Is there a law that says you must have TV licence:-?

AnnOnnyMouse

Just btw here's an interesting story about someone who went to court over it. Niall Warry of the UKIP and British Democracy Party went to court in Cheltenham earlier this year for refusing to pay his licence fee because of what he said was the 'political bias' of the BBC, mainly over the EU which the UKIP opposes UK membership of.
http://www.democracyforum.co.uk/british-police-state/44443-well-done-niall-warry.html

The Drunken Fool

there is a grey area around downloaded videos, but the law generally recognises a tv as something that can receive tv signals, so it includes set top boxes and videos.

Stupid if you ask me cos i pay sky a fortune each month.

Englanda

In Britain, yes. The BBC charges TV owners for a licence to fund programming as they don't have commercials on their channels.

CRAIG S

yes unfortunately you do have to pay the BBC tax sorry licence .If you dont they will fine you Â£1000 .

there is a law, and you do have to have a licence even if you dont have a tv, they will still ask you for and expect you to have a licence. Blind people have been taken to court over not having a licence, mad and unfair but true.

I dont believe in the van thing, I think its just for show. But I do believe they have everyones names and addresses via electoral role and will go through it sending letters if the person is not regestered for having a licence.

And Why Not?

To be complete, you must by law have a TV licence if you own a TV or any device capable of receiving TV programmes (like a TV Tuner attached to a PC). If you don't have any TV you don't need a licence; the licence authorities will still try to make you have one as they cannot believe that anyone does not own a TV set! As you say, it is a minefield, but if TV programmes on PCs do not come from a broadcaster, then it is not a TV programme, the same as a DVD/Video is not a TV programme. The detector vans still exist but are not really used as they just bill every household assuming that every household as a TV.

The law has been in existence for decades now

Stevie

Yes it is law you have to have a license if you have a TV,and if you get caught without one you get into more trouble and more punishment than the thugs who mug old ladies

Big L 266

Hello. TV licences (and radio licences in the past) are licences to have a TV in your home.All the money raised goes to the BBC and, sadly, Channel 4 as well! Both are public broadcasters with C4 having paid adverts to subsidise the licence fee.The BBC of course doesn't have paid adverts on either TV or radio.

So far as I recall, the TV licence was introduced in the 1930s when the BBC got its charter.At that stage,there was no commercial tv which only came along in 1955! Of course these days, tv can be watched on computers which, sadly, are classified as tv screens for licencing purposes when there is an internet connection!

Downloading and/or recording 'off-air' has always been illegal no matter what. The authorities usually turn a blind eye to individual copying as there is no benefit in prosecuting.

In the annals of history, if a TV set could be stopped from viewing all BBC programmes, it could be argued as to what you're paying a licence fee to the BBC for if you can't receive their programmes! It wasn't that many years ago that the rules were also changed to stop hotels like the London Hilton having just one licence for hundreds of tv sets in their rooms. Now each tv has to have a licence irrespective of how many bedrooms there are!

In my 53 years, I never once saw a detector van in London. I believe they were an invention of the BBC and licencing authority to scare, cajole and frighten people into getting a licence. Yes, there were FAKE vans roaming the country looking as though they were REAL vans!

Its a shame the government can't lose all the records for this as well! I'd imagine it'll be fun trying to re-register EVERYONE back!

Alan L.

The Corrector

You probably pay about the same money to ITV every year hidden in the cost of things you buy in the shops.

If it's advertised on TV or you buy it from a shop that advertises on TVor you go to the shop in a car that is advertised on TV then in the end you pay for it. At least the BBC doesnt put on those annoying Jamie Oliver adverts.

All hat

I guess this is a Brit question - no receiving tax in the US.

Steph007ess

In the uk if you receive a signal - whether onto a computer or telly you should have a telly licence. It is the BBC that charges it whether you watch bbc channels or not.

hotlips

MY PARTNER IS DOIN CRIMINOLOGY AT UNI AND IF THEY KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR SAYING YOU HAVE NEVER HAD A LICENCE THEN YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH IT, HOW, WELL IF YOU HAVE NEVER BOUGHT ONE BEFORE AND NEVER BEEN CAUGHT THEN YOU CAN SAY TO THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVE YOU HAVE A TV, AND NO, THERE IS NO DETECTOR VANS ABOUT

agreeable

It is an offence to watch television in the United kingdom without a Television Licence. The need for a Licence stretches to cover all appliances that offer viewing capabilities for broadcast materials via a visual or audial screen. These would include radio, televisions and computers but to name a few. Downloadable programmes and other recorded items ultimately have to be watched or heard on one or other of these appliances - thereby making the need for a Licence applicable by law.

untouchable

There's a law for any device receive TV communications and i imagine this means computers as well,although they(computer users)would take some catching!!

Gemma S

if i'm not mistaken, the tv licencing fees pay for the terrestrial channels that we do not pay for. and yes it is the law since not having one results in a Â£1000 fine and imprisonment.

Ollie

Hi,yes the government enforced the TV tax it goe's to BBC.
For years people have tried to get rid of the tax & make BBC
place adverts.

What the Heck

Check out

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980006_en_1

and

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030021_en_23

jason c

It is against the law not to have a tv licence if caught you could get up to Â£1000 fine.

steffi

They waste so much time and postage costs unnecessarily chasing people. I own 3 properties, a main residence (with a TV licence), another house with a tenant (with a TV licence), and a second home (no TV set). The second house was empty for a while after the occupant died, and there was no TV there. The current tenant (my daughter) has a licence, but they still bombard us with postal and telephone licence demands on the last two properties. I have informed them that a licence is held on one, and there is no TV at the other several times, but every month to 6 weeks, along comes another reminder. On the second home I get two reminders, they have an additional, slightly incorrect, address.
I refuse to incur regular postal or telephone expenses to tell them that the position is unchanged. Have also had recorded delivery reminders, which I now refuse to accept. Am waiting to see what they will do next. They have spent a fortune, I feel harrassed. Although middle aged, I am not easily intimidated, but I can understand someone elderly buying a licence just to shut them up. The tone of the reminders can only be described as hectoring. Had one visit several years ago from one of their inspectors (?, detector vans), but wasn't home. They never came back.

groovymaude

Yes there is a law. Read 'A Social History of Bitish Broadcasting' P.Scannell, get a better idea of how our system evolved and why it was chosen above the American model, which required a transmitting licence, rather than a receiving licence. It's an interesting read!(honest)

The Tank

It is the law that you need a licence to operate a television receiver.

This is NOT a tax on televsions, we have VAT for that. It was initiated as a 'subscription' to the BBC back in the days when they were the only source of programmes and had to be funded somehow.

Now that there are lots of different sources for the programmes you may never need to tune into the BBC. However, they still provide radio and internet services and make a huge number of programmes for other people to transmit.

The alternative to the licence fee would be more advertisments. Personally, I'm sick to the back teeth of greedy broadcasters who charge a subscription (Sky, Virgin) and then pepper their programmes with about 25% (by time) of adverts.

Compared to the alternatives, the BBC licence fee is excellent value for money.

In fairness to clarity and the English language, calling it a tax is sloppy.
There is huge difference between a tax (goes to the government for general spending and cannot be avoided as long as you live and die in the country),
and a licence ( a permit to operate the equipment and not necessary if you choose not to own the set).

Curious Steve

in the TV you need a license to receive broadcasts. and in the past that used to mean radios too.
The license funds the BBC, but it is controleld by the government.
I think it is a tax on tv ownership .

CEILING CAT!!!

Yes! Duh! It wouldnt be voluentry would it!!

alvin

Equipe52, operating under the name, Team 365, 80 London Trading Estate, Roding Road, Becton, London E6 6LS. Equipe52, Ltd. Office address, C/o. London Registrars, Plc. 4th floor, Haines House, 21 John Street, London WC1N 2BP I understand the above companies are responsible for the delivery of the mail sent out by TV Licensing. I obtained the information from a letter sent out by an employee of TV Licensing and by checking information on the internet. I don’t have a television. It’s not worth the license fee, there is too much rubbish on whatever channel is selected. The objects still send me their love letters each month; I have refused to reply because of the vile and implied threats contained within them.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: