[MSS]

Originally Posted by Dallas

My parents have not owned a TV for the past 20 years, they made their choice not to watch television, which is obviously their right to do so. They don't even own a computer, and their mobile phones are old style basic big button phones designed for the elderly, non android, non IOS.

The amount of threatening letters they received over the years from the TV licensing bullies was horrendous, not forgetting the knocks at the door.

You could say my parents were being bullied into buying a TV licence, even though they did not legally need one. The letters soon stopped after my father threatened to take legal action against them, play them at their own game was the only way to deal with this old outdated corporation.

You don’t actually need a TV licence to own or possess a TV, but if you use a TV to watch or record programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online service, or you download or watch BBC programmes on demand, use BBC iPlayer etc, then you do need a TV licence.

My experience is very different. When my father passed away the property was empty for about 18 months. We had a reminder for the TV licence and then a letter threatening action if we operated a TV without a licence. The letter also included a return section which allowed us to inform the licencing people why we did not need a licence. After we sent this back, no further letters.

Seems like quite a reasonable approach to me.