First TV licence and don't understand....

[lagoon]

I moved into my property November 2013 and had to get a new TV licence. Was told I had to pay the first year's licence over 6 months at £25 odd a month. Fair enough I thought, and assumed that meant I wouldn't pay anything for May-November 2014 then start paying £12.50 a month. However since May I've been paying £12.50 a month?
Anyone know how this works? As it feels like I've been charged double for first 6 months or that I am paying them in advance or something now?
Looked on their website and it doesn't answer this question.
Anyone??

You are paying six months in advance.

It pisses me right off. I ended up moving somewhere without a telly and to try and get that 6 months back is bloody impossible because they refuse to believe you don't have a TV. Keep all your documentation, moving dates etc.

Thank you giraffe

sweetmother that's what I thought, cheeky sods have an extra 6 months of my money in their account until I ever move/stop needing a licence!!!!

They like you to be 6 months in advance. I had no trouble obtaining a refund when I moved, but I expect that is because I moved in with my DP and he had a tv licence. The advantage of being ahead is that you'll never be caught out by not having one and fined.

I too have had trouble getting my refund because we moved abroad. They really, really don't want to give it back so make it as difficult as possible.

It is a con. I cancelled my Direct Debit after the first six months because I'd already paid for a year. Then at the end of that year I arranged to pay quarterly.

If you pay quarterly or annually they don't take the extra six months.

Their argument to me was that ''lots of people try and get away without paying so it covers that'. Errr wtf?? I always pay my TV license so don't punish me for other people- target them not me!

Lots of people do that because they are seriously behind the times. And try to make people who still has a TV life miserable. I worked with lots of young 20s graduates and no one watch broadcast. I have sky because my old work pays and I am on a contract with them. I will be cancelling once I'm out if that and also cancel the TV license. Seriously paying over £10 and they wonder why people opt out. You can get netflix for cheaper! And all the on demand are free.

They need a serious rethink about their revenue instead of working an outdated model.

Oh ffs, if I had known I would have paid the year up front, I had the funds to do so as well, wish they'd make that clear online when setting it up! Tempted to cancel the direct debit now.........

But if you pay upfront, you are 12 months ahead ...

The link for the license fee is here btw

www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/payment-methods/direct-debit-pay1

So if I paid the full 145 when I moved in, would I still have started paying 12.50 a month from May?

you pay double for the first six months then the standard rate.

BTW 'they' are Capita, the world's worst IT and outsourcing company, whose MD must have some serious pull with the government because they keep getting contracts.

But if you pay upfront, you are 12 months ahead ...

Yes, but if you pay up front you pay nothing for twelve months and then pay for the year again. You are paying in advance but you aren't paying the extra bit.

If you pay monthly you pay double for the first six months and unless you move or get rid of your TV you never get that extra six months back.

It is a big, fat con!!

Cheeky cheeky sods this has really pissed me off as was expecting to be 12.50 a month better off til November

Cancel your DD lagoon. You're still covered. You'll just need to restart in six months (they'll send you a reminder) and either pay quarterly or in one lump sum.

I hate paying this bloody thing!

Not sure I've understood correctly but if you're not watching regular tv/sky etc do you still need a tv license? We have a Roku box and watch everything on demand or netflix.

nix if you watch only via roku you don't need a tv license. It's clarified on the tv license website. It's intentionally confusing about how you still need to pay if you watch on other devices but only if it's live broadcast. Roku only has catch up service.

We used to do this before I got sky from work. The tv license people came out and checked we have nothing connected. A lot of people I work with don't have tv license because they don't watch broadcast. I'm planning to ditch sky now I left the company.

Basically you will only have life broadcast if you have a tuner card on your computer. Or have one of those live broadcast capable boxes like sky, youview, freeview, freesat etc. I just looked into all the tv boxes on the market and made a list of those that specifically doesn't do live broadcast to avoid the license. So I know roku is safe.

The thing is you can get a many of the sky tv channels, Netflix and a lot of uk channel (bbc, itv, channel 4, channel 5) all for £1 less than your tv license if you go the internet route.

You can also get sky movies and sports over the internet too. But that adds up to more then the £12.

I feel like a mug to pay for it but stuck in the contract until October. I think it's just something a lot of people doesn't know about. Unless you work in IT or similar industry where it seems everyone is doing it!

nix this is the page that explain the exception for catch up services
www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/technology--devices-and-online-top8?WT.mc_id=mec_Search_Brand

Go and request your refund for any unused quarters on your license.

Actually sky sports subscription on roku might be actually a live stream! So you would need a tv license. I don't watch sports but i think it wouldn't be much fun if it's all catch up isn't it? Stay clear of that. But you said you are only using catch up and netflix anyway.

That's brilliant, thank you very much, I will be canceling the tv license and requesting a refund.