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Getting a new TV can be extremely exciting, but there are a few things you will have to think about when you take your new purchase home; where will you put it? What will you watch first? Do you have a TV licence? This last question is an extremely important one to answer before you get your television hooked up, so read on to find out more about how you know if you need it and how to go about getting it.
Do I Need a TV Licence?
You may not be aware that you need a TV licence, but if any of the following apply to you, you are required to have one:
- I watch live TV programmes
- I record live TV programmes
- I watch programmes on BBC iPlayer
- I download programmes on BBC iPlayer
The first two points apply to any channel, so even if you are not watching programmes on BBC channels, you will still need a TV licence.
How do I Get a TV Licence?
Getting a TV licence is a simple process, and there are a number of ways you can pay for it.
The licence itself costs £147 in total, but you can pay in instalments to spread the cost. There are a number of payment options including:
- Direct Debit
- Debit and credit card
- PayPoint
- TV Licensing payment card
- TV Licensing savings card
- Cheques and postal orders
- BACS electronic transfer
You can pay the full amount in one go, pay quarterly (four payments with a £1.25 premium on each payment), pay monthly (the first licence will be paid in 6 months at £24.50 p/m; the next year will be 12 instalments of £12.25), or pay weekly (the first licence will be paid over 26 weeks, then you can change to fortnightly payments).
What if I Don’t Need a TV Licence?
If you don’t watch any live TV or use BBC iPlayer to catch up with programmes, you may not need a TV licence. This would mean that you only use your television to watch DVDs, play games or use paid streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
In this case, you should let TV Licensing know that this is the case. You can do this online and they may send someone out to check that the information you have provided is correct.
What Happens if I Don’t Pay My TV Licence?
If you are watching live TV or using BBC iPlayer to watch or download programmes, you must pay for your TV licence. If you fail to pay, this is a criminal offence and you could be fined up to £1,000.
If you’re unsure if you need a TV licence, you can check your details on the TV Licensing website.
Now that you’ve got your TV licence sorted, why not take a look at our range of graded TVs so you can watch all of your favourite programmes (Game of Thrones, anyone?) on a new TV!
If you have any questions about any of our products, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team by calling 0121 327 323 or by emailing info@electronicworldtv.co.uk and we’ll be more than happy to help.
