Tv licensing

It's not if you have a device that is capable, it's if you use the device to do the things you mentioned.

 

You are correct.

The last time the law changed was when a license was required to be able to watch iPlayer.

You can have a TV which you only use to play console games, for instance.

And you can have a phone, tablet, laptop so long as you don't watch as-broadcast TV or iPlayer on it. Your ISP are the ones who would exonerate or condemn you in that regard.

 

Iv never had an issue, i filled in a form online stating that i dont require a license and got confirmation about a week later. Every year then il get a letter asking if my circumstances have changed. Im not around during the week so iv no idea if anyone comes out and physically checks

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/cs/no-licence-needed/about.app

 

The quicker folk realise the Beeb do not give two ***** about anything but the money the better.

Remember the beebs service is that good you are threatened with court action unless you sign up.

Stop panicing over some letters with lots of red font addressed to Mr Occupier or Mrs Owner.

For the hard of hearing ill reitterate.

The ONLY way they will catch you is by a confession if/when the glorified door to door salesman calls round.

 

Try making the declaration on the paper version they send. I did when I moved here, which was 18 months ago, and haven't been bothered since.

 

A few interesting 'Factoids'.... The famed TV detector vans were and are a con. You can only detect transmitters and TVs are simply receivers. The BBC or whoever CANNOT access your property to check your equipment without a court order which would not be forthcoming. It is correct that access to ISP records could show if/when you have accessed certain websites e.g. iPlayer but I am unclear on whether privacy laws would make that possible.
In Italy ,TV licences are automatic and paid via your electricity bill )100 euros p.a. and you have to fill a from in to claim exemption. However the law is that you pay if you have the capacity to receive TV channels via laptop PC TV etc regardless of whether you watch them or not. So anyone with an internet connection must pay. We watch very little TV and mainly Netflix and the odd FTA program e.g. F1 highlights. SWMBO watches Bak eoff and the odd program but on very, very rare occasions we watch something on iFollow. The BBC website simply asks if we have a TV Licence to which we can honestly answer 'yes' since it does NOT specify which country the licence is for. and we have an Italian TV licence (we dont use VPN either)
IMO, although the lawyers could argue this one forever, the licencing restrictions oft quoted as the reason for not being able to view BBC stuff in Europe conflicts with EU rules regarding free and unfettered access to broadcasts across the EU. The BBC charter has not really kept pace with technology,particularly the internet. If any one at the BBC had a brain cell they would have ported the BBC transmissions to the Europewide side of the ASTRA satellite, rather than keep it on the tight UK beam, encrypt it and charge a subscription (and make it like iFollow on the internet) . There are millions of expats and foreign nationals who would like to view BBC (not just the limited World BBC) providing a ready market which would generate income. SKY used to carry the BBC signal until, for some reason they stopped porting UK channels to Europe.

 

I don't even open the letters in just Return To Sender and write on the envelope not at this address. My name is not The Occupier so the letters technically are not for me. They don't know my name and unless you tell them your name they can't do a thing about it.
Doesn't matter who owns the property you could be a tenant.

In short. Ignore the letters and don't tell them your name. If someone comes to the door tell them you don't need a TV License then close the door.

 

Everytime i get one of the same letters they go straight in the bin. Sometimes i will open one if i fancy a laugh.

 

You need a TV licence to watch or record live TV or watch BBC iPlayer.

If you just watch Netflix/ Amazon TV/ Now TV (not the live stuff)/ ITV Player (not live)/ 4OD/ Channel 5 catch up you don't need a licence.

Last time a goon came round I just told him I don't watch or record live TV and he said he'd be back in a year.

Most people advise to say nothing to them, sign nothing and don't let them into your house.

The licence fee model is very outdated now, young people don't watch TV to a schedule anymore and probably watch more YouTube than TV in any case.