just had a thought, because of this digital changeover my old tv is now efectivly just a moniter as it cannot recive analog tv as it has been switched off and cannot recive digital tv as it has no built in free view. so if say for argument sake i have no free view box and no sky or virgin media box does thay mean i no longer have to have a tv licence

or if you tv can no longer recive terestial tv and i pay for virgin media why should i have to pay for a tv licence as i am already paying mr branson

Me too lets, go on strike and not pay anyone lol!

My TV has never had a tuner, analogue or digital... it's far too thin. Its nothing that a 1080p panel with HDMI haha. Even the manual describes it as a panel lol.

But the TV License gimps still sent me a letter saying that I had bought this model of TV - its not a fookin TV for crying out loud, its a panel!!!!

My other half has been sayin this for ages, since we were told it was all changin over. Why pay twice especially when we`re only payin a license for BBC! (yes I know about bbc radio etc before anyone jumps on the band wagon) but there are x amount of other channels we can get just by payin 1 bill.

so if you dont have a tv licence you carnt listen to the radio in the car because it can recive bbc radio? with enough backing i recon it could get overturned because virgin and sky must have to pay some royaltees for transmitting bbc?

The requirement for a broadcast radio receiving licence disappeared many years ago.

The TV licence is to receive broadcast live television NOT specifically the BBC. It is not administered nor controlled by the BBC, however the BBC is funded through the proceeds of the licence.

so why should we have to pay for a tv licence and pay virgin or sky

My other half has been sayin this for ages, since we were told it was all changin over. Why pay twice especially when we`re only payin a license for BBC! (yes I know about bbc radio etc


I meant listening to the radio channels through your tv.

Just don't pay it!!

I agree!

Great minds Toto, great minds!

Even with no tv you still need a tv licence if you have a computer or laptop.

i heard when they call round even if u dont let them in they have a device wich can tell if your using your tele is that true?

Think they have the device in the van they use, havent seen one for years though.

ok thanx keep meaning 2 ring them up but always 4 get so just wanted 2 no if they may have caught me in the act lol

They can't tell shit, don't worry. They will just keep sending you letters to try and use scare-tactics into forcing you to pay.

Don't fall for it!

No Emma. They can only tell if you don't have a licence is by the address. If there is no licence attached to the address then they send out letters. Ignore all this sh*te about vans.

In 1999 they did over 1000 people around Wirral/Chester area - LINK

In 2006 they did more than 7600 in Liverpool - LINK

Whilst many people are wishful that detector vans either don't exist or are dummies, that is all it is - wishful thinking. Just because you haven't been caught is no reason to believe they don't exist. Look at the predicted 30% car tax/insurance dodgers.

Ask any RF engineer how complicated it is to detect a TV, it is very simple, the higher technology is in pin-pointing position, especially in tower blocks.

Citizens advice bureau




Who needs a television licence
You need a TV Licence to use any television-receiving equipment to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV. These include programmes on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, cable and satellite television. Television-receiving equipment includes:

•TV sets
•set-top boxes
•DVD recorders
•video recorders
•computers
•mobile phones or other battery-operated devices.
You don't need a television licence if a TV set cannot receive TV programmes and is used only:

•for close circuit monitoring
•for watching pre-recorded videos or DVDs
•as a computer monitor – see under heading You don't use your television set or other device to watch or record broadcast programmes.
You don't need a TV licence to watch catch-up services, like BBC i-Player, that let you watch programmes after they have been broadcast.

A television licence allows the person named on it and any member of their household to use one or more television sets or video recorders.

If you only have a black and white television, you only require a black and white television licence. If you have a colour television, a DVD recorder or video recorder, you will require a colour television licence. This will apply even if the DVD or video recorder is used with a black and white television set.







You don't use your television set or other device to watch or record broadcast programmes
If you do not use your television set, video recorder or DVD player to watch or record live broadcast programmes (that is, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, cable television or satellite television) you will not need a licence. This means that you would not need a licence if, for example, you only:

•use the television set as a computer monitor
•use the television set to play electronic games
•watch pre-recorded videos or DVDs, whether or not these have been bought or recorded by someone else.
However, the television set must be incapable of receiving all live broadcast programmes. This could be done, for example, by making sure that a television set, DVD or video recorder are not:

•tuned into any channels
•connected to an aerial
•connected to any cable or satellite services.

In 1992 i was fined.. they came to my flat and although i never watched tv, i did have a small telly sitting behind my sofa, they clocked this and plugged it in, i said i only used it once in a blue moon to play snes games on and didn't even have a working aerial (even they couldn't get a signal) and said this in court but was fined regardless. It really pissed me off and even now i don't watch that much telly, most programs are crap and if theres anything worth seeing, i'll catch up on the iplayer etc.

If you like watching the telly and there was no licence fee and BBC you would then be at the mercy of Sky and Virgin etc who without any competition could really put up their prices a lot more than now and people would have to pay because we have become a nation of telly addicts