I'm a lawyer – little-known TV licence mistake that could get you fined £1,000 | The Sun
THOUSANDS could be at risk of paying a £1,000 TV fine from one simple mistake.
Lawyer Hatti Suvari (@getlegallyspeaking) has revealed to TikTok the common mistake viewers make – slapping a nasty fine onto their TV bill.
A TV licence currently costs £159 a year or £53.50 for a black and white television.
You need one if you want to watch or record TV programmes while they are being broadcast live rather than on catch-up.
It also applies to watching anything on BBC iPlayer, even if you're streaming on demand.
But TikToker @getlegallyspeaking/Hatti Suvari – who shares expert legal tips to over 3,000 followers – has confirmed you could end up paying an extra £1,000 if you watch recklessly.
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She said: "Not many of us know that if you don't have a TV licence (if you need to) then it is a criminal offence to avoid getting one."
She lists key tips to avoid a fine if you don't have a licence:
Don't watch TV live or via streaming service
Here are the platforms which could cost you money if you don't own a TV license:
- ITV Hub
- YouTube
- Amazon Prime
- Sky Go
- BBC iPlayer
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It'll only cost money if you stream live shows on any of the above, so make sure you have a licence if you do.
Don't watch or record TV channels
Hatti continues: "If you watch or record TV on channels such as Sky, Virgin or Freeview, then you need a TV licence."
When do I not need a TV licence?
You don't have to pay the licence fee for streaming-only services such as Netflix.
You also don't need a licence if you use services such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go and more, to stream shows on demand or through catch up.
It comes as Netflix has launched an ad-free package at a lower price of £4.99 a month to help make its service more affordable to customers struggling against a cost of living crisis.
However, you still can't watch catch up or on demand if you're watching BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer.
Hatti continues: "Last year, over 49,000 people were prosecuted for not paying the £159 yearly fee for a TV licence.
"Maximum penalty is £1,000 plus costs, and there is no such thing as a TV detector van – that was originally a PR stunt to frighten people."
If you don't pay the fine, you could be jailed for non-payment of a fine imposed by the court.
But if you're absolutely sure you no longer need one you can formally let TV Licensing know.
Although there's no legal obligation to do this, it will prevent them sending you reminders.
The first thing to do as part of this process is cancel your payments.
If you pay by direct debit you can cancel it by filling out TV Licensing's contact form, confirming you no longer watch TV along with your current address.
You'll also need to cancel your direct debit with your bank.
If you pay with a TV Licensing payment card, you'll need to call 0300 555 0286.
Everyone who no longer requires a TV licence should then fill out a "No Licence Needed" declaration form.
Make sure you keep the confirmation email from TV Licensing as proof.
You may also be eligible for a refund if you won’t need your licence again before it expires, and you have at least one complete month left on it. Just fill in the request a refund form.
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TV Licensing may visit your property to ensure you are telling the truth and no errors have been made.
The bureau says these inspections find one in five who have cancelled their TV licence actually still need one – that’s around 900 households a day.
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