UK households risk a fine of up to £1,000 if they fail to keep track of their TV Licence. TV Licensing states that when you buy a Licence, "you are required to provide a valid email address".
Why missing emails can lead to prosecution
Licensing officials say they may use your contact information to send updates about your licence, including notices that it is due to expire. If you do not see those emails and your licence lapses, you could end up watching live TV or BBC iPlayer without being covered.
TV Licensing also warns that it is the account holder's responsibility to inform them if their email address changes. This means you can still be prosecuted even if you do not realise your licence has lapsed.
It explains: "If you do not inform TV Licensing of any changes and consequently do not receive an email reminder that your next TV Licence is due, you will remain fully responsible and liable to pay the licence fee and to ensure that you are properly licensed and may still be prosecuted if you are found to be using a TV receiver to receive television programmes without a TV Licence."
How much does a TV Licence cost?
A standard TV Licence costs £180, and a black-and-white licence costs £60.50. It covers a household for all TV channels like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels, pay TV services like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV, live TV on streaming services like YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, everything on BBC iPlayer, and watching, recording and downloading on any device.
You will not be fined just for not having a licence. However, you could be fined if you need one and are not covered.
Licensing officials explain: "You could be prosecuted if we find that you have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally. The maximum penalty is a £1,000 fine plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay. The maximum fine is £2,000 in Guernsey."
Other ways to receive reminders
You do not have to receive these reminders via email alone. Officials add that there are several different ways you can get them.
- Change your preferences via the TV Licensing website - log into your TV Licence online and follow the instructions.
- Change your preferences via phone or post - contact them by post at TV Licensing, Darlington, DL98 1TL, or phone 0300 790 6165. If you are deaf, have hearing loss or are speech impaired, TV Licensing supports the Relay UK service.
- Change your preferences via the secure link contained in the emails - follow the instructions included within some emails. A minority of emails, such as your TV Licence and emails confirming changes made via the TV Licensing website, will not contain these unsubscribe instructions.
Calls to its 0300 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number, whether from a mobile or landline. If you get inclusive minutes, calls to an 0300 number will be included free of charge.
Can you unsubscribe from TV Licensing emails?
TV Licensing officials say you can let them know you no longer wish to receive emails. However, they warn that if you choose this option and "you do so less than a month before your current TV Licence expires" you may still be contacted by email.
It explains that "the changes may not come into effect in time to receive a renewal reminder by post, so you may still receive your reminder by email. This is because it takes up to four weeks to change your preferences from email to postal communications."
