The Student Room Group

Do I need a TV license

So I got a letter today saying I'm under investigation because I haven't replied to tvlicensing whether I'm getting a license or not (don't remember them contacting me in the first place) and I'm pretty worried now. My parents have a license at home and since moving out I've watched the bake off a few times on iplayer but that's about it. Totally forgot they changed the law regarding watching on demand. So my question is am I gonna get fined for watching iplayer while in student accommodation and if so, can I just get a license for a month or two (if I do indeed need one) just to get them off my arse?

There's a bit saying if your out-of-term address is covered you might not need one but there's hardly any info. thanks
Original post by Kryos2
So I got a letter today saying I'm under investigation because I haven't replied to tvlicensing whether I'm getting a license or not (don't remember them contacting me in the first place) and I'm pretty worried now. My parents have a license at home and since moving out I've watched the bake off a few times on iplayer but that's about it. Totally forgot they changed the law regarding watching on demand. So my question is am I gonna get fined for watching iplayer while in student accommodation and if so, can I just get a license for a month or two (if I do indeed need one) just to get them off my arse?

There's a bit saying if your out-of-term address is covered you might not need one but there's hardly any info. thanks


Nothing to worry about.
You dont have to reply to them, but you can if you wish

You need a licence if you watcha live TV signal, whilst whatever device you have is connected to the mains or you are watching via iplayer.

Your parents licence will cover you for situations such as watching on your laptop, but its running off the battery and its a live signal , which isnt iplayer.

Are you going to get fined? No, not unless they come round and raid you, then find enough evidence its been watched, whilst plugged in. TB would be the ovious starting point, but its the watching a live signal they have to prove and possession of equipment is just one element, but not conclusive.

So imo if you wnat to watch live tv and iplayer then get a licence or take the risk.
Dont think you can get a licence for just a month but you cna get a refund for ones which are just used for termtime. If you need bake off you cna get it from other sources....or you might find it cheap on itunes.
Reply 2
Original post by 999tigger
Nothing to worry about.
You dont have to reply to them, but you can if you wish

You need a licence if you watcha live TV signal, whilst whatever device you have is connected to the mains or you are watching via iplayer.

Your parents licence will cover you for situations such as watching on your laptop, but its running off the battery and its a live signal , which isnt iplayer.

Are you going to get fined? No, not unless they come round and raid you, then find enough evidence its been watched, whilst plugged in. TB would be the ovious starting point, but its the watching a live signal they have to prove and possession of equipment is just one element, but not conclusive.

So imo if you wnat to watch live tv and iplayer then get a licence or take the risk.
Dont think you can get a licence for just a month but you cna get a refund for ones which are just used for termtime. If you need bake off you cna get it from other sources....or you might find it cheap on itunes.


Thank you for the reply! To clarify, my parent's license will cover me watching iplayer on my laptop only if it's running off battery? I've been watching it whilst it was connected to my charger :x If I stop watching iplayer from now on will I be safe assuming they don't come to raid me? lol
Original post by Kryos2
Thank you for the reply! To clarify, my parent's license will cover me watching iplayer on my laptop only if it's running off battery? I've been watching it whilst it was connected to my charger :x If I stop watching iplayer from now on will I be safe assuming they don't come to raid me? lol


Nope they changed the rules so you cant use iplayer period.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37226030

There was a small loophole where it didnt include watching things using a mobile device i,e powered just off battery.
Using it connected to your charger is equivalent to being connected to the mains.

As iplayer is ineligible the only way to watch something even by battery power is if your device has a tv tuner that lets you tune into channels direct.

If you are in hall probably everyone got the same letter, so dont feel targeted. You will carry on getting the letters unless you tell them you have a licence or you dont have a device capable of watching live TV or iplayer.

You cna watch netflix, itv player or 4more no need for a licence.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by 999tigger
Nope they changed the rules so you cant use iplayer period.

There was a small loophole where it didnt include watching things using a mobile device i,e powered just off battery.
Using it connected to your charger is equivalent to being connected to the mains.


Right okay, so since I've been watching while connected to mains, what do you think I should do? I don't intend to use iplayer anymore (wasn't gonna continue using it after bake off ended) so getting a TV license would be a waste of money and I only watched it after the show was aired (not live). Should I just hold out and hope for the best? Thanks again :smile:
Just unplug your charger while watching bake off...
Original post by Kryos2
Right okay, so since I've been watching while connected to mains, what do you think I should do? I don't intend to use iplayer anymore (wasn't gonna continue using it after bake off ended) so getting a TV license would be a waste of money and I only watched it after the show was aired (not live). Should I just hold out and hope for the best? Thanks again :smile:


The risk would be very minor imo, moreso in the evenings. Its your choice.
Reply 7
Original post by AlexS101
Just unplug your charger while watching bake off...


I will but because I've already watched it a couple times whilst it was connected to mains, my concern was that they'd fine me for that.
Reply 8
Original post by 999tigger
The risk would be very minor imo, moreso in the evenings. Its your choice.


Okay thank you very much :smile: I'll stop watching anything on demand whilst connected to mains at least and see how it goes.
Original post by Kryos2
I will but because I've already watched it a couple times whilst it was connected to mains, my concern was that they'd fine me for that.


How exactly can they prove whether the laptop was or wasn't plugged in...
Reply 10
Original post by AlexS101
How exactly can they prove whether the laptop was or wasn't plugged in...


I don't know man, that letter was scary I tell you lol. You're right though they shouldn't be able to prove that so I'm gonna assume I'm safe, take preventive measures, and burn any more letters that come through my door.
Original post by Kryos2
I don't know man, that letter was scary I tell you lol. You're right though they shouldn't be able to prove that so I'm gonna assume I'm safe, take preventive measures, and burn any more letters that come through my door.


You're completely safe.

I get those letters all the time (I don't watch live tv or iplayer so I don't need a licence) they get progressively more threatening, but then at some point they seem to get reset and return to the nice polite letters again haha.

I would tell them I don't need a licence, but I did that at my previous address and all that changed was that the letters then had my name on.

i prefer the letters being addressed to "the occupant" :p:
Reply 12
Original post by Kryos2
So I got a letter today saying I'm under investigation


Generic mass-produced letter

Original post by Kryos2
because I haven't replied to tvlicensing whether I'm getting a license or not (don't remember them contacting me in the first place)


You're under no obligation to reply even if they had contacted you

Original post by Kryos2
My parents have a license at home


Are you watching on a device powered entirely by its own internal battery?

Original post by Kryos2
So my question is am I gonna get fined for watching iplayer while in student accommodation


That depends if a judge finds you guilty

Original post by Kryos2
can I just get a license for a month or two (if I do indeed need one) just to get them off my arse?


Why would you buy a licence if you did not need one? If you do need one they yes, buy one.
Reply 13
They're not going to be able to prove that you watched bake-off a few times on iplayer. Especially if you did so in student accommodation where the internet connection is shared.
Reply 14
If you have a TV with an aerial plugged in? Yes.
Solution is to stream things online, there's literally no reason to pay for the BBC's diversity bills. Netflix/Amazon Prime/etc. has more than enough content and any BBC things you can probably find elsewhere online.
I also don't have a TV licence because I just didn't really watch live TV or BBC iPlayer so there isn't any point paying £145 a year. So I got rid of it and got the same letter, they will carry on sending you letters which get progressively aggressive until you phone them and say that you purposely aren't paying the licence! Hope this helps

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