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It's only an offense if you watch live TV [1]. They could have just lumped it in with your taxes, like they do in many other countries with state TV, but this a
by renjimen 2y ago
It's only an offense if you watch live TV [1]. They could have just lumped it in with your taxes, like they do in many other countries with state TV, but this approach in theory lets you opt out, even if they like to check up on you all too regularly. I suppose one downside of the BBC approach is tax is usually proportional to your income, while the TV license fee is not, and in fact you need to pay it even if you have no income. We had great games of hiding our TV in the closet as students whenever the license people came down the street.
[1] https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/telling-us-you-dont-need-a-tv-licence https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/t...
- hypeatei 2y ago> hiding our TV in the closet as students whenever the license people came down the street There are people going door-to-door to check TV licenses? Are they cops, what kind of power do they have? Seems extremely annoying and dystopian.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- _Wintermute 2y agoThey have zero power, it's just a man with a clipboard asking to have a look around your house, the correct response is to shut the door in their face. They rely on a uniform and vague threatening language to trick people into thinking they have any authority.
- Doxin 2y agoNot a UK citizen, but from previous discussions on the topic: > There are people going door-to-door to check TV licenses? yes > Are they cops? no > what kind of power do they have? none. I mean write you a fine if you admit to illegally watching TV I guess. But as far as I've been told you can have the TV on and visible to the guy and go "nah that's an aquarium" and be fine.
- cardiffspaceman 2y agoWhat happened to the vans with antennae that scanned for operating TVs (there’s an IF oscillator in there I guess) to find unlicensed receivers?