TV licence requirements

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
About 4 yrs ago I completed a form from TLM in which I declared that I no longer watched BBC/ITV etc and only used non-live TV. Submitting this form gave me 2 yrs of non harassment from TLM. I had to redo this form after 2 yrs and expect that I will need to do my third one in a few months.

No harassment, no house calls, no threatening visits. Fairly civilised but of course its time to cancel the TV tax and right now.
 
Thanks for all the replies chaps. I need to think about it but it does seem pointless paying so much for the odd programme or film that is available elsewhere anyway.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 
Considering how much it costs for cable services now, and that the majority of the TV stuff worth watching from the BBC gets sold to other broadcasters anyway to be shown in the future, don't I think that paying for BBC content can really be justified.

They make stuff from TLM money, then sell it worldwide for a profit; sure they have to pay celebrities extortionate amounts of money, but that's on them - THEY made those financial choices not us, and they made them because THEY weren't footing the bill. That article about how much thier top names get paid really woke a lot of people up about the scam that is the BBC Licence - "Graham Norton wants an extra £2 million? NP we'll just send our teams out to intimidate more people".

Every other broadcaster manages to do it without one, and the adverts aren't even an issue for people who have TV recording systems like Tivo or Sky boxes anyway - you just fast forward.

Sure I like David Attenbourgh's work, and I'll watch it if it's on - via the Eden channel that already costs me £35 per month for that cable package.

If the BBC wants more money I suggest they start going round all the building sites with thier radios going and start harassing them for a "public broadcasting fee", that should be interesting to watch.
 
I am quite happy to pay the licence fee.I listen to radio quite a lot ,watch plenty of television,especially in the winter and consider in the most part that the B.B.C. deliver a good service as for the celebrities pay packets they have always been far too high.Tony Blackburn does three shows a week which are well worth the£3 a week licence fee .I know I could listen to them for free because for many years we haven't needed a licence to just listen to radio,but what would fund the many excellent radio shows( not counting the squeaky little voice of Graham Norton can't stand the man) that the B.B.C. produce I personally think it's a good deal.But the world will always be full of freeloaders.
 
rafezetter":x553qoyv said:
.... and the adverts aren't even an issue for people who have TV recording systems like Tivo or Sky boxes anyway - you just fast forward.

..

But they are a PITA. Yes you can fast forward but if you're watching a decent drama then it spoils the dynamic.
 
Just to be clear, although I dislike the antics of the TV licensing people, I have no problem with paying for the BBC. It is the best of the bunch. Although that isn't difficult. Adverts do ruin programmes for me, not just the add but the necessary recap of all that's been said already for the sieve minded. We've tried Amazon and Netflix, and I can well live without either.
 
Channel 5 has some good history programmes, and other than watching the news, there's very little I watch. Adverts annoy me, but they are useful if you want to make a drink or have a toilet break.

Nigel.
 
RogerS":q46rg4f1 said:
sammy.se":q46rg4f1 said:
....
I'm not missing much.
..

OK..each to their own but you're missing some excellent stuff on the BBC. I'd rate content as 7/10 BBC and 1/10 Netflix.

But, as I said, each to their own.

Agreed, whatever your politics are and even if they don't align with the BBC (which is supposed to be impartial), they do produce some quality watching. There is some dung but compared with most other channels, far less dung and far more quality viewing.
 
The problem with TV generally is too many channels, so too much output required. Add in the fact that most people seem to want to watch appalling dross, and you are left with a very few worthwhile options. For me, television is what I ignore whilst streaming woodwork videos with the sound off. I get to pretend to be hanging out with the family, and they get to watch whatever they want. We are currently working through the entire Doctor Who series, for the second time. Better than most rubbish, but I have seen them all before (although I may not have been paying attention).

Stream on demand, then you don't have to put up with what someone else believes you should be watching.
 
I remember reading a TV critic back in the early days of satellite TV saying he'd just bitten the bullet and got B Sky B (iirc).
The week before he had five channels with nothing worth watching, now he had another sixteen with nothing worth watching. :D
 
MARK.B.":1ul3ryrt said:
The short answer is yes if you have a TV then you need a licence.

Wrong

If you watch live programmes via your TV, you need a licence.

To watch catch up / non live streaming via Prime / Netflix etc you don't need a licence.
 
phil.p":hlp4ohoh said:
TV Licensing -
"You don’t need a TV Licence if you never watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel, or live on an online TV service, and you never download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer – live, catch up or on demand.
This applies to any provider or device you use, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or Blu-ray/DVD/VHS recorder."


You don’t need a TV Licence if you never watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV on any channel ...
Interesting, no mention of BBC in that sentence? That would imply that if you watch anything live at all you need a licence.
Correct, any live TV from any source means you need a licence.

I've not had a licence for years, I don't watch much TV and what little I do watch is from Netflix or the like.
 
Why is it not necessary to have a radio licence? I do listen to bbc radio all day so suppose I should contribute to that.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 
Its almost like theyve made it so confusing so everybody thinks they need one.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 
RogerS":2xxa53z4 said:
Also seems to imply that if you record a programme, say, on ITV and then watch it at a later date then you do need a licence.
Irish Rover":2xxa53z4 said:
If you record a live broadcast that counts as watching it so you need a license. If you watch a catch up programme then you don't.

MARK.B.":2xxa53z4 said:
The short answer is yes if you have a TV then you need a licence.

Wrong

If you watch live programmes via your TV, you need a licence.

To watch catch up / non live streaming via Prime / Netflix etc you don't need a licence.

Mostly true. If you watch BBC catch up you need a license., but not for any others.
 
Rorschach":v5a9wqjm said:
RogerS":v5a9wqjm said:
Also seems to imply that if you record a programme, say, on ITV and then watch it at a later date then you do need a licence.
Irish Rover":v5a9wqjm said:
If you record a live broadcast that counts as watching it so you need a license. If you watch a catch up programme then you don't.

MARK.B.":v5a9wqjm said:
The short answer is yes if you have a TV then you need a licence.

Wrong

If you watch live programmes via your TV, you need a licence.

To watch catch up / non live streaming via Prime / Netflix etc you don't need a licence.

Mostly true. If you watch BBC catch up you need a license., but not for any others.

Bizarre, isn't it. You can't record a TV programme (on any channel) and then watch it...you need a licence. But you can go to the ITV Hub and watch it on catch-up when you don't need a licence !
 
It is completely bizarre and as another poster said one would think they made it complicated on purpose.

It's amazing how quickly you get used not to having these things now. We have not had a TV license for over 10 years, don't miss it at all.
When we go to hotels that have a TV we very quickly go into brain dead TV watching mode again, rather scary. Some of that is because you don't have your home distractions of course but some of it is simply habit forming.
It really becomes noticeable how people are obsessed though when we visit friends of family and they simply have to have the TV going even when you are talking, eating etc.

Get rid of it, use a streaming service (other other methods if you are that way inclined) and watch what you want on your own terms when you want it. Otherwise find other things to do, read, talk, learn new skills, go to bed early if you aren't single ;)
 
Back
Top