TV License renewal

[Serial_Apologist]

Yesterday I received an email reminder to renew my TV license. Last year I did this online for the first time, and by debit card, saving a lot of hassle. This year the online procedure appears to commit the online renewer to no choice subsequently other than a permanent automatic direct debit on the date selected - a year's time in my case. I don't want to have to do this as it would seem to commit me regardless of whatever future charges and my financial straits will be, or whether or not I still have a TV.

Is this right? and if so, when did the change take place? It seems a pretty drastic change, but I don't remember any announcement being made.

[VodkaDilc]

I can't imagine they would try this one on. I would certainly refuse to pay by DD.

[french frank]

That doesn't seem to be the intention:

" If you pay by Direct Debit you can:

View your payment details
Change your bank details
Change your payment date

If you don't pay by Direct Debit, it's easy to set up for your next TV Licence renewal."

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/cs/renew-your-tv-licence/index.app

[jean]

If you set up a direct debit, it's there until you revoke it, isn't it? How else could it work?

[VodkaDilc]

But if you don't set up a Direct Debit you can pay by cheque or over the phone - as before.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And, remember, no Licence Fee increase until 2016 - regardless of how you choose to pay.

[Serial_Apologist]

That doesn't seem to be the intention:

" If you pay by Direct Debit you can:

View your payment details
Change your bank details
Change your payment date

If you don't pay by Direct Debit, it's easy to set up for your next TV Licence renewal."

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/cs/ren...ence/index.app

Follow the procedure through and see what happens - it tells you that you'll be automatically deducted by the required amount next time. There's no one-off payment option by debit card.

[Serial_Apologist]

If you set up a direct debit, it's there until you revoke it, isn't it? How else could it work?

But what would be the point of setting up a direct debit arrangement, only to have to revoke it in time before the next payment automatically debits, and then set it up again for the next one-off? Apart from the utter ridiculousness of such an unwieldy procedure, going by the state of my memory as of now I'll probably forget to contact the bank!

[Serial_Apologist]

But if you don't set up a Direct Debit you can pay by cheque or over the phone - as before.

Well I managed to make the one-off payment this time last year using my debit card without trouble. It was straightforward - that's my point.

[ahinton]

But what would be the point of setting up a direct debit arrangement, only to have to revoke it in time before the next payment automatically debits, and then set it up again for the next one-off? Apart from the utter ridiculousness of such an unwieldy procedure, going by the state of my memory as of now I'll probably forget to contact the bank!

I pay mine online by credit card and have done so for years. The only issue about paying by card is that, whether or not the payment arrangement is automatic (which it's not with TV licences by credit card), the details will need to be changed by the payer whenver the card details changve (e.g. if the card is stolen and reissued or when the card expires and is replaced).

I won't pay anything by direct debit on principle (not least in order to avoid bank charges) and am happy to continue to settle regular payments by credit card (on an automated continuous authority whenever possible and manually following an email reminder when not, as with TV licenses) as this attracts no charges.

[Anna]

And, remember, no Licence Fee increase until 2016 - regardless of how you choose to pay.

I've always paid by DD and some years back (cannot remember) it said it would be a continuous debit until 2016, which I thought was an ok way to pay without the hassle of renewing (bearing in mind I didn't think I would either move or get rid of the tv before that date)

[ahinton]

I've always paid by DD and some years back (cannot remember) it said it would be a continuous debit until 2016, which I thought was an ok way to pay without the hassle of renewing (bearing in mind I didn't think I would either move or get rid of the tv before that date)

Good to hear from you again, Lady Powys!

[Dave2002]

If you set up a direct debit, it's there until you revoke it, isn't it? How else could it work?

Depends on the account you set up the DD from. If it's a credit card account the numbers have a habit of going out of date every few years, so in theory the payment should bounce, then you ought to have the option to either cancel it or provide the new numbers and carry on. However this is not a particularly reliable way of operating. Sometimes things one wants to cancel carry on don't, and things one does want to carry on fail. I only just managed to get my London Congestion Charge account sorted this year because of that kind of failure, though I don't use the facility - just have it there in case.

[ahinton]

Depends on the account you set up the DD from. If it's a credit card

Well, yes, but a DD and a CCA aren't quite the same thing.

[Dave2002]

Well, yes, but a DD and a CCA aren't quite the same thing.

Now you are getting technical!