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They wear a shirt and tie. No weapon. You don't have to answer the door to them. You don't have to let them in. However they are generally lieing scumbags who

They wear a shirt and tie. No weapon. You don't have to answer the door to them. You don't have to let them in. However they are generally lieing scumbags who suggest that they are allowed in. If they catch you watching TV they will report you for a £1000 fine and a criminal record. Failing to pay it will land you in prison. I spent years without a license, you don't need one for YouTube and Netflix. I unplugged the aerial wire. You do need it for any live TV or BBC catch up TV. I got visited once during that time and he kept asking to come in, I kept telling him I didn't need to let him. He kept asking what I watch on TV, I told him politely, that was none of his concern. If they suspect you are harboring an illegal TV then they will come back with a warrant and the police!

edm0nd 2y ago
This is such a broken and dystopian situation. The UK is such a nanny state.
n4r9 2y ago
It's a horrible situation which I am convinced preys on the vulnerable. We've been sent letters on an almost monthly basis claiming that an officer is "scheduled" to make a visit, that we have a "ten day window" to respond before they take action, etc... . Nothing ever happens and no one ever visits. I know that you don't have to let the enforcement folk in, and if they turn up I'll politely ask to see their search warrant or for them to mind their own business. But lots of people don't know this and are conditioned to be passive. Prosecutions include the mentally vulnerable and people whose finances are handled by the council. There are thousands every year. Three quarters of the prosecutions are against women, and it makes up more than a quarter of prosecutions against women.
icedchai 2y ago
Sounds like a waste of public resources. Are you supposed to pay if you watch live TV over streaming services instead of using an antenna?
- jayflux 2y ago
  Yep https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-tv-licence-cover?utm_source=website&utm_medium=homepagelink&utm_content=covers_copylink https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/w...
  - icedchai 2y ago
    Incredible. And people actually let these "TV inspectors" into their homes?
    - n4r9 2y ago
      Yes, in fact there are tens of thousands of convictions every year. They disproportionately target vulnerable people like the disabled, migrants, and single mothers. The kinds of people who are likely to be at home when they come knocking during working hours, and who might have a lot of other things on their plate or might not be fully informed, I guess. There's some proper dystopian examples, for example a woman with Down's syndrome whose council pleaded guilty on her behalf, because it manages her finances. It's horrific. The Guardian wrote an article about it earlier this year: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/feb/29/tv-licence-fee-scandal-1000-people-week-casually-criminalised https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/feb/29/tv-licence-fee...
jayflux 2y ago
> you don't need one for YouTube and Netflix Not strictly true, if you watch television channels live over YouTube you need one https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-tv-licence-cover?utm_source=website&utm_medium=homepagelink&utm_content=covers_copylink https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/w...

edm0nd 2y ago

This is such a broken and dystopian situation. The UK is such a nanny state.

n4r9 2y ago

It's a horrible situation which I am convinced preys on the vulnerable. We've been sent letters on an almost monthly basis claiming that an officer is "scheduled" to make a visit, that we have a "ten day window" to respond before they take action, etc... . Nothing ever happens and no one ever visits. I know that you don't have to let the enforcement folk in, and if they turn up I'll politely ask to see their search warrant or for them to mind their own business. But lots of people don't know this and are conditioned to be passive. Prosecutions include the mentally vulnerable and people whose finances are handled by the council. There are thousands every year. Three quarters of the prosecutions are against women, and it makes up more than a quarter of prosecutions against women.

icedchai 2y ago

Sounds like a waste of public resources. Are you supposed to pay if you watch live TV over streaming services instead of using an antenna?

jayflux 2y ago
Yep https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-tv-licence-cover?utm_source=website&utm_medium=homepagelink&utm_content=covers_copylink https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/w...
- icedchai 2y ago
  Incredible. And people actually let these "TV inspectors" into their homes?
  - n4r9 2y ago
    Yes, in fact there are tens of thousands of convictions every year. They disproportionately target vulnerable people like the disabled, migrants, and single mothers. The kinds of people who are likely to be at home when they come knocking during working hours, and who might have a lot of other things on their plate or might not be fully informed, I guess. There's some proper dystopian examples, for example a woman with Down's syndrome whose council pleaded guilty on her behalf, because it manages her finances. It's horrific. The Guardian wrote an article about it earlier this year: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/feb/29/tv-licence-fee-scandal-1000-people-week-casually-criminalised https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/feb/29/tv-licence-fee...

jayflux 2y ago

> you don't need one for YouTube and Netflix Not strictly true, if you watch television channels live over YouTube you need one https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-tv-licence-cover?utm_source=website&utm_medium=homepagelink&utm_content=covers_copylink https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/w...