Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Baldrick on July 01, 2019, 01:54:10 pm
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I have received a notification that our TV licence will no longer be free. The Licence is in the wife name as she reached the qualifying age first . If I dig my heels in and on principle refuse to pay cos the Con party made an election promise that it would remain free, will they send the fuzz round and take her away ? %)
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Probably not but the BBC will probably take you to court. Then you will have to pay the licence plus their costs.
Principles can be expensive! (and politician's promises unenforceable)
Colin
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They're not actually stopping the concession (yet), they're changing the qualifying criteria. I don't know yet whether the changes have been ratified and an actual date set🤔
Regards,
Ray.
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Probably not but the BBC will probably take you to court. Then you will have to pay the licence plus their costs.
Principles can be expensive! (and politician's promises unenforceable)
Colin
But what do they do if we ALL still refuse to pay the fines, Throw us out of our houses, take all our goods, throw us all on the streets?
And don't forget that you do not have to allow any person including plod, into your home unless they have a warrant to do so.
LB
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Become an MP, you then get a free second home and a free tv licence.
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And don't forget that you do not have to allow any person including plod, into your home unless they have a warrant to do so.
You mean like a bailiff appointed by the Court? Good luck with your barrack-room law book when they come knocking. They never call without legal authority to enter premises and distrain on goods and chattels, and when they do their fees and costs fall to be paid by the 'debtor'.
As to politicians' promises, it would be illuminating to note down all those currently being spouted in a certain leadership contest and then compare them with the list of those which are subsequently followed through. Who was it said that you can easily spot a politician who's lying because it's when his/her lips move? Do we never learn??
Tough old life, innit?
DaveM
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But what do they do if we ALL still refuse to pay the fines
In your dreams LB! It will never happen.
Politicians have shrugged off the responsibility onto the BBC who are not accountable - clever!
Colin
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Crafty Gov Move
Get the populace to
blame Aunty and no
votes lost from the ever
growing oldie populace.
Trouble is, we are the oldies
with a lot more nous than years
ago and know what's happening.
My letter tells me I can watch BBC
repeats for free until end of May
next year, 2 years and 6 months for
free.
Ned
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Timing is about what I have come to expect - just in time for my 75th.
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go to show the bbc is no long fit for purpose. Time to get rid of it .
John
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go to show the bbc is no long fit for purpose. Time to get rid of it .
You wouldn't neeed a licence then, but neither would there be any programmes. You'd have to spend all your time watching Love Island...... (and the adverts)
Colin
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go to show the bbc is no long fit for purpose. Time to get rid of it .
John
By what chain of logic from the original subject have you come to that conclusion, and what would you have replace it? If you've ever been to the USA and seen the moronic travesty they have for TV then you'd regret even having thought of abolishing the Beeb. I'd rather pay a TV licence and keep the BBC than put money into Branson's or Murdoch's pocket.
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I completely agree with Dave, US TV is the ultimate nightmare and our commercial channels are heading in the same direction. Think Bruce Springsteen's song: '57 channels and nothing on!' which sums it up very well.
These days you find that a lot of commercial channel 1 hour programmes have only 40 minutes of subject time. The rest is all adverts and it is getting worse.
Colin
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I'm with the sensible others, US TV represents the absolute worst quality broadcasting. But outside of the UK everything seems to be similar.
I have a love-hate relationship with the BEEB these days. I used to vehemently defend it, but it's getting worse every time I watch it now. and I don't think it's working well these days. Making iplayer sign-in only, and finding out the BBC part owns Dave (with adverts) grinds my gears. It seems too interested in quantity rather than quality these days. The additional Scottish channel really p***s me off when there's already essentially a Scottish channel, and has been for donkeys years. The quality of BBC News is slowly sliding sliding downhill and that for me is sacrosanct.
I don't like paying my fee these days to be honest but I really believe it should be free for pensioners. I think BBC's onto a looser now though when there's buffoons like that elderly twit MP on Any Questions the other weekend who insisted free TV and public transport were removed for pensioners. Despite being challenged 3 times or more, he couldn't acknowledge the fact that just because he was earning a full wage at 75+ years, not everyone else is!
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but I really believe it should be free for pensioners.
As a pensioner I don't agree with that. I have a decent pension, as do many others, believe it or not, and I can afford the licence fee with no problems. Concessions should depend on low income rather than age. I have no problem with people on low incomes getting free or rebated BBC licences but for many people age doesn't come into it.
People get emotive without thinking these things through. Unfortunately they often also vote on the same principle.
Colin
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Don't include me in the group of people on that last comment please!
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No, it was just a general comment and not aimed at you personally. But there is this sort of assumption that pensioner=poor but the reality is that poor does not necessarily embrace all pensioners by any means.
If there is a concession available then I will take it if I am legally entitled such as my bus pass and winter fuel allowance on the principle that I am probably losing out in other areas but if the law changes in an effort to make things more equitable for those on low incomes then I will not object if I cease to qualify.
The reallity of life is that sometimes you are in the right place at the right time and sometimes you are not so my philosophy is to take it when on offer on the basis that things could soon go in the opposite direction. We all have to do the best we can for ourselves and our dependents and life can be complicated.
Colin
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I
I have a love-hate relationship with the BEEB these days.
Me also . I used to have great regard for the BEEB , that was until they utterly disgraced themselves over the Sir Cliff Richard debacle.
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But what do they do if we ALL still refuse to pay the fines, Throw us out of our houses, take all our goods, throw us all on the streets?
And don't forget that you do not have to allow any person including plod, into your home unless they have a warrant to do so.
LB
Whilst not wishing to sound pedantic, or be annoying , but the police do not always need a warrant to enter your house . Yes there are times when that is necessary however there are many laws that give a power of entry .
Bart
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But what do they do if we ALL still refuse to pay the fines, Throw us out of our houses, take all our goods, throw us all on the streets?
And don't forget that you do not have to allow any person including plod, into your home unless they have a warrant to do so.
LB
You can extend that logic to absolutely any crime/ action you choose. Doesn't sound so good now.
It appears to be happening with Class A drugs if you believe the press.
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As a pensioner I don't agree with that. I have a decent pension, as do many others, believe it or not, and I can afford the licence fee with no problems. Concessions should depend on low income rather than age. I have no problem with people on low incomes getting free or rebated BBC licences but for many people age doesn't come into it.
People get emotive without thinking these things through. Unfortunately they often also vote on the same principle.
Colin
I'm with you Colin. I've never understood why the free licence kicked in at 75. Why not pension age if the principle was that pensioners needed the help? But as you say, many of us are fortunate enough not to need it, and I for one will happily continue to pay it for as long as I can. Having lived in the US for three years, I can only endorse the other comments about TV over there. There's a reason BBC series are so popular in America, and we should be grateful for the generally high quality output and balanced reporting we get here.
Greg
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Greg,
Agree with all of that.
I do support universal pensioner bus passes however. If it wasn't for the large number of pensioners on buses virtually all routes would be uneconomic & very quickly lost. Pensioners, I believe, keep numbers on buses high and thus routes viable.
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All well and good.
BUT If I do not watch any
BBC channels, why should
I have to subsidise them?
The present tech for digital
TV would allow BBC programmes
to be blocked.
Balanced reporting %) %)
Psml :D
Ned
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BUT If I do not watch any BBC channels, why should I have to subsidise them?
If you applied that logic in its broadest sense then I could reasonably demand a hefty discount on my council tax because I don't personally use schools, libraries, leisure centres, sports pitches, public transport, care homes (yet...), parks, blah blah blah. In fact all seem to I get for my almost three grand a year is street lighting and empty wastebins..... and don't get me started on Income Tax and VAT >>:-(
You have to pay for a TV Licence because the law says that you must. Blaming the BBC for a political decision which was foisted upon them isn't right. It's as simple as that, Ned.
DaveM
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Agree Dave.
The Gov did the dirty on
the Beeb, putting the ball in
their court so not taking the
blame. The fact that we all need
schools and so on are necessary
to life, but TV and Radio have an OFF
switch and are not essential to
everyday life.
Just my tuppence ;)
Ned
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At the end of the day there are a whole load of things that the government funds which are not essential. A couple of examples from a very long list. Grants for historical buildings, electric cars etc etc. Why should I pay my taxes so that somebody can be subsidised to buy an electric car or have their building repaired?
The licence fee is effectively a tax which is seen to separate the BBC from the government but is none the less effectively a tax.
We all pay for things that we don't use.
Just my opinion. O0
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I think you are mixing things up a bit there.
Grants for electric vehicles are a positive tax incentive to get people to switch from polluting engines to emission free ones in the interests of the health of the nation. (let's leave aside for the moment the upfront pollution issues on manufacturing electric cars etc.) If you are iin the market for either a petrol car for £20k or an electric equivalent at £30k which has a battery which might degenerate into a lifeless brick in five years time which one will you choose? Unless you are a Saint it's a no brainer. A subsidy might change your mind however.
Historical buildings are different. These are effectively national heirlooms which should be preserved for posterity. In the meantime they are in the ownership (custodianship?) of people who will incur much higher than average costs in maintaining them. All buildings need to be maintained but it is a lot cheaper if you can fit replacement UPVC windows instead of Georgian leaded lights or replace the thatched roof with concrete tiles rather than having it re thatched. You can't turn all these places into museums funded from the public purse so it is much more cost effective to financially support those who are willing to take on these money pits to help preserve our historic heritage.
And if you don't recognise that such historic heritage exists then label yourself as a Philistine!
These things are never as simple as people want to believe.
Colin
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The purpose of taxation is primarily to raise revenue. It isn't, as some would have us believe, a payment for the specific services or benefits which we receive on a personal basis. It matters little what the tax/contribution/levy/licence fee/whatever is called, all the money goes into the same pot - to be allocated according to the whims of the party of government at the time. It's therefore meaningless to complain that, for example, motorists are unfairly penalised or that obese people should pay more in tax because they use the NHS more than thin people. I forget who said "from each according to his means; to each according to his needs" but it serves to illustrate the concept very well.
I was a revenue man for over 30 years and I never once met anyone who professed to enjoy paying tax, especially those who worked for the government!
Always bear in mind that there are just three things in life which are inevitable; birth, death and taxes. Get used to it.
DM
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I think you are mixing things up a bit there.
Grants for electric vehicles are a positive tax incentive to get people to switch from polluting engines to emission free ones in the interests of the health of the nation. (let's leave aside for the moment the upfront pollution issues on manufacturing electric cars etc.) If you are iin the market for either a petrol car for £20k or an electric equivalent at £30k which has a battery which might degenerate into a lifeless brick in five years time which one will you choose? Unless you are a Saint it's a no brainer. A subsidy might change your mind however.
Historical buildings are different. These are effectively national heirlooms which should be preserved for posterity. In the meantime they are in the ownership (custodianship?) of people who will incur much higher than average costs in maintaining them. All buildings need to be maintained but it is a lot cheaper if you can fit replacement UPVC windows instead of Georgian leaded lights or replace the thatched roof with concrete tiles rather than having it re thatched. You can't turn all these places into museums funded from the public purse so it is much more cost effective to financially support those who are willing to take on these money pits to help preserve our historic heritage.
And if you don't recognise that such historic heritage exists then label yourself as a Philistine!
These things are never as simple as people want to believe.
Colin
Buying any new car is a choice - you don't have to. and yes government money is spent to modify behaviour but it is still me paying for you to buy a car. My taxes your car whilst I go most places on the bus or train.
Historical buildings might be national heirlooms but a lot of people never visit them nor have any particular interest in them but pay for them. They obviously matter to you and you don't have to be a philistine not to be interested in them. Personally I would like to have saved one of the big railway coaling towers but what do I know?
This comes down to what each of us like is essential & "right" but the rest is waste. I doubt if any of us share a definition.
The BBC is just one of a long list. I don't watch much of it but I do regard it as the standard setter and without it I would be concerned about the race to the bottom.
I reckon a fair chunk of what I am taxed for is a waste & a fair chunk of the rest is spent badly - 2 aircraft carriers being a case in point - but I am equally sure that your list would be different. The BBC is a very small part of this.
Agree about death & taxes. There is always someone who thinks that they can spend my money better than I can and claim legitimacy in so doing.
I will be leaving this topic now as there is little hope of a consensus answer.
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The trouble these days is that everybody wants everything for nothing and if they don't want it they don't see why anybody else should have it.
John
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My understanding is that buses and trains are heavily subsidised, I rarely use either but I do recognise the need for it.
Colin
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At the end of the day, on the 1st June
next year, all of us over 75 will roll over
and buy a new licence. <:(
Ned
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Just scrap it altogether and go as a paid service if you want it.
Sure lineker is worth every penny !!!
Like the £19 pound monthly RIP off line rental charge which in most cases you must have to have Broadband.
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At the end of the day, on the 1st June
next year, all of us over 75 will roll over
and buy a new licence. <:(
Ned
Because we won't have any other option, short of ending up in court and having to pay even more.
And I won't be voting for my current MP in future just because his party reneged on the deal that said they WEREN'T going to do exactly what they have done.
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Kit
Because we won't have any other option, short of ending up in court and having to pay even more. And I won't be voting for my current MP in future just because his party reneged on the deal that said they WEREN'T going to do exactly what they have done.
I really think you've got the hang of this democracy thing... 8) Pass that message on!
DaveM
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I have heard that they are some honest decent politicians on the planet ; but they are only visiting.
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I worked with someone who didn't have a TV or paid a licence -they exclusively played games and streamed movies.
They had absolutely no clue what was happening around them. More to the point they didn't care at all as long as facebook and social media was still going.
Bit like "The Donald", they didn't take any news, forecasts, no interest in what was happening local or national. Minimal interest in anything overseas. They had pretty much no idea about anything pre-2000 in history, I admire them for movies though -everything was brand new stories, absolutely no such thing as a re-make to them. But they were the folk killing the high street also, used to order on-line rather than going to a local shop -400m from work on the excuse "not going that way" -WTF, you only had to walk 5mins before seeing the shop!
The BBC needs to keep going but I don't agree with allot of it now. Neither do I agree with it having to announce presenters pay packets! This is the UK not Norway. I really don't blame good presenters for leaving it. I guess that's a different story.
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i will not be voting for my mp next time
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As I have mentioned before on another post, our ABC is fully paid for out of government revenue.
Just no mention of a license fee.
Since i do not earn enough to pay tax my viewing is free. ;)
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Well yes & no Brian.........
I am in the same earning category, however a few cents from every tank full of petrol goes to pay for our new ABC Boss 'Ita' :kiss: :kiss: .....but also for the Federal :police: to raid our ABC offices %)
Reading into the future, I believe 'Ita Butrose' will improve Governance of the ABC which can only help consumers
Derek
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I guess that the over 75 free TV licence was only bought in to buy votes (paid for by us)?
If you want a real good discussion did you know that a Council tenant can buy the property they are renting and get a discount of getting on for £81k!!! Rather makes the grants towards buying electric vehicles look like small change!
The result being that some Councils have lost large chunks of their housing stock when there are calls for more social housing - more joined up government thinking, not! I thought that when Labour got in last time, under Blair, that it would be scrapped but no chance.
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I forget who said "from each according to his means; to each according to his needs"
DM
It was Karl Marx setting out the basis for communism, but as ever with politicians, those in power always have more needs than the proles they "serve".
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i will not be voting for my mp next time
...Fair play. Can't remember mine but I hate the SNP so not remembering mine is somewhat immaterial.
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Come to Australia, we haven't had TV or radio licences since 18th September 1974 :}
Peter.
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quote from the sun newspaper today page 13 people not buying tv licence useing nexflix how
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useing nexflix how
Is this a question, Gordon?
DM
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yes we had a power cut will finish question how do people get away with out paying for a tv licence
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https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/tv-licence/
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quote from the sun newspaper today page 13 people not buying tv licence useing nexflix how
Yes, the Sun, "reliable distributor of accuate facts", or not, depending on what you know, but with big pictures.
The odd times that I have had any involvement with any story (story definitions include fiction) run by the Sun, I have yet to see any actual facts make it to print. Statements of what the owners would like the facts to be, but not facts. By extrapolation, this is probably true of the rest of their efforts. Not saying that they are the only paper to bend facts and truth to fit their own agenda.
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I'm 100% in agreement there, Malcolm, so here's the unadorned facts from the folk who will jump on you if you transgress their rules https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ104# (https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ104#)
The question remains, however, about how they can tell whether or not you also watch BBC i-player or live TV.
DaveM
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The question remains, however, about how they can tell whether or not you also watch BBC i-player or live TV.
DaveM
It is a legal requirement that all transmitted television is required to include BBC. So watch SKY Sports and you are doing so with BBC capability, whether you watch BBC or not.
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The question remains, however, about how they can tell whether or not you also watch BBC i-player or live TV.
Or will you ONLY comply with the law if there is a chance of being caught?
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You won't believe how aggressive they get if they are aware of an address that doesn't have a TV licence - regardless of whether there is a TV there or not and regardless of whether the address is occupied or not.
Their 99.95% assumption is that you are evading the licence fee.
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Their 99.95% assumption is that you are evading the licence fee.
They are probably 80% correct! :-)) :-))
Ned
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You won't believe how aggressive they get if they are aware of an address that doesn't have a TV licence - regardless of whether there is a TV there or not and regardless of whether the address is occupied or not.
Their 99.95% assumption is that you are evading the licence fee.
Agree, a friend who did not have a television for about 5 years after moving into his first house was hounded for years as they just could not believe he did not have one, in the end he let one of the busy bodies in who agreed that it would seem that he had no tv as there was not even an aerial socket on any of the walls, no sign of any outside aerial etc etc.. he was then warned !!! that they would be back if it was found out that he did have one !!!!!
When I worked for a rental Company we had to pass on all address details of the purchaser of any Tv.
It really is about time that the BBC fell in line with the other channels and go Pay as you view, heck even put ads on. 8) 8)
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A the end of the day it is a tax on property which the government wants to be seen as having a distance from. Just add it to the Council Tax bill and pass it on just like they do with the police precept, parish council precept etc etc etc. which even allows for those on low incomes who get help to pay it
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When I worked for a rental Company we had to pass on all address details of the purchaser of any Tv.
This was also for HP purchasers reason they could not confiscate the TV as it was not yours'
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Used to be the rule for any TV sale
new or secondhand from a shop.
There was a booklet of forms, one to be
filled in at each purchase.
In the good old days the detector vans
picked up the rfi from the lopt and knew
you were switched on.
Digi is a different kettle of fish, plus
I am on the beach now and not privy to
the devious means of e surveillance
or ecm.
Ned
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When I worked for a rental Company we had to pass on all address details of the purchaser of any Tv.
This was also for HP purchasers reason they could not confiscate the TV as it was not yours'
Cash sales as well as we rented and sold..
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a friend of mine has a large screen tv that he uses to render digital movies and backgrounds that he creates, he doesnt watch tv and had a visit, when it was pointed out he had a tv set he then pointed out that he didnt have an aerial, or wish to watch tv. he still gets the odd visit from them trying to catch him watching tv.
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Cash sales as well as we rented and sold..
:} Same difference they just needed to know if they could take the set.
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Oh just had a nice letter from them telling me all about why my licence runs out next May
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We in the RAF (and probably in the entire British armed forces) have to pay a tv licence for our rooms not just for the block/house due to military regulations. When I first joined up we paid a small amount towards the block tv license but it changed so each individual had to have their own. And to add more salt in to the wound the RAF then invited the tv license checkers around the camps to catch anyone who didn’t have a license! The issue I have when I move camps is that the rooms are not postal addresses so trying to create ‘an address ‘ that technically doesn’t exist!
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How is this fair, I'm a massive R4 fan. When I'm out the country it seems I have full and free access to listen to R4 shows live via BBC internet site, any back dated shows or recordings also. In the UK I'm blocked from both or listening to anything recorded without a "subscription", and radio doesn't even need a license!!!
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'Fair' doesn't come into it, it's Government sponsored corporate greed at work here. >:-o
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...it's Government sponsored corporate greed at work here. >:-o
I'd be interested to hear the rationale behind that statement.
DaveM
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How is this fair, I'm a massive R4 fan. When I'm out the country it seems I have full and free access to listen to R4 shows live via BBC internet site, any back dated shows or recordings also. In the UK I'm blocked from both or listening to anything recorded without a "subscription", and radio doesn't even need a license!!!
You just have to register. There is no fee, so not a subscription. :-))
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I'd be interested to hear the rationale behind that statement.
DaveM
The Government have passed the administration of the licence wholly to the BBC, which means it's totally out of any democratic control. The BBC in turn can just demand any amount they feel like, and they are doing just that. If that isn't greed I don't know what is.
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The Government have passed the administration of the licence wholly to the BBC, which means it's totally out of any democratic control. The BBC in turn can just demand any amount they feel like, and they are doing just that. If that isn't greed I don't know what is.
No they don't, the government still sets the level of the fee: http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/general/licence_fee (http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/general/licence_fee)
"The Government is responsible for setting the level of the licence fee and in 2016 announced that it would rise in line with inflation for five years from 1 April 2017."
The BBC is now lumbered with paying for the over 75's licenses rather than the government. They have decided not to take on this extra bill, possibly because the politicians are still prone to claim they are responsible for what is seen as A Good Thing if they do. Those same politicians aren't quite so keen on taking any responsibility to A Bad Thing.
Local councils have suffered this for years. Government is very good at coming up with half-baked ideas that suddenly become the local authorities problem to deliver, problems that don't normally come with sufficient funding to carry them out, but by that point the politician concerned has lost interest and gone back to fiddling their expenses.
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No they don't, the government still sets the level of the fee: http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/general/licence_fee (http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/general/licence_fee)
"The Government is responsible for setting the level of the licence fee and in 2016 announced that it would rise in line with inflation for five years from 1 April 2017."
The BBC is now lumbered with paying for the over 75's licenses rather than the government. They have decided not to take on this extra bill, possibly because the politicians are still prone to claim they are responsible for what is seen as A Good Thing if they do. Those same politicians aren't quite so keen on taking any responsibility to A Bad Thing.
Local councils have suffered this for years. Government is very good at coming up with half-baked ideas that suddenly become the local authorities problem to deliver, problems that don't normally come with sufficient funding to carry them out, but by that point the politician concerned has lost interest and gone back to fiddling their expenses.
{-) {-) {-) {-)
(Well, it's that or <*< >>:-( <*< >>:-( <:( <:( <:( )
And be careful - we're getting dangerously close to politics here - :police: .
Greg
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And be careful - we're getting dangerously close to politics here - :police: .
That's because it's a political subject.
I don't care who's demanding the money from me, I protest strongly about having such a 'benefit' taken away when I've been enjoying it after years of toil and paying in.
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I questioned this fee and was told "it is fee for having equipment capable of receiving the transmission signal" nemesis
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I don't care who's demanding the money from me, I protest strongly about having such a 'benefit' taken away when I've been enjoying it after years of toil and paying in.
When you're going hunting with a big gun it's always a good idea to identify the right target. You may end up shooting yourself in the foot....and having two of them isn't much of a consolation. 8)
DM
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It's not so much that the creepies have done it , as the sneaky way they have done it . Go on ! call another election and give us a chance to express our disgust , dare you >>:-(
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That's because it's a political subject.
I don't care who's demanding the money from me, I protest strongly about having such a 'benefit' taken away when I've been enjoying it after years of toil and paying in.
You are paying for an ongoing service. Someone has to, presumably that someone ought to be those paying for your pension while compulsory building up their own so the state can abrogate that responsibility in the future, as well as struggling to afford a house (guess who got the cheap housing?) and paying off their student loans (guess who got free education?) and watching all their local services taken away (libraries? Those were things we had when we were kids but not now).
If you really can't afford it, claim benefit and you get it for free.
And I've seen license fee-free TV in Australia and Canada. It's horrible. The BBC may not be perfect, but it's probably the least worst system.
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You are paying for an ongoing service. Someone has to, presumably that someone ought to be those paying for your pension while compulsory building up their own so the state can abrogate that responsibility in the future, as well as struggling to afford a house (guess who got the cheap housing?) and paying off their student loans (guess who got free education?) and watching all their local services taken away (libraries? Those were things we had when we were kids but not now).
If you really can't afford it, claim benefit and you get it for free.
And I've seen license fee-free TV in Australia and Canada. It's horrible. The BBC may not be perfect, but it's probably the least worst system.
Somebody has to pay for my pensions ? Probably, because I had to pay for other people's pensions during the 50 years I was earning , that is how it works when government does not invest peoples contributions and hold it till they have to pay them out but instead has a non funded scheme using the money as income to spend. Who got cheap housing ? When first married we lived in a manky flat scraping the deposit for a house and taking on two jobs in order to pay the mortgage. Those who got student loans are not those now reaching retirement age, In my early days it was state school (paid out of general taxation ) till 16 then out to work 51/2 days a week for 50 years paying income tax, national insurance ( this was meant for our pensions) Purchase tax, later VAT,
As far as I am concerned I can pay the licence fee but if you read the threads the insult we feel is that the government has decided that because things have got tight they need to predate on the retired and the license fee is only one benefit cut, winter heating allowances will be next . You must remember that the pensioner faces inflation, every year living costs go up by about 3.5% and this compounds and apart for some small increase in the state pension the pensioners income remains basically static while the general population get pay rises to cover . Thus with perhaps 20 or more years ahead of him he faces his fixed income eventually becoming 40% of what he started with . The pensioner therefore has to budget carefully to make his money stretch which is why changing the game by fiscal snatchback is blatantly nasty.
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Nobody remembers anything!
In today's paper there was a young chap bemoaning the fact that he was unlikely to be able to afford to buy a place of his own unlike the forunate 'baby boomers'.
It was never easy for the average joe to buy a place of their own. Back in the 70s it was essential to have two incomes. One to pay the mortgage and one to cover living expenses. Unless you were a couple, you hadn't a hope. Nothing has really changed in that respect.
My Wife and I are OK now financially but for most of our married lives we were in debt and found it very difficult to make ends meet with bringing up a family. Most of our friends were in the same boat.
Some people today think we had it easy - we didn't.
Colin
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In today's news.
Figures obtained by The Times show that 889 BBC staff received pay increases equivalent to between 10 and 20 per cent of their salaries last year. An additional 256 employees were given more than 20 per cent.Across both groups the average rise was £6,980, costing licence fee payers an additional £7.9 million.
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Now, wonder how they intend funding that ?
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Topic tidied up, and irrelevant posts removed, mine included.
Peter.
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Just to keep the pot boiling Bo Jo has told the Beeb that they must continue giving the old gits free TV Licences.
This has got legs !
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/culture/news/106093/boris-johnson-says-bbc-must-‘cough-’-and-continue-free-tv-licences-all
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Hi all, I echo Baldrick and Colin here, we gave up a lot of holidays to get our housing sorted out. We both knew what we wanted and went for it. None of the UK governments ever invested, just paid out money that was coming in, in taxation.
Like most of us we paid our taxes and so it does seem unfair that these days that large corporations can pay less tax into our UK economy than a single empleyee does.
As far as the TV license fee goes I think we all know we are being softened up for a general election, first threaten to take it away then give it back! To me it is all out goings no matter who the recipient is.
With worldwide interest rates so low one can only look to spending no more than you have to. With miniscule interest on savings, switching service suppliers and saving a few hundred can be the same as the interest you would earn on £20K. (assuming you had £20K in the first pace)!
I remember my son in law challenged me on being the winner of an inflation cycle and said "What did you spend the money on"? I said " On my childrens' education"! Seems to have payed off handsomely. He teaches finance at Birmingham Uni, so maybe appreciated my early and rare bout of wisdom.
It is tough out there at the moment and I do not envy any of the younger generations, it needs different thinking now and only they can do it. I watch with interest!
regards Roy