A question about : How to get out of paying TV license (yes, REALLY)
This worked for me. I read carefully through the terms and conditions of the TV license site, I have copied and pasted below directly from the site. Basically, you only have to pay for a license if you watch or record live TV, so if you have a digibox with Catch up tv, on demand TV, 4OD, BBC I player etc, and are willing to use only these features, you do not have to pay. It is perfectly legal. I rang them today and told them I have Virgin TIVO, but that I am happy only to use the on demand features because I cannot afford a TV license. (I have access to a full week's past recordings on demand and am perfectly happy not to watch live programmes) The fact that live TV is available on it is irrelevant, they cannot accuse you of watching it unless they catch you watching it, and they will send someone out to check up on you! I think this has probably changed because a TV license is not required for watching catch up TV on computers, but only if you watch live TV on a computer. It would be ridiculous if they hit everyone with TV licences for their PCs just because they had access to live TV on them, so you are given the benefit of the doubt that you are only using it for past recordings. These days you can use your TV in exactly the same way if you have TIVO, SKY or Virgin plus, so it would be contradictory to enforce it for a TV, but not a PC..Surprisingly, they did not argue with me at all, agreed I didn't need a license and took me off their database...Have a read below guys, directly from the TV License site..I have put the important bit in bold italics!
How to tell us you don't watch TV
If you don't watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on TV, on any device, you don't need a TV Licence. Here's how you can let us know.
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 Blu-ray/DVD/VHS recorders.
You don't need a licence 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 'catch up' services like BBC iPlayer or 4oD.
Best answers:
- without sounding rude i dont think you are correct unless you are blind or over 75 then you need a license to watch tv.
if they took you to court you have no way of proving you dont watch live tv. - If you dont watch OR RECORD live TV you dont need a TV licence, it is not a secret.
If your Tivo records the programs as they are broadcast you need a licence, and it does, so you do. - I just want to highlight: This is from the TV Licence website conditions!
You don't need a licence 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 ‘catch up’ services like BBC iPlayer or 4oD.
I rang and asked about this. You do not have to prove you don't watch live TV, they will send someone round to check on you remotely with a detector, and as long as you are not doing it you are fine. You can watch live TV and on demand TV on a computer also, but if you are not using it for live TV they have to take you at your word. Just go to the site and read it if you don't believe me. It's just one of those things that are not obvious, and hardly anyone knows about - Yes Kurtis, that is correct. you cannot make any recordings, however, catch up, BBC Iplayer, 4OD, etc, are all allowed. You can still watch all your fave programmes, but you will just be a day behind, which is worth saving Ј145 in my opinion. I will remind everyone I have discussed this with the TV Licence company on the phone
- Its not a secret.
- The trouble is, if you answer the door to capita and sign his bit of paper, they tell lies and fill the rest in later, so you are not in much of a different situation than the dodgers.
- Really? That's awful. Well their calls are recorded, and the representative I talked to was quite clear that it was fine and took me off their database, so if there is a dispute I will just ask them to listen to the call. I would recommend calling them first, confirming everything on the phone rather than just not paying. If you don't let them know you don't need a license you will be pursued, and that's when things become complicated I would imagine. I was 100% honest with them so I have nothing to hide.
- Clive, they concurred with me that I dont need a license
- Folks, rang TV Licencing again as I just had a feeling this might be too good to be true, despite the first consultant telling me it was fine. The second consultant said it would only be fine if I can disable the live channels on my TIVO box. Although the TVL website simply says if you do not USE your TV to watch or record live TV, and mentions nothing about needing a licence solely because your device is CAPABLE of receiving live signals, it does say in section 363 of the Communications Act 2003: "A television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence."
Virgin are unable to disable the live channels for me for some reason so I am just going to get rid of it and use a media hard drive instead, as I resent being forced to pay for something I don't use....bbc tv should be optional (pay if you want it)? Instead we are forced to pay Ј145 per year to fund channels we didn't ask for, want or need?..What happened to freedom of choice? Why won't they have advertisements to fund themselves like everyone else? Is that our decision? How can they justify charging Ј145?! Some people may be happy paying this, but it seems wrong that we don't have a choice.
If you own a TV CAPABLE of receiving ANY live channels you must pay, despite the fact that you may not watch bbc channels. Isn't this the equivalent to giving someone a speeding ticket because their car is CAPABLE of exceeding speed limits, even though they never intend to speed? Why don't we stand up for ourselves? MAKE BBC OPTIONAL, ABOLISH TV LICENSE and end this undemocratic regime...Or get a media hard drive! - https://www.parliament.uk/get-involve...ions/standing/
https://www.writetothem.com/
https://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/roku-i...ming-boxes-uk/ - So disappointed But Multimedia hard drives are still a way out of it, and they are great! Just gotta get one now.
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