If you are looking in to cancelling your TV licence you probably have a lot of questions. Here I answer some of the most common ones.
I also answer some of the different questions on my YouTube channel. You can watch the videos here
What Can I Watch Without A TV Licence
It’s a good question and very easy for me to answer.
TV Licence Site & Letters Say I Can’t I Watch Youtube / Amazon Prime etc
Yes this has appeared recently on the TV Licensing website and in their letters, they are sort of right, but also sort of wrong at the same time.
Help I Got Letter Saying I’m Getting A Visit
Many of the letters you may receive will tell you that a visit is coming your way from a TV Licence inspector, this is mostly to scare you.
Watch this video and I will break it all down for you, put your mind at easy and let you know what to do if you happen to get a visit.
Can I Watch Live Sport Without A Licence?
Sadly it’s a no.
Without a TV licence you can’t watch or record anything as it’s being broadcast or use BBc iPlayer. So this does sadly rule out live sport. Although you can watch sport on demand via streaming services if it’s not live.
Can I watch Foreign TV Without A TV Licence?
It’s a shame, but it’s a no I’m afraid.
Without a TV licence you can’t watch or record anything as it’s being broadcast no matter where that broadcast comes from. It is a silly and ridiculous rule I agree. But that’s what we are dealing with at the moment.
Can I Watch YouTube / Twitch etc Live Streams?
As long as the stream you are watching isn’t from a real broadcaster then yes you can.
For instance if I was to do a live stream, you could watch that just fine without a licence as I’m just a person, not a proper broadcaster. But Sky News has a live stream on YouTube and as they are a proper broadcast network you would not be able to watch that without a licence.
Can I Listen To The Radio With A TV Licence
Yes.
You can listen to all the radio you like, even BBC stations. You can also watch radio stations live video feeds on youtube and other platforms.
Can I still own a TV if I don’t have a TV licence?
You can yes. Many people still believe that if you own a telly then you must pay for a licence, this is not true. You can own as many TV’s as you like. The licence is required if you watch or record TV as it’s being broadcast or if you use BBC iPlayer.
Will I get visited by a scary inspector?
You may get a visit yes. The ‘inspectors’ are paid agents who earn commission by selling you a licence. They also like to scare people sometimes.
I have been visited multiple times, so have the people I have helped. The thing to remember is not to worry, open the door, be polite. If they say they are from TV licensing just close the door with a ‘no thank you’ and never sign anything.
They do not have the right to enter your property, so don’t be scared of them, just shut the door.
What about those TV detector vans?
If you are sticking to the rules of not having a TV licence then you have nothing to worry about.
Also, the vans were fake! They never existed really, the myth of them was promoted to scare people in to buying a licence.
Will I Get A Fine or Go to Prison For Not Having a TV Licence?
As I said on the question above, the licence is required if you watch or record TV as it’s being broadcast or if you use BBC iPlayer.
If you don’t pay for the licence and are caught watching live TV then you will get in to trouble. If however you play by the rules you will be fine.
Won’t they send me scary letters with threats of court?
If you choose not to declare you don’t need a licence you will get loads of letters yes. But they are empty threats. Don’t worry, just throw them in the bin.
If you declare yourself licence free, the main way I recommend on this site, then you will get a letter every now and then asking if you need a licence yet.
Do I have to cancel my Sky / Cable subscription if I go licence free?
If you are cancelling your TV Licence why do you need a service that mostly provides live TV? Without a licence you can’t use that service.
Cancel it and move to another service, NowTV for instance will give you all the Sky content at cheaper price and all on demand.
We regularly answer your TV licence questions on youtube, so you might find your answer here..
