At our London Calling screening on Thursday 1st December the subject of the TV Licence was brought up, and virtually everyone there had stopped paying the TV Licence (or as it should be more accurately termed, the Propaganda Tax).
The BBC WILL try to beat you, wear you down or bamboozle you with official sounding letters, especially if you don’t respond to them or ignore them.
Instead of ignoring them, the way to beat them is to respond to them, by letter. We would recommend using the text set out below as a template. Simply cut and paste and add your address. Please note that you DON’T have to provide your name if you don’t want to.
In the meantime if representatives of the BBC come calling at your door, ALWAYS film them for your security, and ask for ID to be produced, and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES give them access to YOUR home.
Remember, there is no need to have a TV licence if you only use on-demand and catch up content such as Netflix, Now TV or Amazon Prime. (Unless you download BBC content or use the BBC I-player). If you don’t watch live TV, don’t buy a licence. Instead why not use that money to help crowdfund alternative media such as Wings over Scotland, Wee Ginger Dug or Newsnet? For once, you would actually be getting what you paid for.
YOUR ADDRESS HERE
DATE
TV Licensing,
Darlington,
DL98 1TL
Dear TV Licensing,
I have been aware for some time now that it was possible to legally watch television without any need for a license. I am informing you that I have changed the way I view television. I am now watching catch up and download television only, and as there is now plenty to choose from I will have no shortage of quality programming to watch.
In summary, I do not need a TV licence as I do not watch “as live broadcasts” or BBC Content on any format, only permitted catch up services.
Please note that having checked I find that although you may wish to gather details of the identity of the occupants of the properties that you write to, there is no legal requirement for me to do so. In 2009, a question was put to the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act to confirm or deny “whether a legal occupier … is NOT required by law to submit their name to you … to serve a notice of “Withdrawal of Implied Right of Access”. The BBC responded that “TV Licensing does not legally require the name of an individual to action such a request”. The same principle applies in this case and I would be grateful if you would therefore not engage in actions to draw this process out while trying to gain information I am not legally obliged to supply.
Yours Sincerely,
The Present Occupier
*Copy the above and send to TV Licensing. No Need for a stamp. Let the BBC pick up the tab…
Airdrie For Independence 
REGARDS THE IMPLIED RIGHT OF ACCESS. I have done that, got a letter fairly recently stating that in Scotland that did not apply in Scotland. Can someone clear that situation up. Maybe a common law thing, if I mind right.
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I’m not exactly 100% on that one George, it may well be the case.
Withdrawal of the right of implied access meant that they couldn’t approach your door. As this appears to have been done away with they can now approach your door. Everything else is the same: don’t grant them access to your home.
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I treat them as “cold callers” and point to the police provided cold caller sticker on my door. If they protest that they are there to establish whether or not You need a license say “it doesn’t take 2 people to do that, you are harassing me” and then dial 101.
Don’t give them your name -ever.
Oh, and do not watch tv as it is broadcast or use I player because you will then not need a license- I promise you won’t miss it and you will not be breaking the law, you are going about your lawful business and you are entitled to do this without harassment.
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Slight change to the law recently – Need a license to watch catch-up service if it involves the iPlayer.
“Do I need a TV Licence to watch iPlayer?
The law has changed: From 1 September 2016 you need a TV Licence to watch or download our programmes on demand, as well as live on BBC iPlayer.”
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I’ve amended the letter to reflect recent updates.
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Just a small point (I know it’s pedantic): spelling of “licence” as in “TV Licence” when it’s a noun. “S” when it’s a verb or part of a verb, so “licensed” or “licensing”.
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