I know some on here no longer pay the BBC so I have a question.
Each year thousands of people plead guilty to not paying their licence. What happens if you plead not guilty?
No doubt the BBC will tell the court they never informed us? So what I have never informed the Environment Agency I don't need a Fishing Rod licence either.
Surely the BBC has to prove that you have broken the law and I don't think they are capable of doing that?
1. Prove I have a TV
2. Prove that I am watching terrestrial TV or any of the other options that require a licence.
So if I am right, if everybody brought to court pleaded not guilty the BBC would be lose these cases. Eventually I can see courts tell the BBC we will not listen to these cases unless you can provide proof?
Thoughts?
To bother taking you to court they have to have evidence that you were watching terrestrial....for that to happen they have to be let into your house to observe or say watch you watching it through the window I'd imagine.
The golden rule is never let them into your house, they have zero right of entry and require a copper to be there and for that there has to be legitimate suspicion......they don't have the time nor resources for fishing expeditions.
After you tell them you're not going to pay the license anymore. They send official sounding letters to your door that dishonesty try to imply that you're breaking the law or doing something wrong...When you know the law on this topic reading those letters can be quite annoying......considering that a small percentage of people are choosing between eating and heating and/or might be lower IQ or have high anxiety I view it as a kind of state backed bullying of the poor/vulnerable.
Always be polite at the door but when they ask....and they will....refuse entry. All you have to do is tell them you don't watch live TV or BBC iplayer or whatever it's called say 'thank you but I'm busy' and close the door. They are third party contractors there to get you to buy the license because they get a commission. Once they realise you know the game they doorstep you less, I haven't had a visit in years now.....but you'll still get the threatening letters occasionally.
Never ever let them in, they have no more rights of entry into your house than I have.
In our house we cut that live tv cord ages ago now, over the years since I've brought loads and loads of boxsets and we don't miss out. Entertainment, news and current affairs doesn't require live TV as it did in the past.
The BBC I grew up with, that was far more balanced and you'd hear right wing stuff, you'd hear left wing stuff, PC wasn't such a thing.......I'd pay the license for that BBC.....However the BBC we have had since the 90s? Na, don't give money to people who look down on you.
This coming year I've decided to look into buying a media server to have my own 'netflix' as it were.