TV Licencing. Have you paid in Sheffield?

Via BBW:

There are five homes
in Rock Street S3
without a TV Licence

[graffitti] Maybe they have a life

That would be Rock Street, Sheffield then?

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Is your house there?

Anyway, this is yet another prong in TVL's[2] "You're guilty until we decide otherwise you've bought a licence regardless of whether you're required to," campaign that's been prevalant over the years.

There are a variety of reasons why a home might not legitimately have a TV licence.

1. It may be unoccupied, the previous occupier having transferred their licence to their new house.
2. The occupier may not be able to afford a TV Licence and has forgone the need to own a TV.
3. The occupier may have decided that all the stuff on TV is shite and isn't worth the TV, or the licence.
4. The occupier may simply have taken the stand that they disagree with the licence on principle and decided not to have a TV.
5. The occupier may have a TV but may only use it to view DVDs/videos/Wii/X-Box, and not to watch live TV.

Or there's one reason why they may illegally not have a TV licence and that's

1. That they have equipment that is both capable of, and is being used to, receive as-broadcast[1] TV signals. (Edit 2017: or want to watch anything on iPlayer)

That bolded bit is important - it's why the owner in #5 above is able to own a TV yet not be required to have a licence. It's also, incidentally, why it's possible for someone not to own a TV, but still be required to have a licence (TV receivers on PC's are an example of the latter.)

Anyway, the poster above implies, as do the letters they send that border on barratry, that everyone(without exception) without a TV Licence falls into the latter group.

I'm sure the BBC have better things to spend the Licence Fee tax-payers' money on.


[1] http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/

You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder.

[2] For the benefit of those fortunate to not be harassed by TVL - "TV Licencing" is actually a trademark, owned by the BBC in the UK, which 3rd party companies can licence(!) in order to harass law abiding members of the public.

Crapita Capita seem to be the company that provides the bully-boys at the moment.