I don’t have a TV license as I only watch Netflix and Amazon. However, I heard that I will now have to purchase a license. Is this true?
S Becks, Reading, Berks
Dean Dunham responds: The general rule is that, under UK law, you need to have a current television license if you, or anyone within your home, apartment or premises, watch live television on any channel or service, record television programs while streaming live or watching anything. on BBC iPlayer.
So when you tune in to watch ‘on demand’ TV, like Netflix, Amazon and other similar streaming services, you don’t need a TV license.
This is because here you are not watching ‘live’ shows – that is, shows that are broadcast when you watch or record them – but instead choose from a catalog of options.
Netflix has launched a new service where it broadcasts ‘live’ events, for example the boxing match of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson against Jake Paul.
What you’ve heard relates to Netflix, the American streaming giant that has 17.1 million subscribers in the UK and has launched a new service where it streams “live” events; for example, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson’s boxing match against Jake Paul that airs Friday. .
So, this is “live” television, which means that if you watch this or any other live event on Netflix, as it airs, or even if you record it to watch later, fall squarely into the territory of needing a television license.
To clarify, you can still watch Netflix without a TV license if you choose not to watch the live events.
If you need to obtain a TV license, the easiest way to do this is online at tvlicensing.co.uk/. The standard TV license now costs £169.50 per year, following an increase of £10.50 on 1 April.
If you need a license but don’t buy one, you risk a fine of up to £1,000, plus legal costs and any compensation you may be ordered to pay.
We moved into our house about three years ago and just received an invoice for work done on the windows before we bought it. The previous owner died before we took possession and we have no idea of any repairs. Do we have to pay?
LM, San Leonardo.
Dean Dunham responds: The simple answer to this is no. The starting point is that as there will be no contract or legal agreement between you and the company that has issued the invoice, this means that you have no obligation to pay it. Therefore, they will not be able to take you to court to recover the money allegedly owed under the invoice because there are no legal relations between you.
Any claim would fall against the previous owner of your home, who is now deceased. Therefore, you should write to the company concerned, explain the situation and indicate the address of the previous owner’s assets.
Regardless of the above, there is a possible course of action that the company seeking the invoice could take, if it is unable to recover the money owed from the previous owner’s estate. It involves claiming that you had what is known as a “retention of title” clause in the contract with the previous owner of your property.
If you can prove that you had such a clause in the agreement, it would potentially mean that the company could claim that it still owns the materials used to repair the windows, as they have not been paid for, meaning it would have the right to recover them. them.
However, unless the company uses large, easily removable products such as glass and window frames, this option is probably simply not viable.
In general, my advice is that after you have explained that you did not own the house when the repairs were made, simply ignore all future communications from the company and do not allow them onto your property if anyone from the company comes to see you.
