tv license

a debate about tv license when away from home

do i need a tv license 4 my m/h
like yeas ago you need a radio license for a radio in a car
or does my home one cove me

 

Your home one covers you.

 

But technically you cant use the tv at home at the same time.....so your house sitter had better enjoy books.

Just how they could police that is beyond me.

 

My understanding was your licence covered the home TV and a portable black & white TV for outside the home. I do not think you need to worry too much as if you were unlucky enough to be checked by the enforcement guys all they would do is check your home address ( ie show your driving licence as proof of address ) and if there was a licence registered to that address they would move on.

 

You don’t need a separate TV Licence for
Any device powered solely by its own internal batteries (i.e. it is not connected to an aerial or plugged into the mains). Your main home’s TV Licence will cover this.

Boats, touring caravans or vehicles as they’re already covered by your main home’s TV Licence.

Static caravans, mobile homes or moveable chalets. Your main home’s TV Licence will cover you provided you don’t watch TV in both homes at the same time. In this case you would need to complete a declaration form .

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/second-home-aud8

 

More or less what I said. Thanks for the finer details.

 

You also don't need a licence at all if your home has no permanent address, boat etc.

 

really.. ?

would that mean a fulltimer, of no fixed abode or other place of permanent domicile, doesn't need a TV licence ?

 

I can only tell you this Jim. Some years ago, we were spending several months on our Narrowboat. We were moored up outside Rugby, when a knock came on the hatch. This guy identified himself as a licence checking whatever, and asked us if we had a TV licence. As it was, we had one, (at home), but feeling a tad pedantic, (not like me ), I said we hadn't. He asked for our address, to which I replied " A boat, on a canal, England". Fine said the man, you don't require a TV licence if you have no permanent address, and left, going on to the next moored boat.
I got to think well yes, where would they send it to, if your address was 'boat'.

 

Just read the TV licensing site and no reference to this situation..

Since narrow boats are not on their data base they won't know if you have one or not.. same would apply to a fulltimer in a camper van..
but since it is now a paperless license a physical address is not required..

Looks like a loophole..

 

And they send the reminder to where?? By 'paperless', I assume you mean it isn't sent by snail mail, but then how do you apply for one, or even get it, if you haven't a postal addy? And therefore what property does it appertain to?

 

Just got this from 'Narrowboat Living'

 

yes, I agree as I said a loophole..

but how do you buy a new TV with no license ?

 

You go into a shop, and say, 'I wish to buy that TV' Thank you, says the man, you pay cash, he asks your address, 'A Boat, A Canal, England', or whatever.

OR, buy one off ebay. As with buying new number plates, documentation nor an address is ever asked for.

 

Tell them you live abroad. That's what I did!
You can't actually buy a licence without an address - so it is a catch 22 which they can't enforce!

 

Yes you do. If the boat or motorhome is your sole residence then you need a licence to receive live broadcasts. Out TV licence is linked to the motorhome in the address panel. It is a licence to operate receiving apparatus nothing to do with an address.

I have just read the later posts. All I can say is when we contacted them when we left bricks and mortar for the motorhome, we were required to provide a contact address same as DVLA, Insurance etc. That address was on the licence together with the vehicle reg. number. We have been renewing it by DD so have not had any other contact with them.

Are we the only people paying for a TV licence?

My amateur station is in the motorhome and I need a licence to operate that although it is now a free licence it has to be validated ever 5 years. I have just revalidated.

 

We moved here 9 months ago and transferred or "old" licence to the new address. A few weeks later we got a letter from the TV Licence plonkers saying there was no record of a licence at this address, so I rang the "help-line" and explained to them that we had transferred the licence from our previous address and after a while they agreed to send us a new copy of the licence as it ran to 2016 (I believe they do this to save a bit of money as we pay by DD) This duly arrived so we thought sorted! We have had a detector van round, who knocked on the door so quietly the dog didn't bark, and as he sneaked away , my wife shouted after him, but he must have been deaf, because he got in his car and drove off!. We rang them back and were told "everything is sorted, don't worry about it" So we didn't until the next letter came! We decided to ignore it and all was well for a few more weeks until another letter came! They have been arriving about every month since, until this week when we got another to tell us that an investigator would be calling in the near future, at any time to check we are not watching/using any equipment, threatening us with court and a possible£1000 fine. Bring it on, says I We have the licence and all the letters to show we do have the licence.

Talk about waste of licence-payers money!!!!!!
Cheers, Dave

 

You don't need an address to own a boat. You can be a 'continues cruiser', and pay your licence by cash, cheque, or credit card. I'm not really sure just how you licence a vehicle without an address, but hey, there are hundreds of gypsies out there doing just that. If your talking about 2 mtr transmissions, I know what you mean.

 

I suspect you may be the only full timers paying for one!

Whilst on their website they say you need one in the motorhome, to buy online you have to enter an address and postcode, no way round it. To phone them up, you still need to quote an address and postcode! Whilst many FT have an address, many don't, just a 'care of' for driving licence, vehicle reg and insurance.
Now - with that in mind, you simply don't have to speak to a TV licence inspector if he happens to visit a site, and they have no right of entry to your van, as its your 'house'. Campsites are - in any event - private property. If they turn up at your van door, they are most likely trespassing (technically). They actually have no right to call on you. If they wanted to be really really efficient, they could take your reg. no. and put it through DVLA - only to find that that address actually does have a licence (even if its not you!), and I seriously doubt any would ever go that far!

Anyway - I don't watch BBC, I pay for Sky

 

All full timers have to have a contact address. The care off address as you call it is needed for all legal purposes, not just for DVLA. You cannot get away legally in this country with "No Fixed abode" as you would be classed as a vagrant. Gypsies use a site or settled family address.

A TV licence is required for any apparatus capable of receiving live broadcasts. It is not just BBC broadcasts so it is still required for Sky transmissions. The Sky fee is a separate issue.