TV Licence required because i have a computer?

Tefal · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:46

DampCat said:
Oh jesus christ.

So many people post utter rubbish that it becomes pointless even asking a question on this board at times.

Dampcat to the rescue with the correct answer then?

Simi · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:47

mollymoo said:
If you don't use your T.V for watching T.V then it needs to have the tuner disabled to stop you requiring a license. Computers with a T.V card in them require a license, if you dont have one in then don't get a license.

God help us if you used to work for them as you don't seem to have a clue.
The tuner doesn't need to be disabled. As long as the TV isn't connected to an aerial / sky dish / cable or any other medium for receiving live TV then a license is not required.

The BBC has no right to make you disable part of your TV (after all at a later date you may wish to use the tuner and receive live tv and subsequently pay them).

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ15/

DampCat · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:48

Tefal said:
Dampcat to the rescue with the correct answer then?

Berserker already answered it at the top of the last page, before the false claims continued as though he had posted nothign at all!

Don't pretend you don't think it too sweetpea

clv101 · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:50

DampCat said:
Oh jesus christ.

So many people post utter rubbish that it becomes pointless even asking a question on this board at times.

It is quite amazing isn't it. A really simple thing, spelled out so clearly on the licensing website... and yet so many folk, including mollymoo who claims to have worked for them get it totally wrong. Can't people just engage their brain and spend a minute reading before they post?

geekyEd · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:51

Tefal said:
Dampcat to the rescue with the correct answer then?

wow its amazing what happens on this board. I had a tv at uni and rung the licensing company to tell them that I had a television but would only be using it to play ps2 on. If you ring and notify them that you have equipment but dont intend to use it then they wont charge you or send any threatening letters.

Maybe you worked their mollymoo but you havent a clue how they operate.

mollymoo · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:52

csmager said:
It pretty much says it on the TV licensing site.
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/
"You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder."

It doesn't say 'own a tv' as you imply.

EDIT:
It explicitly says on this page:
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-if-a-tv-licence-is-not-needed-top12/

That you don't need one if you don't watch TV.

"If you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes at the same time as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you only use your TV to watch DVDs or play video games, or if you only watch programmes on your PC after they have been shown on TV - you don't need a TV Licence."

willhub said:
Load of rubbish, no one needs a TV license if they don't watch TV, the TV License/BBC don't make the TV Tuners so why would anyone pay a fee of £142 a year just so they can use a piece of hardware that is capable of reciving TV but is not reciving TV?

If an officer came around and found a TV but not plugged into the wall they can't send you to court and fine you £1000, they can't do anything, not to mention you don't need to let them in your house since they don't have warrants.

Also:

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/students-aud1/

Ring them up then seriously, they tell you right there that you need a license, they assume that if you have a piece of equipment that has a tuner inside capable of receiving a broadcast then you will use it to watch or record a live broadcast. If the inspector comes round because your address isn't recorded as having a license and finds a piece of equipment that is capable of receiving a broadcast then they will make you get a license.
The only way round it is to prove you dont watch T.V as they broadcast it, which means disabling the equipment.

bledd · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:53

If I have a 37" lcd (doesn't have freeview, just analogue) with no aerial connected -I use it for my Media Centre, with no TV card -I recently sold it

I don't need one right?

TV has gone downhill in the past few years, so there's no point watching it

Tefal · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:54

DampCat said:
Don't pretend you don't think it too sweetpea

Why do you think i never make any question threads

willhub · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:56

mollymoo said:
Ring them up then seriously, they tell you right there that you need a license, they assume that if you have a piece of equipment that has a tuner inside capable of receiving a broadcast then you will use it to watch or record a live broadcast. If the inspector comes round because your address isn't recorded as having a license and finds a piece of equipment that is capable of receiving a broadcast then they will make you get a license.
The only way round it is to prove you dont watch T.V as they broadcast it, which means disabling the equipment.

I don't care what they say tbh, I'm going by what they say on the website and if they tell me otherwise I'd tell them to fix the website before they tell me anything else. They can't go around saying 2 different things.....

mollymoo · 19 Nov 2009 at 09:57

Simi said:
God help us if you used to work for them as you don't seem to have a clue.
The tuner doesn't need to be disabled. As long as the TV isn't connected to an aerial / sky dish / cable or any other medium for receiving live TV then a license is not required.

The BBC has no right to make you disable part of your TV (after all at a later date you may wish to use the tuner and receive live tv and subsequently pay them).

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ15/

As it states you have to declare that you don't use the equipment to watch tv and someone will come round to check. What do you think they check?

clv101 said:
It is quite amazing isn't it. A really simple thing, spelled out so clearly on the licensing website... and yet so many folk, including mollymoo who claims to have worked for them get it totally wrong. Can't people just engage their brain and spend a minute reading before they post?

BluZiff said:
wow its amazing what happens on this board. I had a tv at uni and rung the licensing company to tell them that I had a television but would only be using it to play ps2 on. If you ring and notify them that you have equipment but dont intend to use it then they wont charge you or send any threatening letters.

Maybe you worked their mollymoo but you havent a clue how they operate.

Strangely enough I do know how they operate. Do me a favour and cancel your license and see what happens.

LeJosh · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:06

mollymoo said:
Ring them up then seriously, they tell you right there that you need a license.

Well I think the employees are probably told to just say that wether or not they actually have to have a license. Better to say yes for more monies? If people did a little research they wouldn't have to phone.

Except the advice here is becoming very clouded in pointless arguement, Berserker made it clear.

panda_uk · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:07

kylew said:
As far as I know though, they want to introduce a TV license fee for though who own PCs and have an internet connection.

What?? Thats crazy 90% of TV is trash thats why I don't own one. I refuse to give them money until they improve their programming.

Simi · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:07

They check if the TV is plugged into an aerial / sky box / virgin box. If it isn't and when you switch it on there is no live tv then you don't need a license.
They don't rip the TV apart and start telling you to disable the tuner lol seriously? Stop scaremongering.

I actually did let the guy in as I have nothing to hide and don't need a license.

MattTheTall77 · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:07

When I had my own house (oh how I miss it) I didn't have a license and informed the tv liscensing that I wasn't watching tv. They were ok, didn't send any letters, didn't have to rip anything out of the tv or such. I made sure the tuner in the tv was detuned and not picking anything up.

BigglesPiP · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:09

Only if you watch a program online as it is being broadcast.

/thread

geekyEd · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:10

mollymoo said:
As it states you have to declare that you don't use the equipment to watch tv and someone will come round to check. What do you think they check?

Strangely enough I do know how they operate. Do me a favour and cancel your license and see what happens.

This was whilst at uni, im no longer their. And never had a licence to begin with that was my point, I rung up and said I have a tv but dont and wont use it to receive any tv signal, they just said thats fine marked it up in the database im guessing and let me carry on, they ever came around to check anything although they did say they might do.

They do operate on the basis that if you havent bought a licence for an address then you must be watching tv illegally (in my opinion is completely wrong). In my second year in halls I took nothing with me apart from my pc and after about three weeks everyone had a letter (600 student in this hall) telling them that they must purchase a TV licence or ring them to say they dont have a TV. Most of us just ignored it all year round including all of the follow up letters and warnings. Nothing came of it at all.

mollymoo · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:11

Simi said:
They check if the TV is plugged into an aerial / sky box / virgin box. If it isn't and when you switch it on there is no live tv then you don't need a license.
They don't rip the TV apart and start telling you to disable the tuner lol seriously? Stop scaremongering.

I actually did let the guy in as I have nothing to hide and don't need a license.

Who said they rip the tv apart, thats a very strange thing to say.

Wossi · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:11

mollymoo said:
Ring them up then seriously, they tell you right there that you need a license, they assume that if you have a piece of equipment that has a tuner inside capable of receiving a broadcast then you will use it to watch or record a live broadcast. If the inspector comes round because your address isn't recorded as having a license and finds a piece of equipment that is capable of receiving a broadcast then they will make you get a license.
The only way round it is to prove you dont watch T.V as they broadcast it, which means disabling the equipment.

Jesus H Christ. If you really did/do work for them you have been told wrong. :rolleyes:

I have a tv in my house.
My house has no aerial connection.
My house has no Sky dish or cable fitted.

I rang the TV Licensing people up and explained that I do not watch TV and do you know what they said?

"Okay, no problems, we may send round an inspector to check this."

mollymoo · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:15

BluZiff said:
This was whilst at uni, im no longer their. And never had a licence to begin with that was my point, I rung up and said I have a tv but dont and wont use it to receive any tv signal, they just said thats fine marked it up in the database im guessing and let me carry on, they ever came around to check anything although they did say they might do.

They do operate on the basis that if you havent bought a licence for an address then you must be watching tv illegally (in my opinion is completely wrong). In my second year in halls I took nothing with me apart from my pc and after about three weeks everyone had a letter (600 student in this hall) telling them that they must purchase a TV licence or ring them to say they dont have a TV. Most of us just ignored it all year round including all of the follow up letters and warnings. Nothing came of it at all.

Halls of residence were always a difficult one to govern and as you say they just throw some threatening mail at you and that's it.
Homes on the other hand are different, many a time I got a call of an inspector with someones bank details to set up a direct debit as they had gone round to a house and made them realise that yes they did need a license after all.

Andy · 19 Nov 2009 at 10:16

If you watch broadcasted telly LIVE or record it LIVE then you have to pay.

Aslong as you don't ultilise a broadcast LIVE you don't have to pay. Theoretically the license men have no powers whatsoever and would need to catch you watching it to send you down