Why we're here:
This blog is to highlight the unjust persecution of legitimate non-TV users at the hands of TV Licensing. These people do not require a licence and are entitled to live without the unnecessary stress and inconvenience caused by TV Licensing's correspondence and employees.

If you use equipment to receive live broadcast TV programmes, or to watch or download BBC on-demand programmes via the iPlayer, then the law requires you to have a TV licence and we encourage you to buy one.

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Sunday 15 February 2015

TV Licence Refund: Claim Yours Today

TV Licence Refund


Over the last decade that number has steadily risen in line with the increasing number of properties receiving TV programmes.

A TV licence is needed for any property where equipment is installed or used to receive TV programmes at the same time as they are broadcast to the wider public. Anyone who chooses not to receive TV programmes, for whatever reason, no longer requires a TV licence and may be entitled to a refund on any licence already held.

Despite offering a range of convenient payment options, and positively encouraging payment of the £145.50 fee at every turn, the BBC's militant revenue generation arm, TV Licensing, is often much less forthcoming when it comes to the issue of refunds.

Beat TV Licensing

There are six general situations where a refund may be claimed on the TV licence of a residential property. TV Licensing will normally request documentary evidence to support any retrospective TV licence refund claim (see refund evidence table), but proof is not normally required when claiming a refund on future periods of licence validity.

No evidence is required if the licence holder dies, or if the refund claim is made within the last full calendar quarter of licence validity.

Below we provide a brief description of the refund options available:

1. TV licence no longer needed
This is by far the most common situation. For whatever reason a licence is no longer needed for the property in question. We suggest anyone choosing to cancel their TV licence reads our previous article on the subject. Refunds in this situation may only be paid in respect of full unused calendar quarters of licence validity.

2.  Covered by another TV licence
This situation might arise when the licence holder moves into another property that is already covered by a valid TV licence. Refunds in this situation may only be paid in respect of full unused calendar quarters of licence validity.

3. TV licence purchased in error
This situation might arise when a second licence is mistakenly purchased for a property that is already covered by a valid TV licence. It could also be that the occupier purchased a black & white licence by mistake, but then purchased a colour licence for the same property. Refunds in this situation may only be paid in respect of full unused calendar months of licence validity.

4. Replacement TV licence purchased
This situation might arise when the licence holder chooses to upgrade their black & white licence to a colour licence, or downgrade their colour licence to a black & white licence. Refunds in this situation may only be paid in respect of full unused calendar months of licence validity.

5. Becomes eligible for a blind concessionary TV licence
This situation might arise when the licence holder becomes eligible for, or discovers they are eligible for, a blind concessionary licence. Refunds in this situation may only be paid in respect of full unused calendar months of licence validity, up to a maximum of six months.

6. Become eligible for an Over 75 TV licence
This situation might arise when the licence holder becomes eligible for, or discovers they are eligible for, an Over 75 licence. Refunds in this situation may only be paid in respect of full unused calendar months of licence validity, back until the first day of the month of the licence holder's 75th birthday.

Refunds are only issued by cheque, which is no doubt another TV Licensing ploy to deter people from the hassle of trying to claim one.

Anyone wishing to claim a TV licence refund can use the form on TV Licensing's website. Alternatively, they may wish to contact the TV Licensing customer services line (not that we recommend it).

You can read TV Licensing's full refund policy here and view the refund evidence table here.

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6 comments:

Chris said...

I love Capita being beaten with the bat of knowledge! Your best graphic to date!

Admin said...

Thanks Chris.

Glad someone appreciates my artistic flair!

Fred Bear said...

It appears that some people are using the Direct Debit indemnity claim process as well:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/221049/response/550938/attach/2/RFI20141207%20Final%20response.pdf

Anonymous said...

I have just spent over 1 hour trying to process a refund for my daughter who has moved to London, thus no longer needing her tv licence in Nottingham. She is in shared accommodation down there. BBC website simply does not work. Try as I may the website does not function. Failing to go to the final step of confirmation so you can print out.
Try and complain a relentless Kafkaesque system probably as faulty as the website greets you. Hunter S was right both barrels! If only it yielded a result.

Adriano Bulla said...

I haven't watched TV for 2 years. Can I claim a refund?

Anonymous said...

I have not watched tv for almost 3 years like a lot of people I was threatened with court action so I was intimidated into buying a licence which I don't need or want I have been unsucsessful in trying to get a refund everytime I try filling out their form I keep getting redirected & everything I write has been scrubbed 4 times.It is disgraceful when they want your money everything can be sorted there & then,but when you want refunded your own money back it's a joke.