TV License!

[Hendrik]

Question people:

I just bought a TV, I am only going to use it to watch DVD's and play X Box 360...

Do I need a TV license for that?

Cause I have seriously no intention whatsoever of watching TV with that thing, only DVD & X Box... so I want to know, do I need a TV license?

Sorry for asking this, but it's the first time I purchased a TV in the UK.

Appreciate your help.

Hendrik

 

[Nat]

If its a tv, ie has a turner so you can recieve tv, then yes but if its just a plasma screen, then no.

Better safe than sorry, and pay monthly so you only pay for what you use.

 

[Moz]

I would just place it nowhere near your TV aerial point (or better still, have your aerial taken down so there is no way to get a signal)

I would like to see the TV licence lot argue with that.

It is the law for all retailers to pass over the address/personal details of anyone that buys a new TV in this country - so unless you get a licence sharpish, you will get a letter in about 2-3 weeks from them.

I have bought about 5 TV's as sales competition prizes for sales staff over the last couple of years, and each time I get a letter from TV licensing at work because we bought them on our company credit cards, then I get snottier and snottier letters...then I tend to get a visit from them!! wankers!....we dont have an aerial on the building, and obviously none of the TV's are on our premises - but it didnt stop them doing a thorough check each time! ut :wall

 

[Stuart]

If you are capable of receiving a TV signal (which actually means BBC channels, but you would struggle to prove you couldn't get them if you can get other ones) then you have to have a licence.
It does not matter whether you watch it or plug it in.

By law the retailer has to get your address when you buy a tv. If you pay cash, then they have no way to check if the address you give them is correct.

 

[Clive]

When I was a student the TV licence people got a warrant and came into our house to check out the TV 's ! a fast thinking friend went around and cut the aerial cable on all the sets in the house - that was enough that they couldn't prosecute us much to their disgust

 

[Stuart]

I think they could have done, they just chose not to.
They would have to prove when the aerial was cut, which would be awkward and expensive. Although from the lack of oxidation of the copper the forensic people would be able to establish it had been cut fairly recently.
They probably also detected you were watching tv, but did not have any admissable evidence to prove so.
You can quite easily suppress the signal that they detect (so I am told).

 

[Hendrik]

Thank you ever so much for your help.

I bought the TV on eBay, so I guess like that I'll be save in regard to them getting my details for the TV license etc... but still, it's a joke, yes its only a 100 odd quid, but its money... and I know this might sound sad, but I just don't watch TV, I only want to play the Xbox and watch DVD's and then I have to pay for that! :wall :wall

Let's see what my Landlord will say on Monday regarding the arial etc...

Thanks again for your replies!

 

[Mark]

I don't think you will need one, have a look at this:
http://www.5ive-o.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16321

and this:
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

 

[Hendrik]

I don't think you will need one, have a look at this:
http://www.5ive-o.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16321

and this:
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

This is brilliant - thanks alot for that!