When I moved into my flat and living off peanuts, I decided to minimalize as much money bills as possible. Also I don't watch TV myself unless I stumble across it once in a while. I Use the Internet. Yet still I have no Internet in my flat still, so I am thankful for the organizations, my friends and family who have allowed me to use theirs for on and off.
After over 3 weeks of living in a flat, I have recieved a very interesting and yet imtimidating letter, what caught my eye was, "Enforcement Officers have been notified" in big bold RED LETTERS, as if I have done something terribly wrong. So apparently I have to let these people inspect my house to make sure I am not using any kind of equipment to watch live TV.
I have a TV tuner card but I am not using it, infact the ariel cable is not in use, there is no plug on it. So touch wood they should be in and out. The bit of the TV tuner I'm still interested in, is the remote control reciver, it be can coded to control the PC in various ways. I have managed this on Windows XP, yet I wish to experiment with Linux. This is why I have not removed it yet.
However if they say I have to remove the TV card, I will of course remove it and feel I am being forced and I will further loath the TV and the license it self.
The BBC services are nice, I do admit I watch the iPlayer on and off, yet I feel they need to change some of their ways, especially sending imtimidating letters straight way, rather than friendly ones with some more common questions and answers.
I have to buy a TV license if I watch live television broadcasts on the Internet. So I don't plan on visiting "BBC News" live broadcast link on their website. Yet this made me question will they be following what I browse online? I rang the people to let them know I have read their surprise letter and stated that I am not using a TV or ariel, I also raised my concern about my privacy Internet surfing privacy, they said "They do not have the authority".
Minor Update
I recieved a nicer letter through the post confirming that I have called them up and told them I am not using the arial.
If the do wish to come and investigate my flat, which they stated in the nice letter it will be only a few minutes of my my time, I will let them. I have nothing to hide, yet I still feel that some of this needs changing somehow. "Being felt intimidated straight away". IF they mentioned more nicely that will be coming round to check, I'd be more happier about all this. Just didn't like that intimidation feeling when I haven't done anything wrong!? Think the gas person coming to check my parents meter is nicer.
One of my friends mentioned to me that I had to pay them, I retaliated by saying, 'visit my blog entry', then decided to rip out the tuner card (despite I am not using it or having any antenna cable plugged into it), let alone no Internet.
No Legal Weight
Apparently there is no legal weight, yet the first intermidating letter looks like it does.
Have a further read with the links below.
Further Reading
BBCresistance and TV licensing
Do you need a tv license to watch tv on the internet?
http://www.televisionlicence.info/
'Milking' the Expenses Gravy Train
10 years ago
5 comments:
You are under no obligation to allow a TVL inspector (who are actually employed by Capita) into your home.
You do not need a licence to watch TV on the internet, or to own a television (strictly speaking, you do not need one simply to own a TV card for your PC either - it is the act of using that card for watching live TV which requires a licence, not the ownership of it).
You also do not need a licence to watch iPlayer, provided you are watching one of the archived shows rather than something which is being shown live.
In fact, watching or recording a live television transmission is the only situation that requires a licence. This applies no matter how you are watching it, or the device you are watching it on (watching a live stream of a French channel over the internet on your mobile phone would require a licence from the BBC).
If you are not watching live TV, you do not require a licence and can safely ignore the threatening letters. There is more information on when you do, and do not, need a licence at my site.
"So apparently I have to let these people inspect my house to make sure I am not using any kind of equipment to watch live TV."
No, you don't.
They would happily let you believe that, but they have no authority to demand access to your property.
If you're not using a TV - as it sounds like you aren't - then you can tell them to go swivvel. Or just tell them nothing at all.
See my blog for full details.
I kinda feel more at ease now, thanks soo much for all that information!!!
Good day!
my name is Tom and im completely new to this forum.
I hope that I'll learn and share a lot of interesting things.
Look forward to 'meeting' you all.
hi, good site very much appreciatted
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