No TV Licence

[mjr]

Some background. The SJP has made the prosecution route cheaper and faster

Even with the Single Justice Procedure, they can't just convict you if you plead not guilty and they can have no proof, because really you haven't been watching it.

The railway companies have had a load of SJP cases annulled due to using the procedure incorrectly and had to repay their ill-gotten fines. It would surprise no-one if BBC-Capita suffered the same.

 

[bonzobanana]

If it was, it would be indistinguishable from commercial TV companies, and we would be the poorer for it.

If that is what you believe then fair enough but you should respect the rights of others who don't like the BBC or their programs. Personally I do enjoy 'The Wheel' so watch it at my mothers who is a 3 minute walk away. That is really it for BBC programs for me. Zero point me paying for that when my mother has a free TV Licence and I can watch that single show there. However if I couldn't watch that show at my mothers there is zero possibility of me paying £170 or whatever it is for that show. I don't actually like the BBC as an organisation at all and I really don't want to fund it anyway.

 

[Alex321]

If that is what you believe then fair enough but you should respect the rights of others who don't like the BBC or their programs. Personally I do enjoy 'The Wheel' so watch it at my mothers who is a 3 minute walk away. That is really it for BBC programs for me. Zero point me paying for that when my mother has a free TV Licence and I can watch that single show there. However if I couldn't watch that show at my mothers there is zero possibility of me paying £170 or whatever it is for that show. I don't actually like the BBC as an organisation at all and I really don't want to fund it anyway.

Do you watch any TV as it is broadcast, from any channel?

If you do, then you need a licence.

 

[Emanresu]

Even with the Single Justice Procedure, they can't just convict you if you plead not guilty and they can have no proof, because really you haven't been watching it.

The railway companies have had a load of SJP cases annulled due to using the procedure incorrectly and had to repay their ill-gotten fines. It would surprise no-one if BBC-Capita suffered the same.

Yes. That's the way the court is supposed to work but could I point out a couple of issues. Firstly that if you have a knock on the door, they will be interviewing you under PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) to provide a standard of proof. What people say at the door can be proof.

The second point, and it applies to most court cases, is that people don't turn up. They don't understand or like the process. It's scary and it's designed to be that way. So you could find that whatever you said at the door, will be the 'proof' and if not challenged, you'll be one of the 92% that are convicted. There will be a fine plus you'll be liable for costs, and a victims surcharge added. Costly.

If you intend to avoid paying for a TV licence, then don't say anything if there is a door knock. And if you do blurt out something, then pay the fine early. Or if you do get a court date, pop along to the Magistrates Court a few times before your date and listen to a judge demolishing lies, excuses, and internet (now AI) legal advice.

The above is by way of explanation. Everyone is free to do what they wish and live with the consequences but if you do end up going to court and getting a fine, pop along to a local debt charity who will help you sort out paperwork for appeals / time to pay.

 

[mjr]

Do you watch any TV as it is broadcast, from any channel?

If you do, then you need a licence.

Has the battery device exception gone, then? I relied on that to watch the itv Tour coverage when travelling in 2012.

 

[mjr]

Yes. That's the way the court is supposed to work but could I point out a couple of issues. Firstly that if you have a knock on the door, they will be interviewing you under PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) to provide a standard of proof. What people say at the door can be proof.

Thank you for the extra info, but I don't see them as issues if someone really doesn't watch live tv or the BBC.

Except maybe as issues with the Single Justice Procedure and how it can easily be misused to convict the innocent, with the overworked single judge not having time to check all the cases filed by the company prosecuters are truly proven beyond reasonable doubt. In the railway companies scandal, they were even prosecuting some people for offences not allowed to be prosecuted by SJP, and others for not giving their name and address even though it was on the court paperwork and in the witness statements.

Always contest a company criminal accusation if you're innocent!

 

[Alex321]

Has the battery device exception gone, then? I relied on that to watch the itv Tour coverage when travelling in 2012.

That exception only applies to devices used away from home when you have a licence covering your use at home.

 

[Emanresu]

Forgot to add this bit which is the published advice on what the TV License people do and how they will approach it.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/visit/prosecutions

 

[mjr]

Forgot to add this bit which is the published advice on what the TV License people do and how they will approach it.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/visit/prosecutions

"We're sorry, our website isn't available at the moment." 🤣

I wonder how often it gets attacked.

 

[Moon bunny]

So, I had an idle moment, so filled in the “no licence needed“ page
This is the letterI received as a reply:
Notice that there is no thank you, just more bullying of the “we don’t believe you” type, personal details follow, what’s in the image,

but it’s valid for one year, and they might still send the goon anyway.

PS, my name isn’t really Darleque Sparrow-Legge, as I told them .

 

[DRM]

I think that filling that no licence needed part in, just ensures that they keep on bombarding you with "threat-o-grams" plus you've given them a contact name, where prior to that their investigation was so good & high quality, they didn't have a clue who lives at that address

 

[Moon bunny]

I think that filling that no licence needed part in, just ensures that they keep on bombarding you with "threat-o-grams" plus you've given them a contact name, where prior to that their investigation was so good & high quality, they didn't have a clue who lives at that address

They are quite welcome to keep bombarding Miss Darleque Sparrow-Legge with whatever they want, they stlll don’t have a clue who lives at the address in question.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

They are quite welcome to keep bombarding Miss Darleque Sparrow-Legge with whatever they want, they stlll don’t have a clue who lives at the address in question.

Shame that isn't your real name, I think it's really cool and classy.

 

[MontyVeda]

If you watch it then maybe you should. In the modern world many don’t watch TV.

Apparently even watching live streams on YouTube now requires a TV licence.

I think many people do watch TV, but increasingly only on catch-up.

 

[wafter]

As per my thread on the subject that I can't be arsed to find, I continue to receive their tacitly threatening if utterly impotent letters....

These have grown quite tiresome in their consistency. They've gone from twatty-to-threatening in the space of several letters; ramping it all the way up to DEFCON 5 with "oh noes an investigation has begun into maybe thinking about sending a surprise goon round".

Now, having run out of novel threats they're caught in the entertainingly untenable position of attempting to ratchet up the fear further by re-arranging the same string of meaningless words in the hope of eliciting a different outcome.

Since it seems that attempting to a) reason with them or b) absolve yourself from their damnation by informing them you have no telly only results in wasting one's own time and continuing to court their accusations and contempt, I'll continue to ignore the letters.

If some knobhead does come a'knocking, chances are the door won't even be answered. If it is I'll tell them I don't have a TV, and when they ask to come inside to confirm they'll politely be told to f*ck off and the door closed in their face