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TV license for watching on the web?
nick205 - 3/2/09 at 09:11 AM

Say you didn't have a TV in your house, but chose to watch TV on the internet - thinking specifically about BBC iPlayer - what's the situation regards having to have a TV license...?

(my sceptical side says the Governement/BBC will say you should have one)

carpmart - 3/2/09 at 09:15 AM

It specifically says that you should not use the iplayer if you don't have a current TV license!

Your skepticism is well founded!

Edit - Good point from Matt below - its on the part of iplayer for live TV like the news where it says you should have a license!

[Edited on 3/2/09 by carpmart]

matt_claydon - 3/2/09 at 09:15 AM

It's fine to watch online without a licence as long as your not watching 'live', see:

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

quote:

You must be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV. It makes no difference what equipment you use - whether it’s a laptop, PC, mobile phone, digital box, DVD recorder or a TV set - you still need a licence. You do not need a TV Licence to view video clips on the internet, as long as what you are viewing is not being shown on TV at the same time as you are viewing it.

Mr Whippy - 3/2/09 at 09:16 AM

I don't have a license and have 3 tv's don't watch crappy BBC programs anyway

MK chippy - 3/2/09 at 09:21 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I don't have a license and have 3 tv's don't watch crappy BBC programs anyway



How'd you get away with that then?

Mr Whippy - 3/2/09 at 09:28 AM

quote:
Originally posted by MK chippy
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I don't have a license and have 3 tv's don't watch crappy BBC programs anyway



How'd you get away with that then?


generally done by lying to them

haven't had one since I moved into my new house almost 2 years ago

nick205 - 3/2/09 at 09:54 AM

Figured as much - hadn't looked at iPlayer in any detail though.

Arbitrary Q really as we already have 3 TVs in the house, just interested in what might be possible

Peteff - 3/2/09 at 10:08 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
quote:
Originally posted by MK chippy
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I don't have a license and have 3 tv's don't watch crappy BBC programs anyway



How'd you get away with that then?


generally done by lying to them

haven't had one since I moved into my new house almost 2 years ago


My niece thought that, then they fined her £1000. If you get away with it for 8 years you should just about break even

Mr Whippy - 3/2/09 at 10:09 AM

sticking a dish on the side of the house is a bad idea if you want to claim you don't have a tv but I'm very happy with freeview. Got two of those digital tv recorders and their just full of stuff to watch now, don't have any need for sky

jabbahutt - 3/2/09 at 10:15 AM

here is one for you lot to mull over considering the current financial climate.

If i get made redundant (which looks pretty likely) and I can't afford to run my kit car I can SORN it. The authorities trust me even though i have the car not to drive it as it won't be taxed.

So why can't I SORN my TV if I can't afford the licence. I'm not forced to sell me car if tempoirarily I'm not driving it but to have the TV in the house and not use it is completely illegal.

What do you guys think of that for an argument.

nick205 - 3/2/09 at 10:31 AM

quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
here is one for you lot to mull over considering the current financial climate.

If i get made redundant (which looks pretty likely) and I can't afford to run my kit car I can SORN it. The authorities trust me even though i have the car not to drive it as it won't be taxed.

So why can't I SORN my TV if I can't afford the licence. I'm not forced to sell me car if tempoirarily I'm not driving it but to have the TV in the house and not use it is completely illegal.

What do you guys think of that for an argument.



Hope that's not the case re: redundancy Nigel

Don't they have to catch you watching the TV inorder to prosecute/fine. You could write and cancel your license stating that you still have the TV but won't be using it. Don't know the finer legal points, but often informing people/organisations of your intention in writing gives you some ground to stand on.

owelly - 3/2/09 at 10:41 AM

The auction house where my mate worked had to have a TV license even though they could get no signal due to its location! They needed it because they had TV receivers on the premises!

Mr Whippy - 3/2/09 at 10:42 AM

I trawled through the web on this subject for days and they do actually have to have seen the tv on in your house to go any further. But the fact is there is no such thing as a tv detector van, it was a myth, they simply send out to all addresses the TV application form under the assumption everyone has one. But like all offices if you don’t respond or give false details they won’t chase it up cos people are lazy and just what to go home after a long day. I had a form come through a few months ago about court duty, binned it knowing fine well that would be the last I heard of it and it was, typical though as it came though just as I’d booked my holday.

Nick Skidmore - 3/2/09 at 11:29 AM

The more you bow to an administration the more it makes you serve it.

:{THC}:YosamiteSam - 3/2/09 at 11:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
quote:
Originally posted by MK chippy
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I don't have a license and have 3 tv's don't watch crappy BBC programs anyway



How'd you get away with that then?


generally done by lying to them

haven't had one since I moved into my new house almost 2 years ago


you really wanna be careful - you dont know who is reading this forum - may well be someone who works in enforcement.. perhaps..

Mr Whippy - 3/2/09 at 12:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by :{THC}:YosamiteSam
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
quote:
Originally posted by MK chippy
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I don't have a license and have 3 tv's don't watch crappy BBC programs anyway



How'd you get away with that then?


generally done by lying to them

haven't had one since I moved into my new house almost 2 years ago


you really wanna be careful - you dont know who is reading this forum - may well be someone who works in enforcement.. perhaps..


Na it ok, car building would give them a heart attack from the excitement their more likely on the 'Shuffling paperwork skills forum' getting all worked up about the latest stapler OMG it can do 50 pages in one go!!!

James - 3/2/09 at 12:35 PM

quote:
Originally posted by :{THC}:YosamiteSam

you really wanna be careful - you dont know who is reading this forum - may well be someone who works in enforcement.. perhaps..


And they'll find him how exactly???

iank - 3/2/09 at 12:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by James
quote:
Originally posted by :{THC}:YosamiteSam

you really wanna be careful - you dont know who is reading this forum - may well be someone who works in enforcement.. perhaps..


And they'll find him how exactly???


With access to the dvla computer I could get a name and address trivially.

scootz - 3/2/09 at 01:07 PM

The buggers still want me to confirm that I have a license just because I recently bought a telly.

We do have a license... it's in the wife's name and registered at our address... the same address the bought telly was sent to... the same address that their letter was sent to!

NO... I WON'T PLAY THEIR GAMES!

Mr Whippy - 3/2/09 at 01:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by iank
quote:
Originally posted by James
quote:
Originally posted by :{THC}:YosamiteSam

you really wanna be careful - you dont know who is reading this forum - may well be someone who works in enforcement.. perhaps..


And they'll find him how exactly???


With access to the dvla computer I could get a name and address trivially.


won't work the cars are down as another address, did I mention I don't pay council tax either? I love scams

Hellfire - 3/2/09 at 01:55 PM

Whippy, does your electricity only come on when the street lamps outside light up as well?

Phil

Peteff - 3/2/09 at 03:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I trawled through the web on this subject for days and they do actually have to have seen the tv on in your house to go any further.


Sadly not true, you only have to be in possession of equipment capable of receiving a signal to be liable for a license, they don't have to prove you were using it at any time. An acquaintance of ours (I'll not say friend as he is a bloodsucking leech with over £1m to his name who deserved catching ) claimed to only possess a TV to watch DVD and VHS films yet he was prosecuted for not having a license as he had an aerial fitted to his chimney and lead plugged in to his set. The officials who caught him were just going door to door and asking to see licenses at properties on their list who did not have one.

won't work the cars are down as another address, did I mention I don't pay council tax either? I love scams

The hole just gets deeper, is your insurance at your present address or is that in someone else's name as well.

[Edited on 3/2/09 by Peteff]

r1_pete - 3/2/09 at 04:20 PM

I work for the outsourcer who runs the TV Licensing database, in fact in August last year I upgraded (replaced) the mainframe which runs it