TV Licence

[basil6345789]

What happens if you don't pay the BBC Licence fee? The only detector van (Commer with something from The Daleks on the roof) I've seen in decades is in the vehicle museum at Leyland.

[Quickenthetempo]

Just go on the BBC site and click you don't need a license.
They can't check/come in your house without a warrant.

If you watch live TV. Get a license.

If like most households now you stream your content, then don't. Just don't stream BBC stuff.

[Nori1958]

Just go on the BBC site and click you don't need a license.
They can't check/come in your house without a warrant.

If you watch live TV. Get a license.

If like most households now you stream your content, then don't. Just don't stream BBC stuff.

You need a licence to stream on a TV according to the official licences site

[Quickenthetempo]

You need a licence to stream on a TV according to the official licences site

Only BBC content.

[Nori1958]

Only BBC content.

Nope... Prime... Itvx etc etc

[Nori1958]

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one

[Goobs]

You even need it for YouTube if you are watching a live broadcast.

They don't need a detector van to check you either if you stream on a BBC site they can see it via your IP I assume as that is how I got done. Streamed part of the Wrexham v Sheffield cup tie via BBC I player last year and got a letter threatening me with legal action if I didn't purchase a licence.

[groove]

The licence detector van was an urban myth. No such thing existed. As for paying the licence, get it cancelled. They don't even know your name and have no power of entry. Just be honest and tell them you don't have a TV

[Quickenthetempo]

Nope... Prime... Itvx etc etc

Yeah, that's if you're live streaming. Basically live TV.

Any series etc.. doesn't need one.

[Murger]

Only if you’re watching live tv on Prime. If you’re only watching box sets, films etc, then you don’t need a license.

[Nori1958]

Yeah, that's if you're live streaming. Basically live TV.

Any series etc.. doesn't need one.

You should probably have said that originally then, just so people didn't misunderstand

[Quickenthetempo]

You even need it for YouTube if you are watching a live broadcast.

They don't need a detector van to check you either if you stream on a BBC site they can see it via your IP I assume as that is how I got done. Streamed part of the Wrexham v Sheffield cup tie via BBC I player last year and got a letter threatening me with legal action if I didn't purchase a licence.

Did they state you watched the game or was is just a generic letter they send out to everyone who hasn't got one?
When you tick you don't need one, it only lasts 3 years. Then letters or a visit will happen. I didn't realise you had to renew.
A guy turned up just after lockdown and asked to come in the house to check. He got told where to go and left.
They are chancers on a bonus system.

[ClaretAndJew]

I didn't pass my TV test so never got my TV License.

[bfcjg]

But we need to pay or fee so we can be condescended to by the likes of Lineker.

[evensteadiereddie]

Or watch many other fine BBC programmes if GL isn't to your taste.

[Commy]

It is a criminal offence not to have a licence. You can end up with a record if you are done. Is it worth not getting a job for the sake of a TV licence.

[ElectroClaret]

David Attenborough's wonderful nature documentaries are worth the fee alone.

[beddie]

But we need to pay or fee so we can be condescended to by the likes of Lineker.

I don’t understand, if you think that why would you watch him?

[simonclaret]

It is a criminal offence not to have a licence.

Presumably only if you're accessing services that require one.

[Carlos the Great]

It’s actually a criminal offence not getting a license which seems outrageous ..

[edenclaret]

If you receive an email which spells it 'license' , then it's a scam.

[Nori1958]

Presumably only if you're accessing services that require one.

It's an offence not to have an excise licence for a car....... But only if it requires one

[HahaYeah]

It is NOT a criminal offence NOT to have a licence.

You only need one if you watch or record live broadcasts on any device or use BBC Iplayer.

You don't need one for Netflix or similar.

[Nori1958]

It is NOT a criminal offence NOT to have a licence.

You only need one if you watch or record live broadcasts on any device or use BBC Iplayer.

You don't need one for Netflix or similar.

Ok with Netflix.... But prime for live sport etc you do

[Goobs]

Did they state you watched the game or was is just a generic letter they send out to everyone who hasn't got one?
When you tick you don't need one, it only lasts 3 years. Then letters or a visit will happen. I didn't realise you had to renew.
A guy turned up just after lockdown and asked to come in the house to check. He got told where to go and left.
They are chancers on a bonus system.

No it stated what I watched.

[Jakubclaret]

Ok with Netflix.... But prime for live sport etc you do

But it's perfectly possible to have prime & not watch sports. No mechanism is in place separating the 2, there's no assumption that prime subscribers will be accessing the sports side of the subscription.

[Big Vinny K]

Saying on tv today that other than speeding offences it’s the biggest criminal offence the public are getting done for in the UK.
Couple of thousand people a week are getting fined I think they said.

Not bothered fact checking any of that but given the size of the fine it’s not really worth the risk. Plus BBC is actually very good - not just the television but all the other content….radio, website, educational material. You get a lot of quality for £3.50 a week and it’s much cheaper (and better) than what’s on offer in many other countries.

[HahaYeah]

If the BBC is so good then, it could survive nicely as a subscription only channel.

[Bordeauxclaret]

I miss Ringo on threads like this.

[yTib]

I miss Ringo on threads like this.

i don't.

[Nori1958]

But it's perfectly possible to have prime & not watch sports. No mechanism is in place separating the 2, there's no assumption that prime subscribers will be accessing the sports side of the subscription.

Which is why I mentioned live sport

[GodIsADeeJay81]

It is a criminal offence not to have a licence. You can end up with a record if you are done. Is it worth not getting a job for the sake of a TV licence.

Majority of employers don’t do criminal record checks

[LeadBelly]

It is a criminal offence not to have a licence. You can end up with a record if you are done. Is it worth not getting a job for the sake of a TV licence.

Do you work for the BBC (or Crapita - if they are still employed as enforces)?
This "must have a licence"/"criminal not to have a licence" is what they want people to believe to generate more income (so they can spend it on huge salaries and expenses for their "talent").

I have a tv (monitor) on which I watch the odd DVD and (more often) Netflix (+ Prime to a lesser extent). I also have a PC on which I watch quite a lot of you tube stuff- especially music-related.

I have no licence and don't need one.

The Government's websites spells this out https://www.gov.uk/find-licences/tv-lic ... %20YouTube

Its clearly in the interest of the BBC and Capita to mislead people into believing they must pay up when they dont need to- hence a lot of misunderstanding around this subject.
Nor do you need a TV licence to listen to radio.

[Jakubclaret]

Majority of employers don’t do criminal record checks

It's also safe to assume if you are the type to dodge getting a TV licence you certainly won't be going for any prestigious job vacancies that would warrant any sort of credible check.

[Stayingup]

If the BBC is so good then, it could survive nicely as a subscription only channel.

Or advertising or both. The current fee is anachronistic.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

It's also safe to assume if you are the type to dodge getting a TV licence you certainly won't be going for any prestigious job vacancies that would warrant any sort of credible check.

Maybe so, but as I’ve said most jobs don’t bother checking
They don’t even really check your past work history

[Nori1958]

Maybe so, but as I’ve said most jobs don’t bother checking
They don’t even really check your past work history

How do you know what most employers do or don't do in respect of checks?

[ClaretDiver]

Maybe so, but as I’ve said most jobs don’t bother checking
They don’t even really check your past work history

Really? Where is your evidence backing this up? It’s a pretty broad sweeping comment…

[Fretters]

Really? Where is your evidence backing this up? It’s a pretty broad sweeping comment…

It's nonsense. I run a business and check the history of everyone I employ and I'm sure most other business owners do too. It can be too expensive to employ a bad egg.

[It Is What It Is]

Just pay the licence fee. Nobody likes to pay it but....
It's not just the TV programmes.
It also funds all the BBC radio stations both nationally and locally. Match commentaries, teams etc.
Also BBC sport websites, up to date news stories, match reports etc....and let's be honest we all use them.
If you didn't have access at all to the BBC .....you would defo miss it.
So for less than 44p a day...just pay it , even if it's just to stop the anxiety of getting caught.!!!

[IanMcL]

The licence (it is spelt with a c in UK) is to enable a property to receive broadcasts. Radio/TV etc. Also to view content from the BBC, which could be via Sounds App/Iplayer etc.

It's an incredible service, sadly abused for propaganda purposes, by the current scumbags in Gov.

[elwaclaret]

I only realised after two fines (being over by a week) YOU DO NOT NEED A LICENSE in higher education. Universities buy a license that covers all there students… you don’t need one for your address.

[Quicknick]

I only realised after two fines (being over by a week) YOU DO NOT NEED A LICENSE in higher education. Universities buy a license that covers all there students… you don’t need one for your address.

That's interesting. I didn't know it.

[pushpinpussy]

The relevant law is as follows.

Section 363 of the Communications Act 2003 makes it an offence to install or use a television receiver, to watch or record any television programme as it is being shown on television without a TV licence.

Section 365 requires a person to whom a television licence is issued to pay a fee. Since 1991, in its role as the relevant licensing authority, the BBC has been responsible for collecting and enforcing the TV licence fee.

[Venkys4eva]

A quote from an article in The Telegraph:

'According to the most recent data from the Ministry of Justice, there were 47,622 prosecutions and 44,106 convictions for failing to pay the television licence in the year ending June 2022'

So that's what happens

[Nori1958]

A quote from an article in The Telegraph:

'According to the most recent data from the Ministry of Justice, there were 47,622 prosecutions and 44,106 convictions for failing to pay the television licence in the year ending June 2022'

So that's what happens

And if those and others had just paid, then perhaps the law abiding amongst us wouldn't have to suffer the big rise

[Murger]

And if those and others had just paid, then perhaps the law abiding amongst us wouldn't have to suffer the big rise

So everyone should just pay up, so you can get a better deal?

[Nori1958]

So everyone should just pay up, so you can get a better deal?

Or......pay because it's unlawful not too if you require one, and then everyone pays a fair price.

I guess you think it's ok for people to up their insurance claims, and those who moan about yearly increases are the ones in the wrong?

[Murger]

Or......pay because it's unlawful not too if you require one, and then everyone pays a fair price.

I guess you think it's ok for people to up their insurance claims, and those who moan about yearly increases are the ones in the wrong?

Yeah, because that’s the only reason insurance companies increase their prices. Absolutely nothing to do with blatant greed, just as the tv licence is.
If the BBC is that confident of their product, why can’t they change to a subscription service? What do they gain by threatening people with jail?

[Nori1958]

Yeah, because that’s the only reason insurance companies increase their prices. Absolutely nothing to do with blatant greed, just as the tv licence is.
If the BBC is that confident of their product, why can’t they change to a subscription service? What do they gain by threatening people with jail?

Having no TV licence is not punishable by imprisonment.