I live in the middle of nowhere & wonder why I bother paying. The chance's of being caught for anything are minimal i reckon. May well do one of the methods listed & they can get stuffed for their money lol!
Posted 5 December 2023
How do you not pay the tv licence fee?
Rarely watch tv these days. Only really the odd thing on Amazon Prime, Disney+ and maybe the odd thing on Virgin Media.
Paying £150-£180 for complete garbage like Eastenders, Strictly etc., no thank you.
Is there a way of stopping paying the licence fee without harassment etc.?
Paying £150-£180 for complete garbage like Eastenders, Strictly etc., no thank you.
Is there a way of stopping paying the licence fee without harassment etc.?
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Even if the 1 in 50,000 chance you get an enforcement officer on your doorstep just refuse them entry it's that simple.
I know of someone who was successfully prosecuted for an expired TV license. She'd moved out and so by the 'date of offence' the flat had been vacant and unfurnished for a few weeks. It was a first floor flat so you couldn't even look through a window without a ladder. I get the impression that magistrates courts exist to rubber stamp whatever the local council or TV license people decide, especially if no-one attends to contest it. (edited)
Black belt barrister talks about ot on YT. IF you don't contest it straight away you are basically found guilty. Easiest way is to just notify them you don't need a TV licence as you don't watch live TV. My letters stopped when I did. Don't watch on principle as I feel it is bad value and a biased tool of woke indoctrination. So much for the 'free' press.
I've not paid for over 10 years and have never been harassed. You simply need to fill in a declaration to the TV licensing people online that you don't watch telly in any form. (Sorry, I've forgotten the exact address but a quick googling should reveal it).
Every few years they'll ask you to reconfirm the declaration. I got a letter from them recently asking me to do this, which I did.
There are 2 ways to do it.
You can cancel or not renew your licence. You then fill in a deceleration that you won't use any of the services that you are no longer paying for, apparently this takes a couple of minutes. This is then complete and it's quite easy.
The other way is to not pay it and not sign a deceleration. You'll get letters asking you to pay or fill in a form to say you're not using services you're not paying for. You then tell everyone on the Internet that you're being harassed. You'll then get another letter and you'll keep telling everyone that you're being harassed. Then if someone comes round to ask if you watch live BBC tv then you film them and tell them "you're trespassing on my property". You can keep repeating this process of telling people you're being harassed, the main thing is to NOT fill the form in, which takes a couple of minutes. And make sure there is a thread on hukd every month about this so other people can agree with you.
I'd go for option 1 but the 2nd option seems popular.
I did option 1 last year as i was fed up with the BBC's relentless rightwing cheerleading, but the second one sounds a lot more fun.
It's good value
Here's a tip for people, black and white TV license costs £53.50.
If someone comes round to check, on your, I think on your OLED, led, or plasma displays, you should still have the contrast option.
Turn it all the way down until the screen is black and white. Much cheaper than a colour TV license.
Thank me later for the savings! (edited)This is the same as not paying and lying about it but just costs you more.
Just don't pay! if they knock to check either tell them to jog on or invite them in for a tea and biscuits as long as you've no aerial plugged in, but record anybody like them who are in your property and make sure they're on their own as its harder to keep an eye on one person.
I've seem video where they've gone in people house and try to connect the unplugged aerial
£159 I pay it when it's due.
FWIW, you need one if you:- Watch or record TV on any channel on any TV service (like Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview).
- Watch live on streaming services (like ITVX, All 4, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video).
- Use BBC iPlayer*
You don't need an aerial (or to unplug one!)
A TV licence is required for [watching the above on] any device, including a TV, computer, laptop, phone, tablet, games console or digital box.
TBF I don't agree with it, but I don't stress about paying it.- The link supplied by Azwipe above should be read. If anyone does not pay for a licence in the property it means nobody in the property at any time can
- watch or record TV on any channel via any TV service (e.g. Sky, Virgin, Freeview, Freesat)
- watch live on streaming services (e.g. ITVX, Channel 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go)
- use BBC iPlayer*.
So returning family members at Christmas will need to play Monopoly.
Unless.....
quote from gov.uk/fin…nce
You do not need a TV Licence to watch:- streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus
- on-demand TV through services like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video
- videos on websites like YouTube
- videos or DVDs
Notice there is a difference between live streaming services (you need a licence) and on-demand services (you don't need a licence) - Fill in declaration online that you don't require a license for 2 years, done mine a year ago no issues
Just stop paying already, sign the declaration form, give them a reason, ignore any letters they send. That's what I did years ago, plenty have done the same. It takes literally minutes to do so. Not once have I been harassed.
So many people complain about the licence fee and yet religiously renew it annually. It ain't that hard!
I'm 47 I have never seen a TV license in my life. I don't know what one looks like (edited)
They will always harass you! As a postie I literally get letters through every week or two for property's that are empty or have no licence. As soon as a property is built that's they are on it as quick as a flash! They must waste so much money chasing people up and all the paper. There's literally a holiday camp that get about 200 a month and they all get returned to sender the same day. (edited)A few house are being built on a site near me. Their first TV license demand arrived around the same time as the first roof timbers. I doubt they'll even be ready for any doors or windows this year.
the tv licence is a total rip off. my brother stayed in a room in a house of multiple occupation, and everyone in the house had to get their own tv licence!
I stopped paying about 5 years ago.
Just cancelled the Direct Debit.
That was it.
Had one visit from a strange man, who started off aggressively telling me I’m breaking the law bla bla bla.
I asked him who he was when I managed to get a word in. He said nothing and started up again.
I asked again, and again and again.
On the fifth time he said I’m from tv licensing.
I smiled and closed the door.
I watch everything I want on the pc.
I share, Prime, Netflix, Disney. Much more cost effective.
Had to buy batteries for the remote last week to turn on the tv and blu ray player to watch a film.
It had been so long since I turned it on.
I get a declaration to sign every couple of years, no one has turned up on the doorstep.
So long as you never admit to watching live TV, I believe it's almost impossible to get prosecuted.
The whole BBC tax is a con. Anyone in the world (except loser countries obviously) can watch the BBC with a VPN.
I cancelled after the local booster station burnt down and the BBC wouldn't refund me for lack of service. Never missed it for a moment. I sleep better at night knowing I'm not paying the wages of Nicky Campbell, Naga Munchetty and Greg Wallace.
It's not just BBC although most tend to think it is. TV licence is to watch any live TV or record live TV and watch later. Live TV being the time it is shown, not 'live' like im a celeb.- Why is this a difficult topic for anyone?
Use the service - pay for it
Don't use it - don't pay it
BUT don't use it and not pay - that's theft...simplesTheft 
Don't forget that TV licence is also paya for BBC redio services too...so if you listen to Redio in car can you be prosecuted?... imagine TV licence spy van following your car!
PS. I stand corrected.
No you don't need TV licence.🙋 (edited)No, but you'd know this if you actually read the rules.
Simple. Don't.
I've not paid for 20 years. I get letters every 2 months warning me they are scaling up the investigation, then it all starts again. I have no need to contact them, in the same I don't call the Police to say I haven't killed anyone. The last salesman that came to the door was given explicit instructions on what to do, and had the door slammed in his face.
Ignore the letters. Bin them without opening. As long as you are in compliance with the law then let them waste their money
I do the declaration every two years and never get harassment or letters.
I also strictly conform to not needing one, so I'm not doing anything wrong or to warrant a knock at the door.
Fines and penalties
You can be fined up to £1,000 if you watch or record live TV without a TV Licence.
You need a TV Licence if you:
You may be able to get a free or discounted TV Licence if you’re 75 or over and get Pension Credit, or if you’re blind or in residential care.
You do not need a TV Licence to watch: