Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

If we only have one TV, not tuned into a signal, for watching DVDs only, do we need a TV licence?

28 replies

beatie · 17/08/2006 09:14

Our living room TV died and we have decided not to replace it for at least a year, since we rarely watch TV anyway.

Our eldest is only 3 so it seems like a good time to do this, since she's unaffected by what her peers may be watching. But, we'd like to set up the portable TV in the playroom to play DVDs only. Our DVD player is not a recordable one. We've put our freeview box and VCR into the loft and the portable is not tuned into a signal. Are we OK to get rid of the TV licence?

OP posts:
EvesMama · 17/08/2006 09:16

ring them and ask..theyll prob say yes unfortunatly

Carmenere · 17/08/2006 09:17

I don't think so as if it has a reciever they only have your word for it that you don't use it.

Frizbe · 17/08/2006 09:17

No! not from what I remember anyway....so long as its a TV your watching on you need a licence...even with no signal, so if you rig it upto a computer monitor somehow you should be ok!
I can see this escalating into a war re the TV licence, but I personally think they should be ditched as the only co who gets money out of it is the BBC, which gets lots more monies from elsewhere anyway (syndication etc) fire away!

morningpaper · 17/08/2006 09:18

Yes ring and find out

I think that as long as it is CAPABLE of receiving programmes then you need one

If your computer is TV-enabled then you will need one too

Original poster
beatie · 17/08/2006 09:22

Annoyingly DH did ring them a couple of weeks ago. Then we went on holiday and DH appears to have forgotten what he was told. A few weeks ago he was adamant we could get rid of the licence. And now someone else has planted the seed of doubt in his mind.

OP posts:
Frizbe · 17/08/2006 09:23

Really MP, that's sooo pants!

lionheart · 17/08/2006 09:45

That's interesting. I bought a cheapo dvd player the other day and was most put out that they wanted me to fill out a form with my name and address for the tv license people. I wonder what happens if you refuse? Do they say, "O.k, well in that case, I can't possibly sell you that £1,000 t.v. then."

acnebride · 17/08/2006 09:52

I know that a friend of mine who had a TV inspector on the doorstep managed to convince them that she didn't need a licence as she'd untuned the telly and it was set up for videos only. But she's immensely persuasive and I think it took her a long time to talk him out of fining her, and that was a little while ago - I have a feeling they've got tougher since. Basically my un-expert view is that you might manage it, but you might not.

CountessDracula · 17/08/2006 09:54

How about just buying a portable dvd player, or playing them on teh computer?

fattiemumma · 17/08/2006 09:54

you will have to pay.
to own a TV requires a licence. whether yiu choose to watch it is up to you but you still need one

Piffle · 17/08/2006 09:58

yes, because it is capable if you get a receiver...

hoxtonchick · 17/08/2006 10:01

we have a licence, but it's in my name rather than dp's. since he bought a card to allow him to watch tv on his laptop a couple of months ago the licence people keep sending him threatening letters. great. still, quite want them to turn up on the doorstep so we can wave the licence in their faces...

mumfor1standfinaltime · 17/08/2006 10:04

Yes you will need a liscence. Very annoying I know.
I bought a tv a few years ago and recieved a letter from tv liscence people asking me to buy a liscence (the one we had was in dh's name). They sent me a few reminders. They never checked or cam round! I wanted them to though, so I could bite their head off! I have a pocket tv which is black and white and I even need a liscence for that, I think it should be scrapped.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 17/08/2006 10:05

hoxtonchick lol!

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 17/08/2006 10:09

Give me 1/2hr and I'd give you a definitive answer - DH is a TV Licence Officer (not Enforcement - they're the nasty ones).

In respose to "I can see this escalating into a war re the TV licence, but I personally think they should be ditched as the only co who gets money out of it is the BBC"

ermm - no it's not - DH doesn't work for the BBC - and his salary pays our mortgage

"They sent me a few reminders. They never checked or cam round! I wanted them to though, so I could bite their head off! "

oh believe me they have worse than that - not uncome to be physically assulted....and remember they don't work for the BBC!!!

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 17/08/2006 10:10

actually scrap my last post - DH just rang and I checked with him.

Basically as long as when you switch the TV on you can't get a picture - and you've got no aerial/cables going into the TV which could receieve a picture you don't need a licence

hoxtonchick · 17/08/2006 10:10

mumfor1standfinaltime

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 17/08/2006 10:13

since he bought a card to allow him to watch tv on his laptop a couple of months ago the licence people keep sending him threatening letters.

LOL - they're not threatening letters! If you call them up and tell them then they should stop - and if you don't and you get a Sales Officer round no need to be nasty to him. Makes me a bit to think that people even here on MN would be deliberately nasty to the guys who are quite literally only doing their job...........

hoxtonchick · 17/08/2006 10:17

no, no i wouldn't be nasty, i'd be very polite . i just think they should look on their computer, see that we have one for this address & stop wasting their resources sending letters.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 17/08/2006 10:22

Wow, if you are blind - did you know you can get you tv licence for half price..what a joke that is.

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 17/08/2006 10:26

i just think they should look on their computer, see that we have one for this address & stop wasting their resources sending letters.

You know why that is don't you? It's because there'll have been what's known as a "Dealer Notification" when he bought the card.

It doesn't nessecarily pick up on the address because many houses these days are divided up into seperate room lets - and each person that lets a room needs a licence (bit like student accomdation). The computer doesn't automatically tell them that (unless they've had previous visits to the house and it's been noted) so a reminder will automatically go out.

You'd be AMAZED how many houses don't have licences - DH gets a new delivery of work every 2 weeks - and there's between 500-600 addresses to visit each fortnight! It's a mammoth job.

hoxtonchick · 17/08/2006 10:27

glad it keeps your dh in a job qoq!

UrsulatheSeawitch · 17/08/2006 10:32

We have friends with no TV - they have had years of hassle because the licensing lot refuse to believe that it's possible to live without TV despite being told repeatedly that THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ONE, OK?

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 17/08/2006 10:35

oh and another reason the computer won't pick it up is because people often move house and forget to transfer their licence - so if a different name is given by the Dealer then the computer automatically asssumes it's a new tenant/owner and they need a licence

Certainly keeps DH in a good job - basic salary it pretty - well "basic" - but the commision on sales can be pretty good (if the work is ok - often empty properties though).

prettybird · 17/08/2006 11:14

What bugs me is that the yes, you can ring them to explain that yuo do already have a licence, it is not a freephone number - and from memory, not even a local rate number - so that it costs you to ring them to say that you don't need one.

That happened to us recently, as dh bought a new TV and the TV licence is in my name. Despite him sending the first letter back, we kept on getting addtional letters asking for more information.