Can I Be Fined For Not Having A TV Licence? 

I'm so poor I don't have Sky TV let alone a licence😂😂

If you are allowed under law to go "no comment" when accused of the most serious of offenses....Why oh why would you feel it was necessary to talk to a TV licensing goon who has no power AT ALL over you?

I wish half of the current license payers would just ask for a refund, then keep saying they do not need a license, it wouldn't take long for that disgusting organisation to collapse and become nothing more than a bad memory 🤮🤮🤮

Doors with locks were invented thousands of years ago to keep people safe from evil. And that is how you keep yourself safe from this evil. Dont answer the door to strangers and if you do make that mistake slam and lock it as soon as you find out its the goons.

My tv works very well without a license thanks, 😊

Had 2 ladies came to door earlier. First question: "Do you live here?" My wife asked who they were and they told her TV Licencing. My wife simply said "please go away" and shut the door! I'm so proud of her! Thanks to your channel for teaching her that they're simply salespeople and closing the door on them is not a problem!

The TV licence boils down to a simple principle, which seems to be illegal in every other walk of life. "Nice little business you have here mate! Be a shame if you had a fire!" It's a protection racket, pure and simple.

I canceled last year and got a refund, and today i got a letter saying i am on the list to be giving a visit by the goons....bring it on i say

Got a guy at my door. "No record of a TV licence." But I DO have a TV licence! "Well, if I could just come in and see it?" I had another suggestion - he could simply f*** right off! I hadn't any evidence he was even who he said he was. If he was genuine he could go back and check the record. If he wasn't, he had 10 seconds before I phoned the police. But - he had ID! Which to me proved nothing more than he owned an inkjet printer! Still don't know if he was genuine, but further discussion was aborted by the arrival of my son and his dog. The 'licence inspector' legged it.

I had my third visit just a few minutes ago. I just didn’t answer They put one of their threats through my door. Straight to the bin.

TV licence is £160. I've heard of people who have been to court and pleaded guilty to watching live TV without a TV licence and being fined less than the cost of the TV licence. What is the point in buying one then?

I have told TV Licensing in writing that I don't need their services and I'll get in touch if I ever do. They keep asking me and sending letters that some bloke called Ross has started an investigation. He's started about four investigations now, but he never seems to get anywhere. I keep emailing them to try and help him out. This has been going for years. I just feel really bad for poor Ross.

I've been fined! Never paid it. never been recorded.

What about Reform stating they would scrap the license. What a great day that would be ..

Sub +1 this is really great information, As my 80 year old mum has said she no longer wants to pay the BBC as its all rubbish now.

I got a refund from TV licencing when I cancelled mine 5 years ago, it was by check but none the less, they refunded me. Not heard from them since. Cheers John.

Remembers folks: the default is you do NOT need a TV Licence. It's opt in, rather than opt out, despite what the BBC 'think'. Ignore all their games, the simplest method is not to partake in their gibberish and that makes them impotent.

Everyone should tell the BBC that you wish to restrict access to your property once you have informed them then they are never allowed to call at your address and if they do then you can have them charged I did this over fifteen years ago now, No callers or letters simples

No one in Scotland has been taken to court for non payment.

I automatically got a refund when I cancelled mine. An unexpected benefit!

Thanks I keep spreading the word, nearly two years license free and have plenty to watch leagaly 🎉

not had a TV or licence since 2014

Id love to apply for a refund however I've never gave them a single penny.

Not seen this covered elsewhere but if you renew your "No license needed" form online you have to answer a series of questions. At first impression answering "No" in quick succession will catch you out and it will not let you progress any further unless you answer all of them, then when you push submit it will eventually state on a separate page, (depending on your answers) whether you need a license or not. Please read questions very carefully. Sly B'stards!

I have lived on my own from the age of 18 when i left social services care, im 57 now and i have never had a tv licence. 🌞

I work on the principle of, it's for me to know and you too find out. It's for you to prove I need a licence not for me to prove I don't.

So the average fine is around £150 and the TV licence is £160...ok.

You don't have to pay for a tv licence if you go to court and plead guilty to watching TV without a TV licence. If you say they do. Then show me the evidence.

I don’t have a license for my tv but I don’t watch tv

We just stopped the DD . 5 years later and I’m still known as Legal Occupier 😂

Depends what you tell the salesman at your door

Not having a licence for almost 3 years and fingers crossed not had a visit. They can knock on my door as much as they want but i am not talking to them. I don't watch any live TV or the BBC Iplayer and just don't miss it. What will the new goverment do in 2027, has anyone asked them ?

Colleague at work said they told her she needed a tv license because the kids watch RU-vid on the telly.

This is from last August 2023. Manchester Evening News. A 20 Yr old unemployed male pleads guilty to watching live TV without a TV licence and he's fined £136 in total. So he's saving.

And don't throw in the towel if you get an "SJP notice " (single justice procedure) you still have the right to plead not guilty and have your time in court to hear what they got to say and fight against it.. It better be good! As long as you never gave the goons any verbal incriminating evidence, Or physical evidence, and you deny deny deny, There's no reason the judge should find you guilty.

The ultimate TV License Deterrent...Land Mines at the front door

I download programs every week via my pc and spend hours watching them. I dont have a tv licence and wont buy one. As you pointed out they are not the police or baliff's so i am surprised they can get away with getting warrants in an attempt to enter your home.

It's so easy to find out how many people have a licence in your area, just fill out tv licence online form at any address , if it says " there's already a TV licence at this address" you know they pay TV licence. If it let's you proceed to payment you know they havnt got a TV licence.

Just had a letter to the occupier as usual, on the outside of the envelope it says" will you be in on the 25th" they dont even put it in the letter anymore. Well, i,ve sent back a plain envelope to them with, "no i won,t be in" on the envelope, nothing else written at all.

He's got a great voice .He should be voice over artist 🎙

Someone came out to me asking why I didn't have a licence, I opened the door, which looked straight in my living room, and said I don't have a tv, I couldn't afford to buy food, a tv was really low on my priorities

I read an article recently that said the tv licensing people have put millions into chasing low income people into paying there license and if they don’t they can fine you up to £1000 and send the bailiffs around. Can they do this, send the bailiffs, that is….

My only quibble is that it's worded in the way TV Licencing like: "legally required to have a TV licence if..." and "not paying for a licence while watching... could result in a fine." It puts the emphasis on not having a licence being the offence, which we all know isn't true. They way it should be worded is "It's illegal to watch or record live TV without a TV licence" and "Watching or recording live TV, or using BBC iPlayer without a TV licence could result in a fine." Small change, but it's more accurate and shifts the emphasis away from where TVL want it.

Why do you never mention the removal of implied access? When I rang the bbc and told them I am removing all implied rights of access. They told me no goons would come onto my property.

I haven't had a visit in over 10 years.

Maybe after 3 years I will finally get a visit when the Euros are on. Their investigation should be finished by now surely.

I was typing and it disappeared.. the goones terminology was “can I see if you have the facility” most people’s phones have the “facility” . Some people I know can’t see why I and people like us don’t just pay it’s £3 ish a week. For me it’s because I’m told to . I don’t watch anything I shouldn’t at home. Sport I go to a pub or friends. As for the assumption.. if I have a car on my drive the authorities don’t knock at my door and give me parking,speeding fines etc. because I have the ability to get those .

No licence for 5 yrs now,just got a letter from them to say that I have to make a declaration that I don’t need one for the next 12 months and they may send someone out to check,

Freely is the new free service from the company responsible for Freeview and Freesat that will run alongside Freeview and Freesat for many more years as it will take many years for people to upgrade to Freely compatible TVs. However Freely merges live broadcast and streaming and this could mean more people required to have a TV Licence unless there is the option to opt out of live broadcasts.

They can visit and swifty turn round and go back to where come from. The flea in the ear optional but I wouldn't advise it.

@ChilliJonCarne do 1 about broadband speeds, in some places you pay £37 monthly (broadband only, no calls, bt sports or other things, broadband only) sometimes I can't even load the bt app to do a speed test, but when I go through says 32 to the hub 21 to your device (5 meters next to the router😂) For the same amount of money you can get up to 75/150 mb/gb on mainland ( talking about islay, famous for the whisky)

Are they using the ignorance of the public, or making this such a grey area to extort money from us?

Illegally downloaded if you pay discovery+ your not illegally downloading so you don't need a TV licence.

downloading generally means making a copy of the file locally. Streaming means you're always pulling it from the internet. When streaming the program isn't usually stored locally at all, except insofar as the device chooses to buffer content. It may never store the whole file and generally any stored content will be discarded at the whim of the device,

I tried, in vane, to contact TV license people on the phone, so cancelled my direct debit, that got their attention! As I was living on a boat, the house was empty, I did get a refund, as we didn’t need a licence, not because of being on a boat, but because no watching anything live, nor IPlayer. We will never get a licence in the future, when we buy bricks and mortar in The Western Isles, quite happily not watching live etc and wonder if they will threaten’ us up there, or send the salesman round….. need to get them a ferry to find us fully compliant!

3:33 All 4 is now called Channel 4. Just to add to the confusion.

I find it archaic and somewhat embarrassing in a global sense that we're still in a situation where we can't engage with the TV licence salespeople without risking a closed court decision on what is termed 'illegal' or be able to prove we don't require a licence by showing browser history etc. I abide by the rules but I think they're utterly ridiculous, unclear and I hope we're getting closer to a point where someone who doesn't have a TV license isn't automatically presumed to be breaking the law and as a result constantly harassed. That said, 'hope springs eternal' and all that..

If a licence is required regardless of whatever channel you're watching then why don't the ''other channels'' receive a share of the fee?

Their first trick is to say "are you Mr or Mrs McDuff"? Always say NO .I had one come to my door and I told them I was the dog walker 🐕 😁

The only thing I would change in the entire article is the bit on live TV, it’s broadcast live TV such as you can’t watch BBC News if that’s the version what’s been live broadcast at the same time such as sky does it as well they broadcast the liveTV signal on RU-vid as a live program you cannot watch that as well because it’s been broadcast the UK live by your area by the sky satellite

Almost 3 years license free latest letter this week addressed to my name first time as always been to occupier previously………who in a household would get fined if multiple adults living there? Not concerned as no intention of ever paying or speaking to them

So why doesn't the BBC simply require an account for its iPlayer which you can get when you pay for a licence? That way, anyone without a licence can't watch iPlayer. I'm not from the UK so this TV licensing business feels convoluted and archaic and appears to be a mechanism to give the TVL contractor grifters some revenue. The other thing is, if the BBC want licensing fees so badly, why don't they collect them themselves rather than outsourcing the function to a rent-seeking company?

-Jon, and I am being serious, but at the same time not worried 😜 I had RU-vid on, watching random stuff as I do, when Marvel my Giant Russian Blue Cat jumped up onto my lap landing on my keyboard. He managed to switch the video I was enjoying "Thoughty 2" and put on a live UK TV channel as they were actually live. I realised in an instant but for about 10 seconds Marvel was watching live broadcast TV. No word of a lie. Could I be fined for that or would he? I have money I save up in an account for him as a personal insurance policy just in case sometime in the future he gets Ill. Can the BBC Fine my Cat Marvel ?

I find I'm fine without one😂

Paid for TV licence for years and now it's all done on line. Received a letter last month telling me that i now have to go online to register my licence with the TV licensing people as they're not sending out licences any more. Sorry, i pay by direct debit so you should know that I've done so without having go waste my precious time confirming that fact.

Don't answer the door. Don't use BBC iPlayer. Don't have your TV facing the window. Don't loose licence goons in your home. No, you can't be fined.

I just went on their website and put no to everything on the tv website and it still said I need a licence. So what can you do?? Nothing because they are robbers and want to take your money even if you live in a shed on top of a mountaintop what a joke

"Don't tell 'em your name Pyke"

Jon, I'd love to see you go through the cancellation form online with someone to see just how difficult they make it. It's not just a simple "cancel" button, oh no, it's multiple pages of veiled threats, requirements for ID and all sorts, they make it as difficult as possible to cancel it.

I cancelled 7 years ago. Never had any letters or visits. I filled out the online 'no licence needed' declaration.

Paying by Direct Debit means you have paid six months in advance so if you cancel, assuming you no longer watch or record TV etc, ensure you ask for those six months to be refunded.

What i do not comprehend is: Why do people allow these laws to be passed without any protest? The original TV licence was for BBC only. NOW they have basically upgraded that to: (Think about this next sentence:) Any signal arriving in the UK that is live from ANY tv channel has to be paid for. Yet these other channels do not benefit from the money charged. 1: Why do these other companies allow this? Because they rely on being able to broadcast in the UK. 2: Why do people in UK not protest like Sweden and/or others(?) who got their licence fees stopped. Because most people in UK are already so brainwashed by the TV that they have lost all ability to protest anything other than what said TV tells them to. 3:The TV in countries especially UK are brainwashing machines that subtly inject the thought processes that they want people to have into their programs, this is why they are so set on keeping this law. Without it, sheeple will start to think differently, see other ways of thinking and finally become people again. 4: The exit from EU was very subtly injected into the people by listing the CONS and disregarding the PROS, now UK will slowly become like the US, with rising racism, no health care, and sheeple who still think that voting actually does something. UK and it's colony US(you still think US is independent?) will lead the world in implementing "1984" world wide. Don't be fooled, UK and US are just a different part of the EU, all following the same goal, global domination, they are like the TWO parties in an "election". STOP being fooled.

good reporting, makes a change

I don't have any issue with the wording of "watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally". It's specifically referring to downloading from iPlayer, in the same way that the "watching, recording" but is specifically referring to live TV. In both cases, they're only talking about doing so in ways that are illegal without a licence.

Licence Enforcers sent me an 'Are you free on 27th June?' in a plain brown envelope. Their intent is to visit me, but 'it may be another day.' Reason: we do not have a record of a TV licence at your address. Well, true enough, but my TV is unplugged, BBC and their rubbish programmes do not interest me at all. I don't have Sky, and I only watch Neflix, Prime and Disney on my laptop. So push off Enforcers, I don't need a licence.

Iv been sitting waiting on them for a year, first I got my title,then the occupier, then said they were investigating,then had 20 trees worth of paper saying there coming on certain dates, even after I phoned to say I didn't need one and wouldn't watch live TV if they gave me it for nothing, I'm certainly not funding there champagne 🍾🥂 life styles and their hate for our country, can't wait till they ring the doorbell cam, they will be told to do one, and the amount of people who are bullied into buying one because of the wording they are now saying even if you are on u tube you need one,iv been to my solicitor for harassment and putting the fear into myself who stays alone and is vulnerable, and got a lot of cheek from someone who could hardly string 2 English words together 💯🤡🌍

If their high-tech crime-busting detector vans truly work, why the need to send door-to-door salespeople? It is all they are and nothing more, "NO THANKS DONT NEED ONE BUT THANKS FOR CONFIRMING IT FOR ME" Shut the door job done.

May have changed now - it was long ago - when I cancelled my licence, which I paid monthly, I got a refund of a couple of months. Presumably as it only had a couple of months to go! Since then, lots of letters - until a year ago. On trying to be fair and kind, I went to the web-site to make a "No Licence Required" declaration, i could not find the "I don't need a license" option. Ok, how about the "The property is Empty" then? YES..... next Q "Until When?" ..... "01/01/2099" .... No more letters since, and presumably until then!

What does tv licence offer? I'll pay if they bring and install a dish or antenna, my max broadband speed is 32mb at £35 / month , takes me ages to download something, but what about camper vans, do they get a visit from the scarry guy? 😂

I have just purchased a property myself and i have now had the in red warning £1,000 fine. Apparently Amazon prime video is now on the list. I will be looking into getting a Bluetooth link or cable link between the TV and my laptop so I can watch non live content from my computer. Most of what I watch is off RU-vid anyway.

do not worry Chilli those that read the Herald will have a licence majority of scots will read the Daily Record or The Sun do not bother about a licence in their 1000's

I am over 75 but don’t receive pension credit why should pension credit make a difference, I only receive the state pension 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

If you fill in the questionare regarding not needing a license.on line, whatever boxes you tick it says you need a license

This the new red letter from the BBC,in Scotland very scary 😅😅 has anybody else received them what happens now 😂😂😂

Has anyone tried paying their license via the phone? Every bloody time, they don’t recognise the reference or license number that they provided or they don’t recognise address or name. Takes two bloody calls for them to recognise it!🤬 They are useless

If you were stupid enough nto let them in your house and you have a TV, plugged into a satellite dish but switched off, can they prosecute you even though they havent actually caught you in the act? How could they justify a warrant?

may 1st was my 5th anniversary of not having a license. havent watched 1 second of live tv or beeb crap in that time. so not a problem and for context, I'm scots.

All local newspapers produce 'scare' articles about all sorts of subjects, like "Carrying a dog in your car can get you fined £nnnn". And BTW you _cache_ data, not _cashet_ it! It's pronounced just like 'cash'.

I cancelled my tv licence in December 2023, but because of the Christmas holls they took a payment for January 2024, because I paid by direct debit, the licence is paid in advance so my licence is paid for up until the end of January 2025. They sent me 3 letters asking for payment, the last letter I received was to inform me that my tv licence has been cancelled. And no offer of a refund.

I haven't had a TV for about Fifteen years , don't watch catch up stuff or live stuff . Basically just watch stuff on RU-vid . These idiots still send me letters about needing a license . I just bin them . No interest in the rubbish they put out for entertainment . I used to really like the David Attenborough stuff but I haven't watched that for years .

Here is a new one for Tv Licensing (to me least) another "Official Notice" claiming I in breach of Communications Act 2003. This sound like I have broken the law in some way. I do not watch live TV, not even On Demand (even tho I legally could), therefore I don't need a TV License. It's still addressed to Legal Occupier not myself in person.

They can send as many letters as they want as they go straight to the bin and it’s costing them money to send em out . I’ve have been known to rip them up and post them back in their envelope to there address without a stamp costing them twice the postage as I do with most junk mail

15 year's BBC Forced Subscription fee Free! Just think of the expenses incurred over the years sending out threat's!! All ignored 😅

I do not hold a fishing licence and I do not go fishing. Could I be fined for being suspected of fishing?

Mr ConCarne. A note about pronunciation. The word cache, meaning to store, etc..., as used with computers is pronounced 'cash'. The word cachet, meaning prestige, kudos, etc.., is pronounced 'cashay'. Keep up the good work you're doing. F*&k the BBC and the TV licence fee. 👍😎

I have received a letter saying I’ve been watching bbc i player ! On numerous occasions and I’ve been removed from the I don’t need a license group ! As far as I’m concerned no we haven’t ! What do I need to do ? Stephen

I didn’t get a refund from two years ago I did put in for it

I bet the TV licence people will have lost tens of thousands of payers following the Huw Edwards scandal and the Southport attacker

I would cancel mine but it seems a hassle keeping the blinds closed constantly so they cant see your watching it though the window

Your allowed too download films etc... without tv lic