Paying for TV License

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Originally posted by SamHandwich
I have a TV, but I only ever use it for playing on the Gamecube or watching DVDs. I don't have an aerial lead(although there is an aerial socket in my room(at uni)) and it's not tuned in.

Would I have anything to worry about if a TV Inspector came round? Do I need to pay for a license?
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Originally posted by dirtydog
No you don't need a licence but it would be advisable to write to the TV licensing authorities and inform them :)

You may still get a visit but just show him the TV and he should go away happy.
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Sorry, DD, but you are sooooooooooo WRONG. If you have equipment that is CAPABLE of receiving a tv signal then you need a licence. It doesn't matter what you are using the TV for. You could be using it as a coffee table for all that it matters.
 
Originally posted by Celestial Caravan
Sorry, DD, but you are sooooooooooo WRONG. If you have equipment that is CAPABLE of receiving a tv signal then you need a licence. It doesn't matter what you are using the TV for. You could be using it as a coffee table for all that it matters.
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No.. you are wrong sorry :)

*Not this again!!!*
 
Originally posted by Celestial Caravan
Sorry, DD, but you are sooooooooooo WRONG. If you have equipment that is CAPABLE of receiving a tv signal then you need a licence. It doesn't matter what you are using the TV for. You could be using it as a coffee table for all that it matters.
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DD isn't wrong.

It's all in the definitions, but owning a TV does NOT require you to have a licence, and nor nor using it for playing back pre-recorded tapes, watching DVDs or using a games console. Or using it as a coffee table. But as soon as the equipment receives a UK broadcast transmission, you need a licence. Note, you don't have to be able to see it, and it doesn't matter how strong or weak the signal is, nor how poor the picture is, receiving requires a licence. If there is no antenna connected, and especially if the set is detuned (because even without an antenna a tuned set might be receiving a very poor, weak signal) then you aren't receiving a signal.

Strictly speaking, you can even have a set tuned and connected to an antenna, and you don't need a licence provided you never turn it on (if you were using it as a coffee table, for instance), but in the relatively unlikely event that you are subjected to a search warrant by the court, finding such a 'ready-to-use' set would not help your case. But it is still 'receiving' that requires a licence. The fact that your set is not tuned is clear evidence that you are not receiving, should you ever get searched.
 
Thanks Harley for taking the time to explain all that in detail.. this question comes up here very regularly of course, it would be nice to have a thread (perhaps in the archive) which could be pointed to on those occasions :)

You can guarantee that as soon as you say you don't need a licence to watch DVDs, play games and so on, someone else will tell you you're wrong. It's a very common misconception, not helped by the TVLA's own deliberate ambiguity on the matter. They are happy for people to think they need a licence just for owning a TV.
 
However, If you don't use your TV for recieving programmes, it is extreamly advisable to make sure you have notified the TV Licencing authority, they will usually inspect your property to make sure your not fiddling them.

It saves a lot of hassle

Burnsy
 
Originally posted by burnsy2023
However, If you don't use your TV for recieving programmes, it is extreamly advisable to make sure you have notified the TV Licencing authority, they will usually inspect your property to make sure your not fiddling them.

It saves a lot of hassle

Burnsy
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Indeed, as I said above :) You're not *required* to notify them, but it will cut down (but not cut out) the threatening letters you get from them.. and they will still visit at least once, unannounced naturally as you would expect. When they visit, you don't have to let them in without a warrant but again, it's better to let them in and get it over with, as I have done myself.
 
If your not recieving TV then theres no real reason to not let them in and have a look, They can see everything is in order and will leave. I know they're a pain but the more resistant you are the more hassle they will give you. If your not recieving TV then you have nothing to worry about, but it seems there are a lot of people insistant on making their jobs difficult, which doesn't help.

Burnsy
 
OK, Celestial Caravan had be worried for a moment, cheers for clearing it all up Harley and dirtydog. I had heard different things from people here, the general consensus seemed to be that as long as it was detuned, I'd be fine. You've proved them correct:)

I'll get around to writing them a letter or something soon just in case. I had been looking for an email address to get in contact with them, but they don't seem to have one for queries.
 
They should reply with a letter saying thanks for notifying us you don't need a licence, and that they may (will) visit at some point to check whether you're lying or not (my words not theirs). The TVLA assume you're lying until you prove otherwise, which is nice :)
 
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