You Do Not Have To Speak To Them
A TV Licensing "Enforcement Officer" is a private
employee of Capita. They have zero powers of entry and zero police powers.
What to do
- 1 Say nothing. Do not give your name.
- 2 Close the door. Immediately.
- 3 Walk away.
Can they come in?
No. They operate under "Implied Rights of
Access" like a postman. You can revoke this
right by telling them to leave. If they
stay, it is trespass.
The "Interview"
They hold a form (TVL178) and will try to
write down your answers to use as a
confession in court. Do not speak. Without a name or admission, they have no case.
"Official Investigation Opened"
You may receive letters with red bold text, "Legal
Occupier" titles, and threats of court. These are
automated mass-mailings designed to panic you.
The "Cycle of Threat"
TVL sends a standard sequence of letters. They
escalate in tone ("We are authorising a visit",
"Will you be in on the 14th?").
Reality: Millions of these are sent.
Actual visits are random and rare.
Should I reply?
Most advice suggests ignoring them completely. If you contact them to say "I don't need a
license", you are giving them your details and
confirming you live there. They may then target
you to "verify" your claim.
The Law: When do you need one?
You ONLY need a TV License if you:
NEED
Live TV
Watch or record TV on any channel (BBC, ITV, C4, Sky, Virgin) at the same time as
it is being broadcast.
NEED
BBC iPlayer
Watch or download any programme on
BBC iPlayer (Live or Catch-up).
NO NEED
Streaming / Catch-Up
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, YouTube, Twitch.
NO NEED
Other Catch-Up
ITVX, Channel 4 (All 4), My5 - AS LONG AS you are not watching the "Live TV" stream. Catch-up
only.
How to Cancel Legally
You can cancel your Direct Debit. You can then fill
out the "No License Needed" declaration on their
website.
The Two Schools of Thought
A
Declare it
Fill in the form. They stop sending
letters for 2 years. Risk: You give them your name and
confirm you are there. They may
visit to "check".
B
Ghost Protocol
Cancel the DD. Ignore all letters. Never
open the door. Benefit: They have no data on you.
They cannot prosecute "Legal
Occupier".