Tv license

jodyt71

I cancelled my daughters TV license as she only watches netflix and Disney, channels she pays for. Tv people came round and found she had bbc iplayer on her TV which she said she doesn't watch. She has now been sent a court summons. Any advice please.

woodbine

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16#:~:text=A TV Licence is a,how those channels are received.

some advice in the link above

jodyt71

I have read all that however although she has iplayer installed on tv she doesn't watch it. She has had no threatners saying they are taking her to court, just this letter today telling her to put her plea in by a certain date. 

woodbine

BBC iplayer plays live programmes as well as streaming and therefore requires a licence, it's like saying my TV has ITV but I never watch it, would still require a licence.
The good news is the only penalty will be a fine, however failure to pay the fine will usually result in further action.
I suppose the question is why did you cancel her licence?

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @jodyt71

A lot of TVs come with the apps already installed on them. Maybe look at the TV manual to see if BBC iPlayer is one of them? If your daughter has never logged in, or even has an account. That would help in explaining why it is installed and why she never watches it. 

MW123

jodyt71 said:

I cancelled my daughters TV license as she only watches netflix and Disney, channels she pays for. Tv people came round and found she had bbc iplayer on her TV which she said she doesn't watch. She has now been sent a court summons. Any advice please.

Has the TV ever had an account registered to it that has never been deleted? This could pose a problem. If not, I would explain to the court that most smart TVs come with the BBC app pre-installed, but activation requires a registered account, which she does not have.

Have you reached out directly to the TV licensing authority in an effort to resolve this misunderstanding and potentially avoid the complications of court proceedings? 

The burden of proof squarely rests on the licensing authority to present compelling evidence to the court regarding your daughter's usage. 

jodyt71

My daughter said she did have an iplayer account which she hasn't viewed for months and when she did view it, it was never live tv she viewed.

poppy123456

jodyt71 said:

My daughter said she did have an iplayer account which she hasn't viewed for months and when she did view it, it was never live tv she viewed.

It doesn't matter whether it's live or not, you need a TV licence to watch BBC iplayer. Did she watch it when she didn't have a licence?

The following was taken from the link above.

Why do I need a TV Licence?

A TV Licence is a legal permission to install or use television receiving equipment to watch live on any channel, TV service or streaming service, and to use BBC iPlayer*. On any device.

MW123

woodbine said:

BBC iplayer plays live programmes as well as streaming and therefore requires a licence, it's like saying my TV has ITV but I never watch it, would still require a licence.
The good news is the only penalty will be a fine, however failure to pay the fine will usually result in further action.
I suppose the question is why did you cancel her licence?

Woodbine, I have several friends aged over 60, many of whom enjoy comfortable pensions, and the expense of a TV license would not be an issue for them if they desired one. Nonetheless, they sincerely do not engage in live viewing on their TVs and, consequently, have opted to inform the licensing authority of this choice. I fully comprehend and endorse individuals choosing the legal opt-out option for a service they have no use for.

jodyt71

I cancelled it in March 2023 because all she watches is netflix, you tube and Disney she hasn't watched iplayer in over a year

woodbine

Whilst you no longer need a licence for radio your TV licence does also cover radio

MW123

jodyt71 said:

My daughter said she did have an iplayer account which she hasn't viewed for months and when she did view it, it was never live tv she viewed.

The BBC, similar to other online platforms, retains records of user activity for a specified duration. If an individual accessed the BBC iPlayer with an account, the BBC may have logs detailing login times and accessed content.

If evidence surfaces confirming that your daughter accessed iPlayer without a valid license, she may well be held responsible for using the service unlawfully. The outcome may hinge on the evidence presented in court. I would strongly recommended the service is decommissioned to her tv going forward.