TV licence non payment could be made a civil offence

[Escapee]

I finally cancelled my licence this week, well perhaps I should say attempted to cancel it!

Their site sends you around in circles, if you choose the option of cancelling your licence it opens up a form for you to ask them a question with pre-defined categories.

I cancelled the monthly direct debit with my bank and then used one of the generic headings about direct debit to inform them. I made it clear that I was not asking them a question but I was making a statement that I did not need a TV licence because I do not watch live or recorded TV.

Note:

I didn't elaborate but due to a number of reasons I don't watch live TV at home.

a) I'm hardly ever there due to work commitments and spending the majority of my time at my partners house. (I don't even watch TV when I'm there)

b) Any time I have at home is spent on my hobbies, study or achieving something else productive.

c) The majority of programming appears to be soaps, game shows, talk shows and reality TV, which I would never watch anyway. The only sport I would watch is boxing, and the vast majority of this is on subscription TV anyway. (I cancelled my Sky subscription about 4 year ago and have not missed it one bit)


I have received an email reply acknowledging that my direct debit has been cancelled on their system, and that it is paid in advance and I can follow another link supplied to apply for a refund. To be honest I'm not bothered about applying for a 1 month refund, but I'm keeping the email from them safe as I expect the threats of action to start soon.

This is long overdue, I should have done it 4 years ago when I cancelled the Sky subscription. The only reason I kept paying is the hassle factor and the thought that they may gain entry by force because I'm hardly ever there. (As the police did last year when they were so sure without any evidence that I was running a large scale drugs operation. They had a lot of egg on their faces but are still refusing to pay for their incompetence on that one)

[AdamD]

Originally Posted by Escapee

I finally cancelled my licence this week, well perhaps I should say attempted to cancel it!

Good job!

Monday night on Discovery History - Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam

Discovery Home & Health - Homes Under The Hammer

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

I don't recall ANY BBC content on Discovery networks or Nat Geo.

Perhaps you'd like to provide some content links?

here's a few

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/bb...e-series-37851

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_Day

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/ot...net-videos.htm

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Escapee

I finally cancelled my licence this week

Welcome to the 'Everybody's doing it' club.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Gary L

Welcome to the 'Everybody's doing it' club.

[dilli-theclaw]

I finally got rid of the BT part of my youview box - so if I can talk Natalie into it I'm dumping it and going down the no license / on demand route.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by dilli-theclaw

I finally got rid of the BT part of my youview box - so if I can talk Natalie into it I'm dumping it and going down the no license / on demand route.

Excellent.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Welcome to the community that have unshackled themselves from slavery to the BBC.

i think its going to be a rough couple of years for the BBC once the Tv Tax is no longer a criminal offence. The occurrence of non payment will increase you can bet.

[Escapee]

Pretty much as expected, following TVL's acknowledgement of my email that I don't need a licence.

I have now received a letter headed with bold 'Please respond urgently'. It informs me that I must set up a new direct debit or visit a link provided to inform them I don't need a TV licence.

The link is the same form that I attempted to fill in previously, after completing the form it tells me that I cannot inform them that I don't need a TV licence as I already have a TV licence.

It appears that they deliberately send you around in circles, obviously they don't understand that some people wish to stop using their product/services. Or rather they refuse to accept that anyone could possibly do without live TV services.

The link eventually sent me back to the section to ask them generic questions with pull-down question topics and sub-topics. What a surprise that there is no pull-down to inform them that I wish to ask a question about cancelling my licence. I don't want to ask them anything, I have already stated to them in an email that they have acknowledged that I don't need a TV licence.

I have gone back to step one and had to use the generic question about a 'refund' to again tell them I don't need a licence. I'm not going to waste any further time on these people because it's obvious the only way to keep them off your back would be to carry on as I was paying for something I wasn't using.

[AdamD]

I would write to them the old fashioned way and send it by recorded post.

Keep the receipt and letter, you'll probably need it...you naughty criminal you! :P

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Escapee

Pretty much as expected, following TVL's acknowledgement of my email that I don't need a licence.

I have now received a letter headed with bold 'Please respond urgently'. It informs me that I must set up a new direct debit or visit a link provided to inform them I don't need a TV licence.

The link is the same form that I attempted to fill in previously, after completing the form it tells me that I cannot inform them that I don't need a TV licence as I already have a TV licence.

It appears that they deliberately send you around in circles, obviously they don't understand that some people wish to stop using their product/services. Or rather they refuse to accept that anyone could possibly do without live TV services.

The link eventually sent me back to the section to ask them generic questions with pull-down question topics and sub-topics. What a surprise that there is no pull-down to inform them that I wish to ask a question about cancelling my licence. I don't want to ask them anything, I have already stated to them in an email that they have acknowledged that I don't need a TV licence.

I have gone back to step one and had to use the generic question about a 'refund' to again tell them I don't need a licence. I'm not going to waste any further time on these people because it's obvious the only way to keep them off your back would be to carry on as I was paying for something I wasn't using.

I will not be long before the goons are at the door to collect there tax money.

The Times on Friday had an article (behind paywall) which said one way of funding by subscription could be supported would be by encrypting the broadcasts....

Television viewers who fail to pay the licence fee face having their BBC channels blocked under plans being considered by ministers.

It wouldn't be easy, but this initiative would support those who say they never watch the BBC, as it would not disadvantage them.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

TVL are going to have to reprint all their stupid threatening letters, literature and web site to remove the criminal references. Once they've done that then people will start not paying in droves. LOL.

I laugh when they send me the "What you need to know in court" letter addressed to "The occupier" because they don't know who lives here as we don't have our data on the public register of electors so it's not in their database either.

IANAL but even I know that to prosecute you have to name the defendant so they can't even make a credible threat.

You can bet they will still try to say you can end up in court. As soon as this is passed i will stop paying and they can go to hell.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Hugh

The Times on Friday had an article (behind paywall) which said one way of funding by subscription could be supported would be by encrypting the broadcasts....

It wouldn't be easy, but this initiative would support those who say they never watch the BBC, as it would not disadvantage them.

That,s the system i want them to go to as it means i am not charged for something i don't use. They can easily do the same as the adult channels do.