TV licensing help

"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.

If you use a digital box with a hi-fi system, or another device that can only be used to produce sounds and can't display TV programmes, and you don't install or use any other TV receiving equipment, you don't need a TV Licence."

do you have a TV?

If yes then you pay.

I see, so as I understand it, if I only watch DVD's and watch internet TV video clips that are'nt being shown simultaneously with normal TV then I dont have to pay.

As I understand it, if you have equipment capable of receiving broadcast TV signals - ie anything with a tuner in it, be it a TV, Sky/Virgin/BT Vision box, or even a DVD recorder - then you need a licence.

Certainly if you had any of these with a monitor connected to it in any way, you'd have fun trying to explain to the TV licensing people that you never use them to watch TV.

I'm not so sure (not sure why I care, but I hate not knowing stuff )....

"Using TV receiving equipment to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV without a valid licence is against the law."

Doesn't say "having a TV but not using it to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV etc etc".

I am so on to this.

Points taken, and of course  you are right.

But then I bought a TV for review some months back, giving the office address, and it took ages to stop the licensing people sending threatening letters demanding I bought a licence,

Of course we have a licence here, but it wasn't a case of being caught using it; it was the fact that when you buy any equipment covered by the licensing regs, the shop has to - well - shop you to the authorities.

So not actually using it to receive. etc..., but having the capability to receive... Assumption, not discovery.

My point being that while the letter of the law is one thing, the way it's enforced may be slightly more draconian.

Especially since license enforcers are on commission

This is the thing that really annoys me about TV licensing, it's the *property* that is licensed, not the viewer and yet they clearly search the database on NAME AND ADDRESS, so you get the threatening letters if anyone other than the person the license is registered to buys a TV! I'm getting fed up with ringing up their helpline to tell them that we already have a license, it's just unnecessary, it's wasting my time, their time and all the paper that they must send out, and they wouldn't have to do any of it if they just checked if the property was licensed without a viewer name! It cannot be that difficult to implement, in fact it would probably make their database searches more efficient!

But anyway, summarising. If you have a satellite or cable box and ever watch anything live, or record anything, you need a license. If you only watch DVDs or Blurays, and have no aerial attached to your TV, and have detuned your TV so it can't receive any signals, no you don't need a license, but good luck with telling the TV licensing people that.

But finally I say - stop being such a cheapskate, we have the best telly in the world because of the TV license.....

JohnDuncan:

... no you don't need a license, but good luck with telling the TV licensing people that.

Agreed.

JohnDuncan:

But finally I say - stop being such a cheapskate, we have the best telly in the world because of the TV license.....

Absolutely.

JohnDuncan:

But finally I say - stop being such a cheapskate, we have the best telly in the world because of the TV license.....

Yeah riiight.

forbes:

JohnDuncan:

But finally I say - stop being such a cheapskate, we have the best telly in the world because of the TV license.....

 

Yeah riiight.

forbes:

JohnDuncan:

But finally I say - stop being such a cheapskate, we have the best telly in the world because of the TV license.....

Yeah riiight.

Have you watched much foreign TV? <shudder>

You ought to try TV in some other countries and then you would realise how lucky we are in this country.

As an ex-TV Licensing employee, here is an extract from the TVL website.....

Q. What if I only use a TV to watch videos/DVDs/as a monitor for my games console? Do I still need a licence?
A. You do not need a TV Licence if you only use your TV to watch videos and DVDs or as a monitor for your games console.

However, please notify us in writing that this is the case. One of our Enforcement Officers may visit you to confirm that you do not need a licence.

Please write to us including your name, address and the reason you believe that you don't need a licence at:

TV Licensing
Bristol
BS98 1TL.

In short, you might be able to get away with it, but only if you find an agreeable EO (and yes, they do exist).

If however, as the OP suggested, you have the obvious ability to receive a TV signal (you mentioned SKY HD), you haven't got a hope in hell my friend.

PS. JD, they don't work on commission!