Day of Stupid

[Captain Trips]

What if I only use my tv to watch dvds (i.e. I have no antenna)?

As I understand it, you only need a license if you are watching broadcast TV (cable and satellite count as such.) But if you ONLY watch DVD's, tapes, etc. and don't actually receive a signal from outside your home to watch, you don't need a license.

But then again, what do I know -- I'm just another Yank who doesn't need to buy a license.

[PhotoChick]

And now for something completely different!

The 3rd person is an idiot. All you had to do was register. You were entitled. You didn't register. Now you are no longer entitled. Because you're the idiot who didn't register.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Did the 17yo husband already have the application in when the law was changed? I'd think he should be grandfathered if the application was already submitted.

[Victoria J]

Did the 17yo husband already have the application in when the law was changed? I'd think he should be grandfathered if the application was already submitted.

He had an application in when the law was changed - and all applications are decided as if on the date made. Unfortunately on the date he made the claim it was invalid because the law said you had to be 18 and he was 17. He was therefore turned down under the old law.

He then made an application when he was 18. The law at the time applied - which was that you had to be 21. He was turned down.

He believes that the law at the time he was married should apply. It doesn't. The above is very unfair in his particular case but quite correct legally.

ETA - which is to say if he had turned 18 just before the new law and had made a claim that was decided later he would have been accepted (if he passed all the other hurdles). He went from one invalid state to another with no point at which he could legally apply.

Incidentally I suspect the change in the law was announced before he actually got married. Laws don't normally spring into place over night. Though they also don't often spring into place in the middle of November like this one.

Hope that clears the position up.

Victoria J

[BusBus]

Poor guy! Can't help but feel bad for him (unless he is shamming, then..well...too bad).

If I may, do you Brits have to pay additional fees for television service on top of the license fee, or does the license fee encompass having access to X number of channels? Objective answers, please! Do not want to make the mods angry

[Mordecai]

Have you tried american public television? In comparison, the BBC is....actually, I can't think of a good metaphor to explain how much better it is than american public television.

I used to think the same thing(When I usually just watched certain BBC shows on dvd or on youtube), but when I actually watched regular BBC tv when I visited England, I changed my mind and decided they're both equally atrocious, save a few select programs.

[RayvenQ]

Poor guy! Can't help but feel bad for him (unless he is shamming, then..well...too bad).

If I may, do you Brits have to pay additional fees for television service on top of the license fee, or does the license fee encompass having access to X number of channels? Objective answers, please! Do not want to make the mods angry

Technically, it's just for the two BBC channels

There's 3 Standard channels you can tune into other than BBC 1 & 2 without anything other than a TV that can recieve signals and obviously paying for your licence, wouldn't want to get into trouble for not having that, these channels fund themselves by advertising, BBC 1 has no advertisements however.

You can also buy a freeview box, that gives you free access (once you buy it) to quite a few other channels, then there's the cable stuff from companies like Sky and Virgin Media etc etc.

Personally I just have a freeview box, as there were only 4 cable channels that I'm interested in, but one Freeview channel makes up for that (Dave for those in the UK, which co-incidentally, repeats lots of stuff done by the BBC, QI, Red Dwarf etc etc)

[Victoria J]

Poor guy! Can't help but feel bad for him (unless he is shamming, then..well...too bad).

Yeah - we feel sorry for him. And his desperation to be with her is pretty obvious. (Though this doesn't stop him being pretty stupid for throwing away over £1200 for nothing).

I do not agree with the change in the law. They could do more checks without just randomly penalising everyone under a certain age.

Having said that though the only forced marriage cases I've seen were regarding woman of around 18. (2 in one family, with both also being immigration scams - this charming family had basically sold their daughters to men from abroad who wanted British passports).

Still seems better to look at individual cases than just the age though.

*shrugs* I just tell people what the law is. If they want to change it they need to see their member of parliament. I can't only advise people on laws I agree with, or even laws that make sense I still struggle with tax credit (the worlds most unintuitive and counter productive benefit) advice - yes it really is that stupid, no I can't do anything about it.

Victoria J

[Rapscallion]

I believe Raps got a few of those, despite the fact that he doesn't own a set.

I'm under official investigation these days. I can't wait for them to come around when I'm actually in.

"Well, here's the kitchen, and I thnk you'll notice the glorious lack of televisual equipment. Dinng room through there - feel free to glance around at the lack of televisions. Front room, now there's a computer, a wii attached to a computer monitor, and a portable DVD player. Couple of closets. Feel free to look through those boxes that don't contain televisions. Upstairs - toilet, not enough room to swing a television. Main and spare bedroom, both without ... televisions. Feel free to go through the wardrobes, but beware of the inflatable doll... oh, you got mugged by it. Shower room, boiler room.

"Now fuck off."

Rapscallion

[RayvenQ]

Raps, when they are leaving you should python them, what I mean by that is saying:

"Now go away or I will taunt you a second time-uh"

to them.

[Victoria J]

I'm under official investigation these days. I can't wait for them to come around when I'm actually in.

"Well, here's the kitchen, and I thnk you'll notice the glorious lack of televisual equipment. Dinng room through there - feel free to glance around at the lack of televisions. Front room, now there's a computer, a wii attached to a computer monitor, and a portable DVD player. Couple of closets. Feel free to look through those boxes that don't contain televisions. Upstairs - toilet, not enough room to swing a television. Main and spare bedroom, both without ... televisions. Feel free to go through the wardrobes, but beware of the inflatable doll... oh, you got mugged by it. Shower room, boiler room.

"Now fuck off."

Rapscallion

It's a great scenario but I really think that anyone with no TV who they persecute should make them waste the time and money to get a warrant and then show them the absence of television.

You don't have to let them in without one, or even speak to them. Though if they know you're there it is best to speak to them and tell them you have no television and sign a statement if asked.

This doesn't make them leave you alone. I got caught by them one day while moving some boxes into my house (having lived there for around 2 years I finally went and picked up all my stuff at my mother's house). I told them I had no television, he asked to come in, I said no (and gave the boxes etc. as a reason). He said he'd report back that I have no television (I never fill in the things to say that, though again it makes no difference) but that they might return again to ask to see the house at some point.

I continued getting threatening letters.

I do worry a bit about them getting a warrant. I have no working televisions but I do have problems with keeping my house tidy (or indeed sane), and hate having people in my space. I do know a couple of people who've had to let them in with a warrant and "prove" they have no television.

It's truly absurd because you get plenty of warning for the warrant and can get rid of any televisions if you do have them.

I just think that rubbing their noses in the absence of television is that much better if you make them get a warrant first.

(I'm not a fan of persecuting people on the assumption they have a television- but to make it even more unfair they disproportionally harass the poor. They send licensing vans out to areas with "high non-compliance" meaning areas with high density of housing, lots of unsettled accommodation, and where licenses and even televisions may not be the highest priority. Strangely enough this means they generally don't spend the same amount of time stalking the leafy suburbs. The umbrella organisation that my place of employment is part of actually did a campaign about it at one point. Not a successful campaign mind you...)

Victoria J

[RayvenQ]

I'd tell them to get lost and use one of their mythical, god like TV dectector vans to try and prove that I have a telly.

[Rapscallion]

To clarify, when I moved in about two years ago, I got a letter within days to say there wasn't a license at the address. I did as they requested and rang the number provided, and I gave the reference number on that letter. I explained the situation and the chap I spoke to assured me it was entered on their database and I wouldn't be bothered. They may send someone around to check.

Fine by me - I'll get them a cuppa. Oh, no need, they'll have a detector van...

Since then, I've just had letters that verged on intimidation. I've had a leaflet shoved through my door saying that they said they'd call.

It's not my job to keep their records up to date. I'm not spending money on another phone call to them. The Rapscallion is not going to the mountain, so the mountain can sod off.

Rapscallion

[Dips]

Here in the US we have the PBS Pledge Enforcement Van (as seen on the Simpsons...)

"Elmo know where you live!"