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TV Licence
From The Student RoomTSR Wiki > University > Student Life > Finance and Money Management > TV Licence
The TV licence is, well, a licence to use a telly. It applies throughout the UK and the money from it generally goes to fund the BBC. There are legal conditions attached to it.
How much is a TV LicenceThere are set fees for colour and black and white television licences. These are increased annually. The increase is effective from midnight on the day of announcement. The current fees are:-
£45.50 (From 1 April 2007) £47.00 (From 1 April 2008)
£135.50 (From 1 April 2007) £139.00 (From 1 April 2008) So do I need it???You need a TV Licence to use any television-receiving equipment to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV. These include programmes on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, cable and satellite television. Television-receiving equipment includes:
You don't need a television licence if a TV set cannot receive TV programmes and is used only:
Exceptions
Ways to cut the costAt £135.50, the TV license is probably best described as mild extortion (the tuition fee is just blackmail). An easy way to cut costs, is to claim a refund for the unused quarter you will not be using it for (summer). Most unis do not start until the beginning of October (freshers week will remove any requirement for telly anyway, even Hollyoaks). By delaying the TV License until October, you can then claim back July, August and September the next year from the cheeky sods. Don't get your TV license until the beginning of October. Then you can claim back for the quarter of the year that you're not at university (July/August/September). When you get your TV licence it automatically backdates it to the beginning of the month - so if you buy it on the 30th September it starts from the 1st September!! Click this line for details on claiming money back from the evil TV licensing People Mate in the Pub saysThe TV licensing vans are a bit of a joke, they can't access your room unless you let them, etc They don't need vans or detection devices, a database of addresses is all they need. If you are in a rented house, the owner can happily let the evil people in to your house/room and search it for a telly. Usually when you buy something with live TV the shops before they sell it to you the trader is under a legal obligation to notify TV Licensing. This also applies if you change a rented black and white television for a colour television. This one of the ways they are able to collect a database. They do have various tricks to getting you as well. The people at TV licensing patrol mainly in the evenings and like picking on students (mainly because you are bankrupt already/mummy and daddy can pay). Some unis collaborate (ranging from windswept polys to the hallowed halls of Oxbridge), by giving them your keys and free range of their halls of residences. Some refuse them entry absolutely. Try asking your halls authorities if you do not know. Advice from a solicitor on what to do if a TV licence inspector knocks on your door You could also choose to use a black and white television. This costs a lot less than a licence for a colour television. Dealing with TVLThe TV Licensing Organisation (TVL), which is outsourced by the BBC to a company called Capita, monitor TV licence evasion. They have numerous investigation officers and send a good number of threatening letters even if they have no evidence to suggest that a television is owned. A few things should be noted when dealing with them:
Prosecution
You will receive a criminal record if convicted of TV Licence evasion. Should I get a TV?It depends on what you are like. Some people are happy to watch what everyone else watches in the communal room, and many people do admit that tellys do damage their social life. But many don't want to watch what everyone else watches, so it's probably a good idea to take one and just test the water. Will a Digibox (Freeview) work?This is a tough one to answer, with it depending on so many variables including the location of the transmitter, its strength, the quality of the aerial, the quality of the lead up to the aerial. Finally the location of metal objects including cars and planes also has an effect on the signal. You will probably find that you have more success in an urban area than a rural area If it doesnt work through the receiver provided by the uni, its just going to have to be a case of wafting your aerial around the room With the Governments intention to shut the analogue sytems down, universities will be forced to upgrade their systems over the next few years or face losing students over what is a trivial matter. Ways to Pay your TV LicenceYou can pay for your television licence in one annual payment or by instalments (colour televisions only). Annual PaymentIf you make an annual payment for your TV licence, you can pay by:
InstalmentsThere are several ways you can pay for your TV licence in instalments: Paying by direct debit
Weekly/fortnightly instalments - Cash Easy EntryIf you get benefits, for example, Income Support, are on a low income (which would be true for students) or don't have a bank account, you may be able to pay in weekly or fortnightly instalments. You can get more details from TV Licensing
The TV licence savings cardThe TV licence savings card has replaced TV licence savings stamps. You can pay for your TV licence in instalments with the savings card using cash or a debit card. You can use the savings card at a PayPoint outlet
Paying for your TV licence at a PayPoint outletYou can use a PayPoint outlet to pay for, or save for, your TV licence. PayPoint outlets can be found in newsagents, local shops, supermarkets and petrol stations. You can get details of your local PayPoint outlets on the TV Licensing website If you are renewing your licence, take the renewal form to a PayPoint outlet. You can pay by cash or credit or debit card. You will be given a receipt by the PayPoint outlet which you must attach to your licence so that it is valid. You do not need to send the receipt to TV Licensing for your licence to be valid.
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