have jurisdiction over that.

@Hettiejane I deleted my BBC iPlayer account before I filled in the declaration so I literally can't watch it anyway

If you're not using it, it's mad to pay that money.

They are not "now trying to include" all live TV. That's the law. For any live TV and/or BBC iPlayer you need a TV licence

I thought detector van had been proven to be fake

I don't even have a TV aerial.

does it cover the radio too if you listen to any bbc station?

I think BBC accounts are unique in that BBC report your account activity to the tv licensing authority. So if you’ve declared no license but use iplayer, you’ll get caught out.

Just posting again to say

I absolutely despise the bloody BBC and I'm really glad I haven't been paying for them for such a long time

So actually, if anyone is watching live TV, I only care that you don't get caught and fined

I have no moral judgment whatsoever about whether people are watching illegally any more. They should have to charge using a proper business model, and nobody should be paying the BBC for the privilege of watching a live event on a different channel !

No. You can use BBC websites and radio without a licence.

A detector van? How does that work when we've no tv aerial? Just it check if we login to bbc iplayer? Assumed that was online so no idea why you'd need a van to check?

You are being unreasonable to ask this yet again, there's been a thread every month on this subject recently. I think the BBC is worth the licence fee, if you don't, then don't watch any live TV or iPlayer, it's up to you, but there's no need to start yet another Mumsnet thread about it.

Why bother responding then? If you don't want to see another tv license thread please don't involve yourself in this one

It's totally fine to not pay if you reduce the "hardly ever" to "never ever" for any live tv or iplayer content. Personally I get plenty of value for money for my 47p per day but if you don't feel you benefit then by all means stick to the alternatives. You'd only be unreasonable if you thought it would be fine to just watch very occasionally for something special without paying. It has to be zero. The BBC is flawed but I'd rather have it flawed but there than gone and have only the commercial streamers.

Honestly I don’t think anything the bbc has come out with recently is worth it. Maybe if they bring back line of duty! But otherwise I feel there’s enough content there from other providers. Plus a lot of the more popular stuff ends up coming across to Netflix etc.

The only thing i ever watch on BBCiplayer is the traitors once a year. It costs me £160 to watch it!! I pay my license every month. Bloody ridiculous for the sake of one tv show I enjoy

What about bbc radio?

If you watch anything else live on tv, the technology is paid for by BBC.

I stopped paying for a licence aged 75 as the law then allowed. It was changed in a way that is cheap and mean. Do they think pensioners are going to allow themselves to be ripped off. No I am not going to pay again. If they began sending pensioners over 75 to prison for not paying the licence fee there would be an outcry. Ive had a couple of letters but I just strike out my name and return them.

That’s not true anymore, as much live TV, including BBC content, is, is delivered and consumed digitally via an internet connection / cable/ satellite, which involves no BBC infrastructure. Though of course they’d like you to think it does to help justify the licence fee…