Do I need a TV licence to watch Netflix? DEAN DUNHAM reveals the shows you must NOT watch if you don't pay the fee
I do not have a TV licence, as I only watch Netflix and Amazon. However, I’ve heard I will now need to buy a licence. Is this true?
S Becks, Reading, Berks
Dean Dunham replies: The general rule is that under UK law you need to have a current TV licence if you, or anyone within your house, flat or premises, watches live television on any channel or service, record television programmes as they are being broadcast live or watch anything on BBC iPlayer.
So when you tune in to watch ‘on demand’ television, such as Netflix, Amazon and other similar streaming services, no TV licence is needed.
This is because here you are not watching ‘live’ programmes – i.e. shows that are being broadcast when you watch or record them but, instead, choosing from a catalogue of options.
Netflix has launched a new service where it broadcasts ‘live’ events – for example the former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson versus Jake Paul boxing match
What you have heard about relates to Netflix, the US streaming giant which has 17.1 million UK subscribers and has launched a new service where it broadcasts ‘live’ events – for example the former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson versus Jake Paul boxing match being broadcast on Friday.
This is therefore ‘live’ television, meaning if you watch this, or any other Netflix live event, as it is broadcast, or even if you record it to watch later, you fall squarely into the territory of needing a TV licence.
To clarify, you can continue to watch Netflix without a TV licence if you chose not to watch the live events.
If you need to obtain a TV licence the easy way to do this is online at tvlicensing.co.uk/. The standard TV licence now costs £169.50 per year, following a £10.50 increase on April 1.
If you need a licence but fail to buy one, you risk being fined up to £1,000, plus any legal costs and compensation you may be ordered to pay.
We moved into our house around three years ago and have just received a bill for work carried out on the windows before we bought it. The previous owner died before we took ownership and we have no idea about any repairs. Do we have to pay?
L.M, St Leonards.
Dean Dunham replies: The simple answer to this is no. The starting point is that, as there will be no contract or legal agreement between yourself and the company that has issued the bill, which means you have no obligation to pay it. They would not therefore be able to take you to court to recover the alleged money owed under the bill because there are no legal relations between you.
Any claim would lie against the previous owner of your home who is now deceased. You should therefore write to the company concerned, explain the situation and point it in the direction of the previous owner’s estate.
Not withstanding the above, there is one potential course of action the company chasing the bill could take, if it cannot retrieve the money owed from the previous owner’s estate. This is to claim that it had what is known as a ‘retention of title’ clause in the contract with the previous owner of your property.
If it can prove that it did have such a clause in the agreement, it would potentially mean that the firm could claim it still owns the materials used to repair the windows, as they have not been paid for, meaning it would be entitled to retrieve them.
However, unless the company used large, easily removable goods, such as glass and window frames, this option is probably simply not practicable.
Overall, my advice is after you’ve explained you did not own the house when the repairs took place, simply ignore all future communication from the company and do not allow them on to your property if anyone from the firm comes to see you.
