Tv Licence - shared house

[Mey]

Been reading the help section of the website and came across this:

"If you don't have a licence between you, whoever is found watching TV when an Enforcement Officer comes to visit is the one who risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000. It could be you, whether you own the TV or not."

Does that mean I can risk not paying it because I don't watch it and it's only my house mates that do?

 

[Binky the Bomb]

No.
As a rule, everyone should put some cash down for a lisence, as they DO check. Also, if you have Sky or Cable, you'll need one too.

 

[Vladamir]

If it's a student house then you only need 1 license for the house as it should be under a joint-tenancy agreement.

 

[Mey]

It is a joint-tenacy agreement and I understand that I only need one licence for the whole house.

What I'm asking is, the statement above says that it's only the person caught watching it that is charge, considering I neither want or watch it. Does this mean that should we not pay it would I be safe from prosecution?

 

[leviathane]

Just don't open the door to any strangers xD

 

[Mey]

Well thats my plan but i figure one of my housemates will be a retard and do it..

Ahwell interest free credit-cards were made for a reason! Come on student loan day >:

 

[Binky the Bomb]

The way the detector vans work, they don't even need to knock on the door nowadays. All they will do is take readings, make a note, and come back later with a copper or court representitive.

 

[Vladamir]

A tv license will cost you fuck all if you club together, stop being such a pikey

 

[Cadelin]

If your name is on the rent contract then you could well get fined if caught without a TV license as the house (and thus the TV license) is your responsibility.

If you could somehow prove that you had no knowledge of the TV then you might escape a fine.

 

[Aesgir]

I believe it's what it says, only the person they catch actually recieving the transmissions is eligible. If you never watch it, you're gonna be safe from prosecution as just because there's a TV in the house doesn't mean that it belongs to you and it can't be proved you watch it merely because you live there.

They have to actually prove you personally recieved a broadcast, impossible if it's not your tv and you don't watch it. So they have to either prove ownership or catch you in the act.

 

[Mey]

A tv license will cost you fuck all if you club together, stop being such a pikey

£33 actually, which is quite alot for me at the minute. Aint really the point either, if I could afford to buy stuff I don't use my room would be full of shit.

 

[Zede]

The way the detector vans work, they don't even need to knock on the door nowadays. All they will do is take readings, make a note, and come back later with a copper or court representitive.

very low chance of that happening

 

[Zede]

Detector vans

 

[Golena]

It is a joint-tenacy agreement and I understand that I only need one licence for the whole house.

What I'm asking is, the statement above says that it's only the person caught watching it that is charge, considering I neither want or watch it. Does this mean that should we not pay it would I be safe from prosecution?

Is the TV in a shared room that you ever walk through?

If your in a shared house that contains a TV you know about and you don't have a licence your risking the fine. The text I assume is more to stop people thinking they can use the "it's not my TV" line rather than saying your safe if you don't watch it.

If you really don't want it just get your housemates who do watch it to pay for it. God help you when the electric bill turns up and you all calculate how many hours you've had your lights on that month to work out who owes what. It's called learning to share a house with other people.. It's not all parties and hookers you know.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Finland is fun.

A: They can't get through the "lobbey" door as it's locked all the time.
B: Peephole, and not answering door to anyone who hasn't called, works wonders.
C: They can't come in if you don't let them.
D: They need a court order to get in.
E: You can't get a court order, even as police officers, unless there's suspicion of a "serious" crime. Having an unlisenced TV is not one of serious nature.

Also fun is that noone can check your bags, even at the shop cashier, without a court order, not even the police.

I don't know anything about Brit law, so can't comment on the "problem" at hand, anymore thne it should be owner=payer and noone else can be fined because that's just stupid. They'd fine you anyway, even if you weren't watching it.

 

[Mey]

We share all the water and electric Bills 4 ways, but I wouldn't expect my mate to pay for my Xbox Live subscription.. I'll end up paying "my share" anyway, but seeing as I am the one who is having to sort it out I was just seeing how "covered" I would be if they didn't bother to give me the money soon

 

[Golena]

We share all the water and electric Bills 4 ways, but I wouldn't expect my mate to pay for my Xbox Live subscription.. I'll end up paying "my share" anyway, but seeing as I am the one who is having to sort it out I was just seeing how "covered" I would be if they didn't bother to give me the money soon

I've heard that people who don't even own a TV have received letters asking them to cough up a fine for not having a licence.

It leads me to believe they've simply taken the stance that anyone without a TV licence must be trying to get out of paying it so send them a letter and it's up to you after you've got it to prove you didn't actually have a television in the property.
Given the number of houses that don't need a licence these days I can see the login in it, even if I don't agree with the approach.

The problem with modern law is ofc that even if your covered from being fined, you'll have to fill in so much paperwork and crap if you get the finger pointed at you that it's just not worth it.

Also if you X-box is hooked up to a TV even if your not using it to watch telly your probably in deep water anyway.

 

[Amildin]

Finland is fun.

A: They can't get through the "lobbey" door as it's locked all the time.
B: Peephole, and not answering door to anyone who hasn't called, works wonders.
C: They can't come in if you don't let them.
D: They need a court order to get in.
E: You can't get a court order, even as police officers, unless there's suspicion of a "serious" crime. Having an unlisenced TV is not one of serious nature.

Also fun is that noone can check your bags, even at the shop cashier, without a court order, not even the police.

I don't know anything about Brit law, so can't comment on the "problem" at hand, anymore thne it should be owner=payer and noone else can be fined because that's just stupid. They'd fine you anyway, even if you weren't watching it.

In the UK police must ask permission to search you. But if you disagree they can take you back to the station and do it there without afaik.

 

[Imgormiel]

Detector vans

Nice finding and repped. The whole document seems to put the use and their prosecution use to the wall. Not even credible for them to be even used as any evidence of their use for submission with intent to prosecute is actually inadmissable in court LOL!!

 

[Succi]

Just don't open the door to any strangers xD

They can detect from outside your house/flat

 

[Succi]

edit : Nice website, food for thought

 

[Ormorof]

Also if you X-box is hooked up to a TV even if your not using it to watch telly your probably in deep water anyway.

only if it recieves TV signals, a TV with no signal doesnt need a licence (went through all the same crap a few years ago with housemates to see if we could weedle our way out of it) but to be honest if you have a TV in a shared room you might as well get a TV licence, paid £45 odd each for ours in my house this year and its just one of those costs you have to deal with in a shared house

however if its just one of your housemates with a TV in his/her room and refuses to share then screw em and make them pay it themselves! (ie the TV in my house is mine, as is the freeview but all of us chipped in for TV licence as would be unfair otherwise )

 

[Dukat]

Detector vans

Have a rep, that site's hysterical haha, especially this part :Please do not write below this line

rofl

 

[Mabs]

i got done for not having one a few years ago, student house, according to the peon who came round, if the rooms have locks on them, they can count then as seperate residences and therefore can expect each tv to have its own license as it were

trust me, its cheaper to get one than get done

 

[old.Tohtori]

Have a rep, that site's hysterical haha, especially this part :Please do not write below this line

rofl

Have to say, it might be that the "don't write under this line" is for employees of the company also?

Just a thought.

 

[Dukat]

Have to say, it might be that the "don't write under this line" is for employees of the company also?

Just a thought.

I dont think so Toh, after reading it it seems its a line on a letter that is sent out to customers, but the letter he received it on doesnt have to go back; its probably part of a template that they use for other letters which do go back to the BBC and then require scanning/OCR - hes being pedantic but its bloody funny especially when he gets called Ms Scott, rofl

I dont know why but it makes me laugh

 

[old.Tohtori]

I dont think so Toh, after reading it it seems its a line on a letter that is sent out to customers, but the letter he received it on doesnt have to go back; its probably part of a template that they use for other letters which do go back to the BBC and then require scanning/OCR - hes being pedantic but its bloody funny especially when he gets called Ms Scott, rofl

I dont know why but it makes me laugh

Ooh yeah, it's funny alright, just thought that many companies use that sort of letter for dumb employees also.

The template thing is quite given i'd think, but that, in those cases still, since sometimes they need to ballpoint over something, it's for the "high minded" people of BBC

 

[Binky the Bomb]

"On the part of the form that says 'do not write under this line', you wrote 'OKAY'." - The Simpsons.

Classic joke.

 

[crispy]

Yeah! Pay your license so we foreigners can watch your BBC: Horizon

And thank you for World at War also!

 

[Ctuchik]

£33 actually, which is quite alot for me at the minute.

more then the fine?

doesent really matter if you own the tv or not, if ur the only one at home when they come check ur busted. and is that worth the risk?