UK TV Licence law, facts without BS, remember deny ignorance?

a reply to: fakedirt

Mate anyone can set up and use a VPN these days, most of them pretty much auto configure themselves. Move and counter move is the reason "They" will ultimately fail to prevail simply because there's always something you can do to put a spanner in there works.

a reply to: andy06shake
Haha same thoughts here!
I treat stupid laws as just they are, especially when the max fine is only a grand or so paid in easy instalments lol.
I don't have a picture card driving licence, just the scrappy pink paper one I was issued 20 years ago. I've been pulled a couple of times and when cops have seen it they either laugh or remind me it is an offence carrying a £2000 fine and they should report me. I ask them with a friendly laugh do we really want to cost us taxpayers tens of thousands in legal and court costs when the DVLA computer is showing in his car that I can legally drive, and the understaffed Crown Prosecution Service will probably laugh you out. One cop said, ah but how do I know you are the person on the licence, and I laughed saying well, you have my picture on the police computer, my fingerprints, and my DNA so I'm happy to come to the station if you like.
They always let me go, but to be honest I'd probably enjoy the laugh of a public prosecution for such a stupid law.

a reply to: grainofsand

What you do with that fine is agree to pay at a £5 a week, pay the first 2 or 3 instalments, then stop due to not haveing the finances to continue. They need to take you back to court and begin the whole procedure over again.

And the beat goes on!

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: fakedirt

What it comes down to regarding that aspect is simply cost. There is no way in hell the licence fees generated would ever out-way the cost of implementing and continuing to implement such measures.

I agree but we are taking about the government here. millions spent on infrastructure projects like i.t. frameworks, bbc telephone exchanges that didn't work.
it could be implemented in a similar way to a call centre setup. financial targets to hit, so many individuals per day to scrutinise. commission based. farmed out to the private sector will give more incentive to find and prosecute/garner income.
f.

a reply to: fakedirt

There are millions of individuals and only one UK government with far greater problems to address than non payment of BBC licence fees. I know who my money is on to prevail. LoL

I get your point. I do see the powers pushing eventually for a framework to address the future loss of revenue.
f.
a reply to: andy06shake

a reply to: andy06shake
Which is what the 'sensible' TV licence protesters do. The ones I think don't really help themselves or anyone else are those who go before the court time after time and refuse outright to pay it, that's prison every time.
I suppose it could be argued that if 10,000 people refused then it would force the government hand, but while it's less than 100 folk each year I say sack that myself, I aint taking the pretty much guaranteed risk of being sent down.

Nope, being a thorn in the side is a far more effective protest, I agree.

*Edit*
I live in the Devon and Cornwall police force area,

Devon & Cornwall Police covers the largest geographical police area in England, extending 180 miles from the Dorset and Somerset borders in the east to the Isles of Scilly in the west. To give some impression of the scale of the area, police headquarters in Exeter is actually nearer to London than the furthest extremity of the Force

Last week they announced that at any given time they now only have 1 cop on duty (on streets/at stations/doing paperwork) for every 292 people in the massive area. They are so understaffed they don't really give a toss about certain smoking substances or stupid laws any more. Best police force I've ever lived in, and if anyone thinks they want to be chasing round for the TV licence they'd have to be joking.
...and as long as TV licensing 'enforcement officers' have zero authority anymore than an employee of Microsoft wanting to check your operating system (and as long as don't use my devices to watch live TV of course) they can go # themselves off my property.

a reply to: grainofsand

Really the TV licensing scum are nothing more than something to do if you can be bothered to answer the door to the fools.

Truth is they quite possibly offer far greater entertainment value the the company they claim to represent!

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: grainofsand

Really the TV licensing scum are nothing more than something to do if you can be bothered to answer the door to the fools.

Truth is they quite possibly offer far greater entertainment value the the company they claim to represent!

Totally agree.
I love it when they pay me a visit, it's a proper laugh and I've got a fake CCTV 'eye-ball' at my front door so I warn them they are being recorded, they are not welcome and leave immediately or I will use reasonable force to eject them. It's even more fun if it's two of them as if there's a struggle it is reasonable for me to use stronger force to defend myself. They all know the law full well and they always back down, because they have to.
Yep pure entertainment much better than any crap BBC soap opera.

a reply to: grainofsand

Ive got real CCTV regarding the front of my property via 2 £3 web cams and a freeware version of ISPY.

Certainly seems to deter or retard our ober authority's somewhat, if only it had the same effect regarding refugees who are responsible for a significant proportion of crime in my area i would be feel somewhat more secure. But that's Glasgow for you these-days.

They really need to scrap the Tv licence its utter nonsense,i dont understand how it can be against the law to not pay money for a service that you dont need (bbc channels),i wouldn't pay a penny to watch the garbage that they put on tv these days.

Best of it is I bet half them cheeky nosey tw*ts that come to your door don't have one because they know all the loopholes.

a reply to: andy06shake
I've thought of putting real cameras up as it's so cheap and easy, they certainly change their tune as soon as they think they're being filmed and you know your rights in law.
...minor crime in my world though (sleepy SW England coast) mostly chilled and laid back aside from the small robbing smackhead communities found as in most places. They are usually kept under control without the need of police though.

a reply to: amurphy245
If you don't watch any of that crap TV 'as it is broadcast live' then you don't need to buy a licence. It is why I don't have one.

a reply to: sg1642
Lol, yep the 'loophole' that if you do not watch TV 'as broadcast live' then you don't need one.
It is a pity for those folk who are bullied by the nasty twats though, single mums and the like. One tried it on with my disabled neighbour a year or so ago after I'd moved him from my property. I followed him over and got rid of him as well after asking my neighbour do you require assistance and do you wish me to represent you in this discussion.
I was gutted the TV guy backed down, I was in the mood for it that day.

originally posted by: grainofsand
a reply to: amurphy245
If you don't watch any of that crap TV 'as it is broadcast live' then you don't need to buy a licence. It is why I don't have one.

I dont have one,everything in your original post seems correct to me but most people pay it out of fear even if they dont need it.

Theirs no reason why you cant watch tv without a licence anyway,nothing is stopping you as long as you dont invite the idiots into your home or let them see it from the window,their is also the loophole of just recording everything and watching it back,then you arent watching it as its being broadcast.

originally posted by: amurphy245
...there is also the loophole of just recording everything and watching it back,then you arent watching it as its being broadcast.

Ah got to correct you there sorry mate, it is also an offence to RECORD channels as they are broadcast live without a licence.
Getting anything from an online stream/recording that is not simultaneous with the broadcast does not require a licence.
The few second delay if TV is streamed online by the recognised TV broadcaster is legally deemed simultaneous so be sure to be aware of this technical detail to stay legal.

I noticed earlier in the discussion someone mentioned when you buy a new TV,digital box or DTR that the shop asks for your name and address to pass on to TV licensing.
They have a new trick now that I experienced twice in different stores before Christmas.
The first time was a TV in Argos and the second time a DTR in Curry's PC World.
What they did on both ocassions when I paid for the TV and DTR was ask "can I have your name,address and email in case you lose your receipt?"
It instantly clicked with me that this was their new way of getting customers details for TV licensing so I declined and said no thank you.The sales persons in both stores never pressed the issue and were fine with me saying no.

a reply to: glen200376

I have not came across that tactic yet. Hopefully not many will be stupid enough to fall for it. I think its atrocious that they are able to obtain the stores complicity regarding the matter.

They should stick to selling TVs and keep there beak out our personal affairs if you ask me. Cheers for making us aware.

a reply to: glen200376
Good man, always decline such things!
"In case you lose your receipt" WTF?!
The only answer I ever have to questions about my identity at a store is "Will you refuse to sell me the product/service if I decline to provide those details?" and their response is always no.
I even refuse to give my local council my name when I pay parking penalties in cash. I tell them that the driver of the vehicle is the concern of the DVLA and the police, not the council chasing parking penalties. They may have a 'policy' which they pretend is law but it is not and most people fall for it. My parking penalties always get paid anonymously in cash when they have to back down, every time.
A lot of the 'control' over us in the UK is more perceived than real, just many people fail to ever question it. I always do.