TV Licensing intend prosecuting me for just owning TV sets

[Nottseagull]

A couple of years ago I was spending so much time on the internet and watching TV that I really had to choose between the two. I chose the internet, and was quite surprised how little I missed TV after a while. Anyway, I was soon plagued with letters from TV Licensing which provided no prepaid envelopes and gave a profiteering 08something number as the only means of reply. So I ignored these, and after several months of letters telling me about their 'investigations' an officer finally turned up yesterday. I was happy to let him in and see that my three dusty old sets were disconnected and stored upstairs. However he said that as it would only take a couple of minutes for me to reconnect them then they would be considered as in use. After some argument, he said he would not proceed with prosecution if I bought a licence, and there would be no backdating required. This I declined and he left.
Is he correct, or was he lying in order to maybe earn commission on the new licence?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I think you only have to have equipment that is "capable" of receiving, in order to have to pay your license fee.

 

[trueblue]

All you have to do then is sell your three dusty old sets which you never use and it's a win-win. No licence fee and some beer money.

 

[Hillian1]

They have to prove you have been recieving TV signals, it's the ony way they can prosecute you.

If they are going to prosecute then they can prove it and you've been a naughty boy.

 

[Acker79]

I went on the bbc iplayer recently and it mentioned I needed to have a tv licence even if I'm watching online (though that was to stream one of the tennis matches live)

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

As soon as you purchase a TV, the retailer is obliged to inform TV Licensing. I don't know what happens if you buy it on EBay, but maybe TVL have tracking systems there. I think they have the law on their side here. When I went to university, I purchased a TV and a licence. I found out that the TV didn't work in my student accommodation, so took it home. I then rented one locally, and gave the address of my accommodation. I had previously only given the general student address, as I didn't know where I was to be living. They managed to track me down, and I had a hard time explaining to them that I had already purchased a TV licence (I think I had to give the name of the retailer where I purchased the TV that didn't work).

 

[manilaseagull]

They have to prove you have been recieving TV signals, it's the ony way they can prosecute you.

If they are going to prosecute then they can prove it and you've been a naughty boy.

I was told once that you also need a licence for any computer equipment as it can receive a BBC signal...

True or not I dont know?

 

[Hillian1]

I was told once that you also need a licence for any computer equipment as it can receive a BBC signal...

True or not I dont know?

Sounds plausible, i was done about 25 years ago now so this new fangled internet stuff probably didn'y apply back then.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

TV Licensing - What if a TV Licence is not needed

What if a TV Licence is not needed?

No TV? Don't watch or record television programmes as they're being broadcast on any device? The law states that you need to be covered by a TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes, on any device, as they're being shown on TV. This includes TVs, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and DVD/VHS recorders.

No TV Licence is needed if you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you use your TV only to watch DVDs or play video games, or you only watch programmes on your computer after they have been shown on TV. If this is the case, please let us know, as this helps us to keep our database up to date and means you won't receive the standard letters we send to unlicensed addresses.

 

[readingstockport]

I think you only have to have equipment that is "capable" of receiving, in order to have to pay your license fee.

Oh FFS, how often do we need to have this discussion before people will understand.

The offence is REcieving the signal and using that to watch TV WHILST THE PROGRAMME IS BEING BROADCAST or TO RECORD IT WHILST IT IS BEING BROADCAST FOR LATER WATCHING. It is NOT an offence to possess a TV without a licence, the offence only occurs when you use it to watch live. If someone records a programme for you you are quite entitled to use your tv to watch that at a later date without needing a licence. If you only use your tv to watch pre-recorded films, either on DVD or VCR then you do not commit an offence.

I know, I had the inspectors come round and inspect my house 18 months ago. I invited them in, showed them my TV with a DVD player connected to it, showed them I did not have a TV ariel, showed them the VCR I use with another TV to monitor a cctv system and they left quite happily saying "ok, you don't need a licence. We'll put you down for another checkin 3 years time".

Notts, they HAVE to catch you actually recieving the signal, either on the TV itself by watching it or on a VCR by recording it. Otherwise you are not commiting an offence and you do NOT need a licence.

 

[Seagull27]

I went on the bbc iplayer recently and it mentioned I needed to have a tv licence even if I'm watching online (though that was to stream one of the tennis matches live)

You only need a license to stream live tv from iPlayer. You can watch the catch up stuff without one.

I have no idea how they'd realistically be able to tell though...

 

[pigin stripes]

Part 4 of the Communications Act 2003 makes it an offence to install or use a television receiver to watch or record any television programmes as they're being shown on television without a valid TV Licence. The Act empowers the BBC to make and amend the terms and conditions of a licence. It allows the government to make regulations to exempt or reduce the licence fee for certain persons in certain circumstances. It also makes it an offence for anyone to have any television receiver in their possession or under their control who intends to install or use it in contravention of the main offence (above), or knows, or has reasonable grounds for believing, that another person intends to install or use a television receiver in contravention of the main offence.

Answer is above.....although unplugged if it could work then you need a licence, also hope you haven't been watching uk programmes live on I player, because again you need a valid licence.

 

[DIRK STEELE]

If you watch or record any live broadcast... even on your mobile.. you need a license.

TV Licensing - Check if you need a TV Licence

 

[Acker79]

Part 4 of the Communications Act 2003 makes it an offence to install or use a television receiver to watch or record any television programmes as they're being shown on television without a valid TV Licence. The Act empowers the BBC to make and amend the terms and conditions of a licence. It allows the government to make regulations to exempt or reduce the licence fee for certain persons in certain circumstances. It also makes it an offence for anyone to have any television receiver in their possession or under their control who intends to install or use it in contravention of the main offence (above), or knows, or has reasonable grounds for believing, that another person intends to install or use a television receiver in contravention of the main offence.

Answer is above.....although unplugged if it could work then you need a licence, also hope you haven't been watching uk programmes live on I player, because again you need a valid licence.

But the wording of that means, surely, that they'd have to prove intent to install and use it?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

A couple of years ago I was spending so much time on the internet and watching TV that I really had to choose between the two. I chose the internet, and was quite surprised how little I missed TV after a while. Anyway, I was soon plagued with letters from TV Licensing which provided no prepaid envelopes and gave a profiteering 08something number as the only means of reply. So I ignored these, and after several months of letters telling me about their 'investigations' an officer finally turned up yesterday. I was happy to let him in and see that my three dusty old sets were disconnected and stored upstairs. However he said that as it would only take a couple of minutes for me to reconnect them then they would be considered as in use. After some argument, he said he would not proceed with prosecution if I bought a licence, and there would be no backdating required. This I declined and he left.
Is he correct, or was he lying in order to maybe earn commission on the new licence?

Unless you're actually receiving live TV then they can't prosecute you. They are just trying to scare you into buying a license when in reality, if you're telling the truth, you don't need one. You have to remember TV Licensing is run by a private company, Capita, on behalf of the BBC. They are partly paid on results - successful prosecutions and the number of TV licenses sold.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Oh FFS, how often do we need to have this discussion before people will understand.

The offence is REcieving the signal and using that to watch TV WHILST THE PROGRAMME IS BEING BROADCAST or TO RECORD IT WHILST IT IS BEING BROADCAST FOR LATER WATCHING. It is NOT an offence to possess a TV without a licence, the offence only occurs when you use it to watch live. If someone records a programme for you you are quite entitled to use your tv to watch that at a later date without needing a licence. If you only use your tv to watch pre-recorded films, either on DVD or VCR then you do not commit an offence.

I know, I had the inspectors come round and inspect my house 18 months ago. I invited them in, showed them my TV with a DVD player connected to it, showed them I did not have a TV ariel, showed them the VCR I use with another TV to monitor a cctv system and they left quite happily saying "ok, you don't need a licence. We'll put you down for another checkin 3 years time".

Notts, they HAVE to catch you actually recieving the signal, either on the TV itself by watching it or on a VCR by recording it. Otherwise you are not commiting an offence and you do NOT need a licence.

Ok, so I'm wrong - wind yer neck in.

 

[readingstockport]

Part 4 of the Communications Act 2003 makes it an offence to install or use a television receiver to watch or record any television programmes as they're being shown on television without a valid TV Licence. The Act empowers the BBC to make and amend the terms and conditions of a licence. It allows the government to make regulations to exempt or reduce the licence fee for certain persons in certain circumstances. It also makes it an offence for anyone to have any television receiver in their possession or under their control who intends to install or use it in contravention of the main offence (above), or knows, or has reasonable grounds for believing, that another person intends to install or use a television receiver in contravention of the main offence.

Answer is above.....although unplugged if it could work then you need a licence, also hope you haven't been watching uk programmes live on I player, because again you need a valid licence.

Wrong. You do not need a licence. The bloke was trying it on. The key word is INTEND. They need to prove you have intent to do so, I proved to the inspectors who visited me that I did not have that intention so I need no licence. Despite the fact that should I chose to do so I could install my tvs and use them. I have no intention of doing so so no licence needed.

 

[readingstockport]

Ok, so I'm wrong - wind yer neck in.

Sorry tricky, it's just that this subject comes up ever year or so and we go through the same process each time.

It wasn't directed at you personally.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Sorry tricky, it's just that this subject comes up ever year or so and we go through the same process each time.

It wasn't directed at you personally.

I'm going to sit here in a huff now and not do any work ..... hang on, I wasn't anyway.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Answer is above.....although unplugged if it could work then you need a licence,

No, the offence would be to receive said pictures. If his TV isn't plugged into the ariel then he isn't committing an offence. Anyway, the ariel is the receiving equipment not the TV.