I’m not renewing my TV licence - any pitfalls?

[Beef Oven!]

My licence expired last week and I’ve decided to do away with watching telly, including iPlayer. I was never much of a TV person throughout my life and over the last few years my viewing has been limited to:

Match of the Day about 15 times per year,
University Challenge (however many there are in a series),
The Apprentice (a relative new thing to me, just the last 3 years, every episode)
Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (about 10 times per year)
Question Time (about 5 times per year)
Miscellaneous items about 3 times per year (e.g. JEG did a thing on LvB 3/Berlioz a while back)

They’ve sent me a few email reminders and a letter came this morning which I have yet to open, ut I assume it’s reminder.

I haven’t switched the telly on since my licence expired and I know that won’t, unless I find I can’t live without TV and buy a licence. I estimate I’ve had a TV licence consecutively for about 35 years (I’ve not always had a telly).

Are there any pitfalls? Any technicalities that might trip me up?

(my intentions don’t don’t just concern my telly - it will cover my MacBook, iPad, iPhone etc, etc)

Edit: I am assuming I will be able to listen again to Radio 3 programmes on my laptop.

[Richard Barrett]

Are there any pitfalls? Any technicalities that might trip me up?

When I last lived in the UK (2007-9) I didn't have a TV licence (and didn't watch TV). The pitfall is that the "authorities" find it very hard to believe that anyone could have a TV set in their house and not watch any broadcasts. In my experience, they will put threatening leaflets through your letterbox and knock on your door at random times for a while, and then leave you alone. If you do have a TV it's useful to be able to demonstrate to them that it isn't connected to an aerial!

[Dave2002]

A licence renewal once went wrong - they took the payment, and sent me a certificate thing - but then the threatening letters came. It took me a while to realise that they'd actually put the wrong house number on the licence as I read out the details to the agent over the phone, but before that I had several letters and phone calls. The same thing can happen if you are selling a property, and empty it for a while - they threaten all sorts of things - summons to court etc. Things don't normally happen too quickly, but it does make sense to contact them ASAP if you spot any letters coming in.

Actually in the case of empty flats the issue is stupid, as they send the threatening letters to the empty property, and of course the owner does not necessarily know of this, and estate agents aren't going to forward on mail. They don't seem to have the wit to ask for details of the owner, and send the letters etc. to the correct person, nor any sensible mechanism for doing that.

I think if you inadvertently use iPlayer they may catch you out, since the law changed on this. Try not to let that happen. You have a computer - so it may be hard to convince them that you don't use it to watch TV. Not sure if the situation is different if you can claim you only watch ITV or Channel 4, or other non BBC online TV channels. I suspect that watching any UK based TV might fall foul of the new rules, even if it's not BBC. However, if that is still possible, they'll probably have a go at blocking that "loophole" sometime.

[Pulcinella]

The powers that be can be pretty quick off the mark.
We completed the purchase of this (brand) new house on 11 November 2016, but did not move in until 4 January 2017.
But there were already a couple of threatening letters from TV Licensing awaiting us.
Must admit that simply changing the address of our existing licence was easy and clearly satisfied them, but as said previously there seems to be an assumption that every property needs a licence. They were not to know that it was unoccupied, I guess.
Good luck convincing them that you won't be watching anything, Beefy.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

When we were selling my parents' (empty) home, the majority of the mail was threatening letters re the TV licence. I was really hoping they'd take us to court, but they just kept on repeating themselves with the same old letters. Nothing else ever happened.

[french frank]

I haven't had a licence for 22 years (since I moved to this address). They used to send 'Have your circumstances changed?' letters and I was visited twice many years ago for (very) cursory searches. They have now gone quiet and don't even send letters.

You do need to get rid of your set if you don't want any hassle: they won't take: 'But I never switch it on'; or think you can store it in the attic in case you want it again. Get rid!

I'm not sure whether they've tightened up since watching On Demand needed a licence, but it may be just a question of sitting it out and responding if they ask you to, and not if they don't.

[Dave2002]

There is now a splash screen in most versions of iPlayer which I've seen asking questions about age and "do you have a licence?". I guess that filling that in incorrectly will now be a criminal offence!

[Cockney Sparrow]

IIRC they do not have authority to enter a dwelling unless they have a warrant. If it was me, having noted the details of the ID Card of the caller, I'd ask if they did have the authority to enter without one, or needed my permission.
And I would ask them, in correspondence to accept my statement that I do not have a receiver, nor do I watch TV services live or using playback via the internet. And to stop sending me threatening letters. And then, if they didn't, a formal complaint to them (and then others) of harassment.

For myself, I'd pay (meaning I would pay) the licence fee for the radio alone - great value. Although - I realise others may not be in a position to support the BBC (for all its faults) in this way.

[Beef Oven!]

Thanks everybody, some useful info for me. I will disconnect the arial as per RB’s advice and then as ff suggests, get rid!

And, because I know I’m in the right, until I get rid of it, I’ll sit tight - I know someone who could use it, but I’ll do it when it’s convenient, I shan’t rush.

I thought about this last year - I’d renewed my licence, then didn’t even turn the TV on for 6 weeks, even though I was in London the whole time..... Made me think.

[Beef Oven!]

IIRC they do not have authority to enter a dwelling unless they have a warrant. If it was me, having noted the details of the ID Card of the caller, I'd ask if they did have the authority to enter without one, or needed my permission.
And I would ask them, in correspondence to accept my statement that I do not have a receiver, nor do I watch TV services live or using playback via the internet. And to stop sending me threatening letters. And then, if they didn't, a formal complaint to them (and then others) of harassment.

For myself, I'd pay (meaning I would pay) the licence fee for the radio alone - great value. Although - I realise others may not be in a position to support the BBC (for all its faults) in this way.

I don’t care whether they come in or not, but I suppose that as a general rule, apart from the Police it’s only welcome guests one should let in.

Radio 3 is worth the fee alone, so I feel slightly guilty because like most of us in here, I do tune in a lot.

[Beef Oven!]

Anyone know if it will still be legit to listen again to BBC Radio programmes? And what about downloading Radio podcasts like 50 Modern Classics and BaLs?

[french frank]

IIRC they do not have authority to enter a dwelling unless they have a warrant.

That's correct. They ask if they may come in and inspect your house and I thought it would be interesting to see where they looked. The second time I showed him into the front room and said I wished to explain why I wasn't going to let him come any further (matter of principle: what other members of society have their houses searched?). The agent said that's all right - if I'd had a television I wouldn't have let him in at all. He couldn't be persuaded to look around anywhere else and thereupon departed. I was quite deflated at not being given the opportunity to have a serious discussion. I didn't actually run after him wailing, no, no, please don't go …

Radio On Demand is fine - since there's no such thing as a radio licence.

[gurnemanz]

Seem to be only minor pitfalls for you and the rest of us will be only too pleased to pay for the production of the BBC radio programmes which you will listen to free of charge.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Radio 3 is worth the fee alone, so I feel slightly guilty because like most of us in here, I do tune in a lot.

It's hardly your fault that the radio only licence was scrapped in 1971.

[Beef Oven!]

It's hardly your fault that the radio only licence was scrapped in 1971.

I didn’t know that.