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TV license question
nick205 - 16/1/17 at 12:03 PM

Searched on here, but couldn't find an answer.

My father in law lives in a mobile home park.

Being a "holiday park" he uses his other daugthers address as his postal address.

He has a TV license at the daughters address.

My concern is that his TV license probably covers him at the address on the TV license, but not where his TV is.

Does anyone know the rules or legalities around this query?

Thanks,
Nick

ReMan - 16/1/17 at 12:13 PM

Needs one per permanent address
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one

nick205 - 16/1/17 at 12:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
Needs one per permanent address
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one


Thank you - useful.

In real terms this is his problem. He lives in a holiday park and does not have it as a permanent postal address.

I've printed the TV license contact details for him and will tell him it's up to him to sort out!

designer - 16/1/17 at 01:01 PM

quote:

He lives in a holiday park and does not have it as a permanent postal address


Why?

nick205 - 16/1/17 at 01:58 PM

quote:
Originally posted by designer
quote:

He lives in a holiday park and does not have it as a permanent postal address


Why?



Long story and we told him not to do it 10 years ago.

In summary I believe there is a difference between "holiday" and "residential".

I'll also add that he's a master of hearing what he wants to and ignoring the rest

ian locostzx9rc2 - 16/1/17 at 03:45 PM

Even if it's a holiday park you would need a tv licence if you have a tv

SteveWallace - 16/1/17 at 03:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
Needs one per permanent address
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one


I've just been through all of this with my daughter at Uni where every student in the university owned accommodation received a letter from TV Licencing saying that they would be prosecuted if they didn't get a license. They were working on an assumption that every address without a license was illegally receiving broadcasts.

However, a detailed look at the law shows that you can watch streamed TV, including live streaming on the BBC i-player, without a license as long as you're using equipment that is not plugged into the mains electricity. I know that this sounds mad, but its true. You can watch TV on a laptop without a licence if its running on battery power only, but if you're charging it at the same time your breaking the law. TVL were being rather disingenuous in the wording of their letter.

This loophole goes back some time and the gvt are planning to legislate to close it in the next few months, but for the moment its legal.

nick205 - 16/1/17 at 04:33 PM

I appreciate the age of the web will have caused some re-thinking of the laws.

That said the good ole father in law isn't at all sure what a laptop is let alone the web. His take on life is still paper and postage only...the merest suggestion that most things can be and are done online these days and you can see him glaze over pretty fast.

Smokey mow - 16/1/17 at 08:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SteveWallace
quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
Needs one per permanent address
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one


I've just been through all of this with my daughter at Uni where every student in the university owned accommodation received a letter from TV Licencing saying that they would be prosecuted if they didn't get a license. They were working on an assumption that every address without a license was illegally receiving broadcasts.

However, a detailed look at the law shows that you can watch streamed TV, including live streaming on the BBC i-player, without a license as long as you're using equipment that is not plugged into the mains electricity. I know that this sounds mad, but its true. You can watch TV on a laptop without a licence if its running on battery power only, but if you're charging it at the same time your breaking the law. TVL were being rather disingenuous in the wording of their letter.

This loophole goes back some time and the gvt are planning to legislate to close it in the next few months, but for the moment its legal.


The law was changed in September last year.

You now require a TV licence to watch BBC I-player whether streamed or catch-up

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/bbc-iplayer-and-the-tv-licence

SteveWallace - 16/1/17 at 09:19 PM

No, they messed it up. You're still exempt as long as the device you're watching it on is portable. The definition of portable is 'running off battery power'.

You have to dig around on their website though to find where they admit it.

[Edited on 16/1/17 by SteveWallace]

Smokey mow - 16/1/17 at 09:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SteveWallace
No, they messed it up. You're still exempt as long as the device you're watching it on is portable. The definition of portable is 'running off battery power'.

You have to dig around on their website though to find where they admit it.

[Edited on 16/1/17 by SteveWallace]


Yes, "portable" devices would be covered by the TV licence for your home address (such as a students parents licence). But you would need a licence for portable devices if 1) you plug them in, as then they are classed as no longer portable and a licence is required for the address where they are being used, but also 2) if you don't have a licence at your home address, as there would not be a licence covering the device.

[Edited on 16/1/17 by Smokey mow]

steve m - 16/1/17 at 10:09 PM

Well, my take on it is

He's avoiding paying for a Tv licence, regardless, as he is LIVING in a caravan, not a temporary, or holiday home, but living in it

Myself as an ex caravan owner, I knew that we were covered by our TV license, as we were away from home, and therefore unable to watch TV at home, but were when away in the caravan

So, if I was to know were he lived, I would shop him for no licence, as we all have to pay it, why not him ?

steve

nick205 - 17/1/17 at 09:02 AM

Don't worry please - my goal here is to make him pay what's due, NOT to avoid it. My goal is also to avoid taking it on as my job to do for him. He's (politely) a lazy bugger and I will work to ensure he makes necessary provision for doing this. Being over 75 years old he doesn't have to actually "pay" money, but nonetheless he still has to have the license done correctly. Under no circumstance can this end up messing things up for other people - particularly those whose postal address he see fit to use as his own

Matt21 - 17/1/17 at 12:35 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SteveWallace
quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
Needs one per permanent address
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one


I've just been through all of this with my daughter at Uni where every student in the university owned accommodation received a letter from TV Licencing saying that they would be prosecuted if they didn't get a license. They were working on an assumption that every address without a license was illegally receiving broadcasts.

However, a detailed look at the law shows that you can watch streamed TV, including live streaming on the BBC i-player, without a license as long as you're using equipment that is not plugged into the mains electricity. I know that this sounds mad, but its true. You can watch TV on a laptop without a licence if its running on battery power only, but if you're charging it at the same time your breaking the law. TVL were being rather disingenuous in the wording of their letter.

This loophole goes back some time and the gvt are planning to legislate to close it in the next few months, but for the moment its legal.



My sister in law is in uni halls with 3 other flat mates.
She has a TV licence but the others don't, they all got a letter apart from her! so I assume they must be able to tell who does and doesn't somehow?!

chillis - 17/1/17 at 01:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Being over 75 years old he doesn't have to actually "pay" money, but nonetheless he still has to have the license done correctly. Under no circumstance can this end up messing things up for other people - particularly those whose postal address he see fit to use as his own

If you are over 75 you don't actually get a license, they just record that someone at that address is over 75 and you don't get any reminders etc.

nick205 - 17/1/17 at 01:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by chillis
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Being over 75 years old he doesn't have to actually "pay" money, but nonetheless he still has to have the license done correctly. Under no circumstance can this end up messing things up for other people - particularly those whose postal address he see fit to use as his own

If you are over 75 you don't actually get a license, they just record that someone at that address is over 75 and you don't get any reminders etc.



Useful to know - thanks.

Still HE will be making the necessary phone calls NOT me

nick205 - 26/1/17 at 05:08 PM

Final update...I've given him their contact details and told him to get on with it. Also told him in pretty plain English that he is NOT using my address for any of it!