Computer with internet - do I need a TV license?
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,691
Indeed...in my youth I did a bit of flat sitting for my brother who was away at sea for six months.
Every flippin' couple of weeks two old men wearing Mackintosh coats and soft hats used to come knocking at the door and demand to see the TV license. Every time I'd tell them my brother who is the owner and rate payer is away sailing the seven seas and won't be back for months. After about 5 visits they eventually gave up.
All we had was a portable black and white.
Every flippin' couple of weeks two old men wearing Mackintosh coats and soft hats used to come knocking at the door and demand to see the TV license. Every time I'd tell them my brother who is the owner and rate payer is away sailing the seven seas and won't be back for months. After about 5 visits they eventually gave up.
All we had was a portable black and white.
Are you sure this isn't a Monty Python skit you all are remembering? ROFLMAO at the absurdity of it all.
#19
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Home
Programs: Virgin FC, Qantas, Golden Circle, Sofitel, Hyatt, Starwood, Nectar, and my Tesco Club Card
Posts: 1,769
Yes, prosecutions still made on a regular basis - most courts, most days
The inspectors certainly used to have quite exytensive powers and can obtain warrants to search your premises in extreme circumstances, they can even enter your premises without a warrant if you consent.
If you're watching the BBC I tend to think you should pay the licence fee because that is how they're funded. After all you are prepared to pay Mr Murdoch to watch his channels. If you never watch BBC then I have more sympathy with the view that the Licence fee is wrong.
As for who they go after, like a lot enforcement work they have more people to deal with than officers to do the work. Hence they must priortise their work. I've heard they priortise their work on
(1) people who have recently been convicted of having no licence
(2) people who have failed to renew a tv licence
(3) Rental accomodation, particularly council emergency accomodation where there is a regular turn over of people all of whom should have a TV licence (the council usually make it clear they don't provide one)
Sounds cruel but I guess the theory is that by going after the low hanging fruit and publicising your results you persuade the vast majority of people to buy a licence. I suspect that most of their officers have a few addresses that are "too hard to do".
Isn't the offence they usually persue having equipment to watch TV without a licence, not necessarilly watching the TV? Therefore if you have no aerial and no TV how are they going to prove it? I can't see them persuading a judge to issue a warrant to seize your computer to see if somehow you've managed to stream live TV to it, in the absence of anything to suggest you definitely are watching live TV it seems somewhat disproportionate and therefore unlikely.
The inspectors certainly used to have quite exytensive powers and can obtain warrants to search your premises in extreme circumstances, they can even enter your premises without a warrant if you consent.
If you're watching the BBC I tend to think you should pay the licence fee because that is how they're funded. After all you are prepared to pay Mr Murdoch to watch his channels. If you never watch BBC then I have more sympathy with the view that the Licence fee is wrong.
As for who they go after, like a lot enforcement work they have more people to deal with than officers to do the work. Hence they must priortise their work. I've heard they priortise their work on
(1) people who have recently been convicted of having no licence
(2) people who have failed to renew a tv licence
(3) Rental accomodation, particularly council emergency accomodation where there is a regular turn over of people all of whom should have a TV licence (the council usually make it clear they don't provide one)
Sounds cruel but I guess the theory is that by going after the low hanging fruit and publicising your results you persuade the vast majority of people to buy a licence. I suspect that most of their officers have a few addresses that are "too hard to do".
Isn't the offence they usually persue having equipment to watch TV without a licence, not necessarilly watching the TV? Therefore if you have no aerial and no TV how are they going to prove it? I can't see them persuading a judge to issue a warrant to seize your computer to see if somehow you've managed to stream live TV to it, in the absence of anything to suggest you definitely are watching live TV it seems somewhat disproportionate and therefore unlikely.
#20
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 199
I have been wondering of late as to exactly what constitutes "live broadcast TV" anyway. Now that the (web) iPlayer offers the ability to pause, restart and resume individual programs as they are being streamed "live" then at what point does "live" become "on demand" or whatever. I expect both the procedural and legal standpoints are likely to be lagging behind the technological innovation (though you would assume that some agreements or understandings would have been reached before such features would be allowed onto the service).
Personally I buy a licence as I get good value out of the whole set of BBC services (web, radio, TV) - even though I don't own a traditional TV set. If on the other hand, you view the fee as more of an avoidable tax then I expect the chance of prosecution is fairly low if you are willing to put up with the inevitable periodic hounding by post etc.
I expect that if the current "unique" funding model persists then at some point your TV licence will migrate into being a joint licence and online account, with the live TV component of the online presence requiring your to login with this account in order to view. Hopefully then the territorial restrictions might also be removed (again... probably quite complex in terms of the licencing of programming from other makers).
Personally I buy a licence as I get good value out of the whole set of BBC services (web, radio, TV) - even though I don't own a traditional TV set. If on the other hand, you view the fee as more of an avoidable tax then I expect the chance of prosecution is fairly low if you are willing to put up with the inevitable periodic hounding by post etc.
I expect that if the current "unique" funding model persists then at some point your TV licence will migrate into being a joint licence and online account, with the live TV component of the online presence requiring your to login with this account in order to view. Hopefully then the territorial restrictions might also be removed (again... probably quite complex in terms of the licencing of programming from other makers).
Last edited by Gulliver_UK; Dec 14, 2012 at 8:24 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10,709
I expect that if the current "unique" funding model persists then at some point your TV licence will migrate into being a joint licence and online account, with the live TV component of the online presence requiring your to login with this account in order to view. Hopefully then the territorial restrictions might also be removed (again... probably quite complex in terms of the licencing of programming from other makers).
Switzerland has now introduced a licence. http://www.thelocal.ch/page/view/1161 My understanding are that some parts of Switzerland,you need a licence for radio as well. Alarm clock, car radio, means you need a licence.
http://www.expatica.com/ch/lifestyle...nd-_13995.html
(One bloke on the forums made a bit of a scene at the Billag office because he thought it was crazy to pay the radio licence just for his car radio. So he asked if he would have to pay if he tore it out of the car. To which the Billag customer service rep said, "Oh, ok... well you have a clock radio, yes? Then you still pay...sorry. Ah HAHAHAHHA!")
#22
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
They'll start with a few ever more threatening letters, which will then be followed by knocking on the door, usually on a Saturday morning. Don't answer, and after a few more tries you'll get more letters culminating in notice for a summons. Then you need to pay. Usually takes 4 or 5 months.
#23
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
Programs: A3 *G, BA Silver
Posts: 2,706
They'll start with a few ever more threatening letters, which will then be followed by knocking on the door, usually on a Saturday morning. Don't answer, and after a few more tries you'll get more letters culminating in notice for a summons. Then you need to pay. Usually takes 4 or 5 months.
#24
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MAN
Programs: LH, BA, Hilton
Posts: 1,409
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10,709
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...V-licence.html
One in 10 magistrates' court hearings is now taken up with the offence, which appears more than any other crime.
A total of 140,000 people were convicted of avoiding the licence fee last year, giving them a criminal record and in some cases, those who failed to pay the fine were handed a prison sentence.
One in 10 magistrates' court hearings is now taken up with the offence, which appears more than any other crime.
A total of 140,000 people were convicted of avoiding the licence fee last year, giving them a criminal record and in some cases, those who failed to pay the fine were handed a prison sentence.
#26
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
Programs: A3 *G, BA Silver
Posts: 2,706
That does represent about 10% of the annual caseload - last quarter was just over 400K matters for all the English and Welsh Mags Courts. That said, I don't think I've seen a TV licence case for over half a year. Many don't attend and achieve a large fine in their absence. It tends to be a mornings work for a single court.
#27
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...V-licence.html
One in 10 magistrates' court hearings is now taken up with the offence, which appears more than any other crime.
A total of 140,000 people were convicted of avoiding the licence fee last year, giving them a criminal record and in some cases, those who failed to pay the fine were handed a prison sentence.
One in 10 magistrates' court hearings is now taken up with the offence, which appears more than any other crime.
A total of 140,000 people were convicted of avoiding the licence fee last year, giving them a criminal record and in some cases, those who failed to pay the fine were handed a prison sentence.
#28
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 5,706
#29
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Ive always thought if Sky can provide however many hundred channels, some in HD, for 20 quid a month, how can the BBC charge 12 a month for what for most people is two channels. If it's business model wasn't written into law the BBC would have been dead and buried years ago.