Cancelling TV licence

we were treated as criminals for not having a licence. The stupid form gave a load of reasons for not buying/renewing a licence - non of which was ...... I do not have a television. We did not have a television but the idea that no-one could possibly survive without one is madness. We were actually renovating a derelict house and living in a caravan at the time with no electricity but they hounded us - I cant remember how I stopped them in the end but it was very very annoying

"No, other people are not paying for you to listen to the radio as you do not need a licence for it.

We are talking about a Television Licence, no licence required for Radio."

You're completely wrong. You may not need a licence for radio only, but radio is funded by the BBC for which licence-holders pay. Not needing a licence doesn't mean it's a free service!

I can understand the problem Granarchist, we had the same problem when clearing the house of a deceased relative. They only had a small tv and that was removed quite early and passed on to someone else, so obviously when the tv licence renewal came, I sent it back saying the house was unoccupied and there was no tv in it.

But would they accept this? Would they heck, we got inundated by threats - that they would break into the house, all kinds of things. I cold only get to the house once a fortnight, and each time I visited, my stomach would tense as I turned into the road, in case I would find the front door broken down.

Thank fully they never did break in. Whether they visited and peared through the windows and realised that the house was being cleared, I do not kno, but it caused me a lot of angts.

M0nica

I can understand the problem Granarchist, we had the same problem when clearing the house of a deceased relative. They only had a small tv and that was removed quite early and passed on to someone else, so obviously when the tv licence renewal came, I sent it back saying the house was unoccupied and there was no tv in it.

But would they accept this? Would they heck, we got inundated by threats - that they would break into the house, all kinds of things. I cold only get to the house once a fortnight, and each time I visited, my stomach would tense as I turned into the road, in case I would find the front door broken down.

Thank fully they never did break in. Whether they visited and peared through the windows and realised that the house was being cleared, I do not kno, but it caused me a lot of angts.

They can’t look through your window- I don’t know who they think they are-they act like the bloody gastapo. Sky, Netflix don’t bang on the door- they just cancel your membership once you stop paying

We had a visit from them once many years ago, when we didn't have a TV. They asked to come in and look in our living room (no other rooms, which seemed a bit pointless) to see if we had one, but we didn't let them. We said if they came back with a policeman and a warrant that we would let them in. You don't have to let them in and they can't break in either.

They threaten you with forcing entry, but do not tell you that they cannot!

That's just mean, M0nica! They can't enter without your permission unless they are with a police officer with a warrant, and the fact that they threaten to do so is beyond the pale IMO.

Wheniwasyourage

That's just mean, M0nica! They can't enter without your permission unless they are with a police officer with a warrant, and the fact that they threaten to do so is beyond the pale IMO.

But a good way to force compliance, assuming you have a tv.

In this case there wasn't one there, and a pretty mess they would have been in had they got a warrant and police officer and broken in. Especially as I had kept copies of all my letters to them saying the house was unoccupied and there was no television there.

Wheniwasyourage

We had a visit from them once many years ago, when we didn't have a TV. They asked to come in and look in our living room (no other rooms, which seemed a bit pointless) to see if we had one, but we didn't let them. We said if they came back with a policeman and a warrant that we would let them in. You don't have to let them in and they can't break in either.

No you don’t- just say hello- bye & don’t engage them in any speech- if you are honest & don’t watch tv- nothing to worry about. Make sure you fill the form in to say you don’t watch live programmes or record, even on streaming services

M0nica

They threaten you with forcing entry, but do not tell you that they cannot!

No they can’t

M0nica

I can understand the problem Granarchist, we had the same problem when clearing the house of a deceased relative. They only had a small tv and that was removed quite early and passed on to someone else, so obviously when the tv licence renewal came, I sent it back saying the house was unoccupied and there was no tv in it.

But would they accept this? Would they heck, we got inundated by threats - that they would break into the house, all kinds of things. I cold only get to the house once a fortnight, and each time I visited, my stomach would tense as I turned into the road, in case I would find the front door broken down.

Thank fully they never did break in. Whether they visited and peared through the windows and realised that the house was being cleared, I do not kno, but it caused me a lot of angts.

Totally illegal!

Someone should take them to court for demanding money with menaces.

M0nica

They threaten you with forcing entry, but do not tell you that they cannot!

No they certainly cant

Hi, just picking up your thread as I am in the process of trying to cancel.

I don't see any 'form' available online, and I have been trying to get to speak to someone on the telephone for ages now, after phoning various (now not connected) numbers.

Does anyone know where I can get this form as I'm fed up wasting my life holding for them answering the phone!

I've done it. They were very insistent, but so was I and I went to them 'prepared'. There doesn't seem to be a form now and you have to talk to an operative you goes through all the legal details even if you claim to already understand them. It's as if you have to persuade them to allow you to cancel! However, it's done now and I am happy.

I do agree that some individual presenters of BBC shows (much loved by many) eg Match Of The Day, have in the past been paid a ludicrous sum.

As Gary Lineker will be stepping down I would like them to start reducing the salaries of those that replace him, I read that the show will have multiple presenters as apposed to one main “anchor”. On the premise that no one “name” is bigger than the show, I suppose.
Only time will tell if this is cheaper or affects the audiences.

There are many other examples of super high salaries paid for just presenting and BBC have defended their talent in the past citing the need to be competitive to attract people who will keep the audience watching week after week year upon year.
I have never really understood why the BBC feels the need to compete anyway. I mean they have an income source and provide services that no other has done or currently does.

I might not watch or listen to some BBC output for years on end, but it is there to access, rather like the NHS WAS once; free at the point of delivery.

Perhaps it should be absorbed into general taxation and the BBC could cut its’ coat according to its’ cloth but I fear it’s output would suffer and culturally and educationally we would miss out enormously.

Ps. I find the “ bullyboy” tactics adopted to scare people into buying a tv licence sad, and they should stop and soon, whilest the majority of the public are still on the BBCs side regarding its’ funding.

We used to have a black and white television and back then, you could pay reduced licence fee.

One day a big van with a satellite dish on top stopped outside and two heavies got out and banged on the door until I opened it. They told me they had picked up a signal from my colour TV and I did not have a colour TV licence. I replied that I didn't have a colour TV and anyway my B&W TV was not switched on. One of them pointed to the roof and asked why I had a colour aerial. I said it must have been left by the previous tenants.

I was young and easily intimidated back then so I allowed them to come in and search the house to see for themselves I did not have a colour TV. Their parting shot was "If you do get a colour TV make sure you get a proper licence. We'll be watching you."

It seems nothing changes.

I am a bit amazed that there are still any functioning black and white television sets left in the world but there is still a black and white license!