TV Licensing - very disappointing!

[Steve Maskery]

For months I've been pestered by quite aggressive letters from the TV Licensing authority telling me I'm going to be hung, drawn and quartered for not having a TV licence. I've had the chance to register as not having a TV, but as they say they will check anyway there didn't seem a lot of point. So they have all ended up in the bin.

Just now a foreign gentleman rang the doorbell with a digital device of some sort and told me there was no licence for this address. Correct. I don't have a TV and don't watch live TV on my computer. So I don't need a licence. Can he come in to check? No. OK, and he walks away.

He was very polite, not pushy at all. I'm very disappointed, I was looking forward to some parry and thrust about rights of entry, state harassment, free independent legal advice, implied right of access to my front door, etc. etc. He's spoiled all my fun!

S

 

[Harbo]

Sorry that you have been targeted but very impressed that they find people without licences - too many people's getting away without paying their dues?

Rod

 

[Paul Chapman]

When my wife and I got married we didn't bother with a television for 7 years. When we bought our first house after a year, we received a letter from the TV licensing authority asking why we hadn't a TV licence. I wrote back and said because we didn't have a television. They wrote back asking why. So I wrote back and said we had been married for only a year and the novelty hadn't worn off yet. Didn't hear any more........ :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Steve Maskery]

YEs. I do know someone who was found out and was fined. I don't know how much, but she got a licence after that. I also have a friend who called by his 90-year-old NDN, who was being harassed by a guy who was "talking to him under caution" and being generally very aggressive.
I have had this before. Not me, but a friend. They threatened to get a search warrant. I rang up the TVLA and had quite a chat with a woman who simply wouldn't accept that some people didn't actually like, want or have a TV. When I pointed out that my friend was an ex-missionary and didn't even take her library books back late, let alone operate a TV set illegally, they sent her a letter saying she had - I forget the word - dispensation? no, but something just as offensive, for two years.

Don't get me wrong. I do watch some stuff on iPlayer and enjoy. Not much, Wallander, Dead Boss, In the line of duty. That's about it at the mo. I get to watch without paying and I'm not sure that is as it should be, from a publicly-funded organisation, but that is the law. I don't make the laws. If I had to pay a TV licence to watch iPlayer, would I? I'd probably not watch anything. I've not had a TV for over year and don't miss it one bit.
S

 

[Lons]

Now that's just plain confrontational :wink: - Man after my own heart :lol:

As an aside:- Does the tv licence still cover radio use as well? or do you need a seperate licence / or not?

Bob

 

[Steve Maskery]

It's been a thousand years since we've needed a radio licence.
I think it was the invention of the transistor radio that made radio licences impractical.

 

[Blister]

Steve

did you see this bit on the TV licensing web site

With today’s technology, you can watch TV on more devices than ever, whenever it suits you best. This means a TV Licence doesn’t just cover you to watch TV at home on a TV set. You can also watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV, through all of these devices:

Computers, including laptops and tablets
Mobile phones
Games consoles
Digital boxes, e.g. Freeview, Sky, Virgin, BT Vision
DVD/VHS/Blu-ray recorders.

As long as the address where you live is licensed, you’re also covered to watch TV outside your home using any device powered solely by its own internal batteries. This includes your mobile phone, laptop and tablet.

Exception: If you only watch catch-up services online, then you don’t need a licence. For example, you don’t need one to use BBC iPlayer, or ITV player, to catch up on programmes after they have been shown on TV.

The bit in red is interesting :lol:

 

[woodaxed]

I did a Keith Moon with my TV several years ago and haven't looked back and yes it did go out the window lovely noise when it hit the concrete. I do occasionally watch iplayer but then its only catch up and the very odd programme. I prefer to read a book or do many other things than watch the evil box in the corner, and no i'm not a luddite used to work on mainframe computers people forget how to think.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Quite.
What bugs me is that the letters they send just assume you are a criminal.
S

 

[beech1948]

The fact that there is still a TV licence is criminal. How cheap can the authoriies be to demand money for such cr$p.

Al

 

[Paul Chapman]

The fact that there is still a TV licence is criminal. How cheap can the authoriies be to demand money for such cr$p.

Great value for money in my view. Overall, the best TV stations, the best radio stations and the best website. Quite a bargain really when you look at the alternatives on offer.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[RogerS]

The fact that there is still a TV licence is criminal. How cheap can the authoriies be to demand money for such cr$p.

Great value for money in my view. Overall, the best TV stations, the best radio stations and the best website. Quite a bargain really when you look at the alternatives on offer.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

+1

 

[mailee]

The fact that there is still a TV licence is criminal. How cheap can the authoriies be to demand money for such cr$p.

Al

I totally agree with this. Yes I admit that the BBC produce some of the best programs out there, but not very many of them and when they do they repeat them again and again! the BBC along with most of the other channels seem to think that fly on the wall documentaries and talent shows are what we all want to watch! :evil: And then if we want to change channel to get some good documentary viewing we have to pay even more! As for their radio stations they can keep them! Why don't the BBC give us all a channel like discovery for those of us that like to watch informative programs...mind you they would probably put the licence fee up then. :roll: OK rant over.

 

[cambournepete]

The fact that there is still a TV licence is criminal. How cheap can the authoriies be to demand money for such cr$p.

Great value for money in my view. Overall, the best TV stations, the best radio stations and the best website. Quite a bargain really when you look at the alternatives on offer.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

+1

+1

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A T.V. licence is an anachronism - there is is neither need nor justification for one.

 

[RogerS]

A T.V. licence is an anachronism - there is is neither need nor justification for one.

No it isn't. It guarantees the BBC a sum of money that they can invest in decent programmes. The alternative - subscription like on Sky - guarantees you get crap American rubbish. I know what I'd rather have.

 

[Blister]

A T.V. licence is an anachronism - there is is neither need nor justification for one.

They need it to pay the BBC pensions :wink:

 

[Harbo]

If you've ever watched TV in the States you will realise how crap commercial only TV is?

Rod

 

[Frank S]

One of the advantages of middle age is that I received a FREE TV license on my last birthday.Which is just as well seeing how much cr*p and sport is being shown.(End of my rant).
Frank.

 

[devonwoody]

We have got three tv's and no license. (special dispensation of parliament)

Wont be long before you need a license for a computer me thinks .