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Tv licence

76 replies

Knewmee · 27/12/2019 20:38

My New Years resolution is to stop funding the bbc through my tv licence, because I think it has become an organisation that is now actively harmful to women.

This is partly because of its astonishingly unbalanced approach to the trans issue. But also because of the impact criminal proceedings, for unpaid licence fee, have on women who are already economically disadvantaged, and who face criminal proceedings and fines for what should be a civil debt.

(Also, my mother, almost 90, is continually harassed by threatening letters about not having a tv licence, and was recently visited by a young male enforcement agent who insisted on coming into her sitting room. She found the experience terrifying. She has never, in her life, owned a television. And at her age she’d presumably not have to pay for a licence anyway, so why they are terrorising her I have no idea.)

Penalising poor women and frightening the aged isn’t something I want to fund, hence the New Years resolution.

I wondered if anyone else who had given up their tv licence had any practical tips or things to avoid. Deleting iplayer, obviously, but any other apps? I’ll still have Prime and Netflix but my understanding is that so long as I don’t use iplayer, or watch any live TV through Prime or YouTube or any other source, I don’t need a licence.

Is there anything I can do to prove I do not watch live tv? That I genuinely don’t need a licence? Any advice appreciated!

OP posts:
theflushedzebra · 28/12/2019 15:02

I agree with thatdamnwoman - I will always support a public broadcasting corporation.

CaptainKirksSpikeyGhost · 28/12/2019 15:13

I think we need more local television channels, those things were brilliant.

OldCrone · 28/12/2019 15:43

I'm surprised to see a right wing party's policy being praised in this topic

What an odd comment. I think the TV licensing system should be abolished and the BBC funded by general taxation or through a subscription system. I also agree with older people getting free TV licences under the current system, and disagreed with the last Tory government when they said they were going to stop this.

Now that Boris has said he agrees with me, do you expect me to change my mind just because he's a Tory?

NearlyGranny · 28/12/2019 16:04

Had years of this. Nasty threatening letters accusations etc.

I used to call them up and complain and they'd leave us alone for a year or so, then it would start up again.

The leaflets asking "Are you STILL watching without a licence?" riled me. I asked the person at the end of the phone how they would feel being asked, "Are you STILL shoplifting?"

They could never get it.

Why not contact you Gran's MP and the local rag? Have her photographed sadface holding the nasty letters. They will back off.

Poor old lady!

koshkat · 28/12/2019 16:11

And the BBC can influence public opinion, covered up a peadophile ring and has tried it's hand at social engineering in the past

And is currently pushing the trans agenda at children.

CaptainKirksSpikeyGhost · 28/12/2019 16:50

I notice a perfectly reasonable, all be it slightly advertisement heavy post has been deleted directing people to the [[https://www.tvlicenceresistance.info/forum/index.php
TV LICENCE RESISTANCE ]] forum to get help with how to stay legal.

Aaarrgghhh · 28/12/2019 17:12

I fucked them off a while ago. And unashamedly I still use Iplayer for my kids and occasionally myself for things like doctor who, although most things are now on Netflix anyway. I told him I don’t want anything they make and I use Netflix and prime etc and he then rang up and told them to leave us alone for two years (which is baffling but at least gets them off my back I suppose). I don’t even feel bad for using iplayer at all, my kid has extra needs and adores me tumble and the other shows he does and she isn’t missing out because the bbc are a bunch of sexist twats. I might pay for it again if they change their tune but it doesn’t seem like that will be happening any time soon.

What made me stop was when they were banging on the door late at night while I was alone with my kids and having a bath at the time. I ignore my door if I’m not expecting anyone but the banging wouldn’t stop so I got out of the bath, wrapped in a towel and opened the door slightly. They weren’t even there for me but for my partner, they were issuing a court letter or something, anyway even when I explained he wasn’t here at the time and I had kids in sleep and was clearly in a towel, he wouldn’t let up and kept trying to come into the house. Long story short he gave me the letter (which I’m sure is illegal because they weren’t for me) my partner was taken to court and we had to find the full years worth of money which meant scrimping on things we needed at the time in order to avoid fines and jail. Fucking ridiculous and I won’t be bullied again so now I will continue to say we don’t use their services and they aren’t allowed to step foot into my home.

TildaKauskumholm · 28/12/2019 17:25

@Aaarrggghh so you are complaining because you broke the law (and continue to do so) and were taken to court for it? So it's OK to expect others to pay the licence fee but you don't have to... Hmm

Aaarrgghhh · 28/12/2019 17:29

Sorry, where did I say that others should have to pay it? I was paying before that incident, we were behind a few times because I prioritise my family before them, because we were late a few times they wanted the whole lot in one go which I kept refusing to do because I didn’t have the money for it. Then the situation in my towel happened and since then I refuse to pay and have lied to them about watching it but I don’t care because of their bullying tactics and trying to access my home when I have already said no.

AriadneAufNaxos · 28/12/2019 18:11

Long story short he gave me the letter (which I’m sure is illegal because they weren’t for me)

Bollocks. If that is the address your partner supplied (which it must have been if the letter was addressed to him) then of course it is in order to deliver it. If your partner had permanently moved out up to him to supply a new address.

CaptainKirksSpikeyGhost · 28/12/2019 18:18

Funny little derail this, I'm sure the OP wants to stay totally legal while still getting the most out of free TV and movies.

Aaarrgghhh · 28/12/2019 18:40

I’m not my partner am I? You can’t serve a letter to attend court to someone other than the person? He wasn’t here at that moment in time, I said he could come back. It says to deliver to the person named, I’m not that person. I haven’t derailed the thread, I just don’t want to pay money to arseholes because even when I was they still treat me like shit. I’m not going to feel bad about my kid watching mr tumble even though I don’t pay. It’s slowly getting used less and less anyway and I imagine I won’t be using it at all soon, especially as things get onto other players like prime and Netflix.

ginghamstarfish · 28/12/2019 19:37

You don't really HAVE to do anything OP. We stopped paying for a licence a few years ago now, and will never pay again. We use the other catchup channels occasionally, or Netflix sometimes. If the BBC did move to a subscription model where you could pay a month at a time I would gladly pay for a month here and there to watch a drama etc. However, OP, be aware that they have a very convoluted payment schedule, and rather conveniently for them, will only refund payments if there is a full quarter left (funny that, isn't it?) so make sure you use up the whole of the time you have left on your licence.

ColaFreezePop · 28/12/2019 21:07

@Aaarrgghhh you should have put "Return to sender not known at this address" then put all his letters in the post box monthly.

It is up to him to tell everyone he has moved not you.

Crapita would after 4-10 months have then addressed all future letters to the "Occupier" You could then bin them.

The reason to do this is actually for Council tax (and benefits) purposes, so those who actually have more legal clout to screw you know no other adult lives in your home.

Aaarrgghhh · 28/12/2019 21:34

What are you on about? He lives with me, did then and does now. I told the guy at the door he could come back another time to give the letter to him. It obviously needed hand delivered because it said so on the letter but also he didn’t just put it through the door, he was in the wrong for giving it to me when I explained my partner wasn’t there right now.

CaptainKirksSpikeyGhost · 28/12/2019 21:37

I would point out yet again, this thread is about people cutting the cord and doing it legally.

EachDubh · 28/12/2019 22:42

The bbc is not unbiased at all. Few who supported independence in scotland would believe it. They manipulate, lie and do whatever suits them. I remember an independence demonstration at the Glasgow studio, the bbc repoted less than 100 in attendance yet friends who were there were live tweeting a very different picture, video.
Find a legal way and stop aupportingvthis manipulative organisation and that is what you wish. Don't worry about the loss of unbiased news as that was lost a long time ago

Ginandsonic · 28/12/2019 22:59

I've had no liscence for six years now, and all I've ever done is use the online form to tell them I don't need one every year or two when they email to ask if I still don't need one. I've never had phone calls, letter or people at my door about it.

TheWildWoods · 28/12/2019 23:10

I've been without a licence for a while now, just phoned them and said I would no longer be paying as I don't require a licence. We don't watch live TV or anything on BBC.

Gaming, streaming services like netflix and catch up TV as long as its not I player doesn't require a licence.

CrissmussMockers · 29/12/2019 08:51

There is a part of the UK where Capita never venture and licence evasion is endemic, rural NI.

Almost like they're scared of something?

ScrimshawTheSecond · 29/12/2019 10:18

It depends where you live. In the city I had a lot of visits and hassle. Rurally, that's been 12 years with no visits (but weekly letters). I have at no point done anything illegal, btw, just not really interested in TV.

Worth noting that it's not the BBC that does license hassling, but a separate company.

I do support the principle of a public broadcaster, while being very aware of how open it is to manipulation.

ProfessorSlocombe · 30/12/2019 14:58

I thought there were plans to decriminalise the TV licence offence?

There are. Which means that rather than having to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burden_of_proof_(law)#Standard_of_proof_in_the_United_Kingdom) , the BBC, Capita and chums merely need to show that on a balance of probabilities you should have had a TV license.

I suspect convictions will rise, not fall, as anyone accused will need to convince the court they never watch any BBC output.

A lot of cheering about it being decriminalised without too much thinking as to (a) why and (b) what it means

PencilsInSpace · 30/12/2019 15:10

Well no, because the current criminal offence is deliberate and wilful failure to pay the fine for not having a licence when you should have one, not the not getting one in the first place.

As with all other civil debts, the onus is then on the creditor to prove they are owed the money.

And obviously if failure to pay the fine is no longer a criminal offence there can be no convictions.

PencilsInSpace · 30/12/2019 15:30

Sorry that's not quite right - the fine is a criminal fine and comes after prosecution. It's imprisonment that can happen if you then don't pay what is a criminal court fine.

So if that was scrapped there would be no fine, TV licencing would have to take you to county court and prove you owed them money, just like any other creditor. They could claim interest and costs on top but not a fine.

Failure to pay would result in a CCJ. No fines, no prison, no convictions.

CrissmussMockers · 30/12/2019 15:33

"If the BBC did move to a subscription model where you could pay a month at a time I would gladly pay for a month here and there to watch a drama etc."

Good News:

www.britbox.co.uk/

It's the shape of things to come.