Cancelling Your TV Licence

We thought we'd take the opportunity to give some advice about how to cancel a TV licence.

Anyone wishing to cancel should write to TV Licensing confirming the fact. It's always a good idea to make contact in writing, ideally by email, as an organisation as thoroughly unscrupulous and dishonest as TV Licensing may try to deny receiving your cancellation instruction.

TV Licensing now asks anyone trying to cancel to sign a declaration to the effect that they no longer require a TV licence. This is simply a TV Licensing tactic to gain further information and frustrate the cancellation process. There is no legal basis for declaration whatsoever - I mean would you feel compelled to declare to Asda that you now only do your shopping at Tesco? A simple email saying "I no longer legally require a TV licence" is perfectly acceptable and nothing more is required, despite what TV Licensing might claim to the contrary.

Cancelling an annual TV licence

If you pay for your TV licence in full every year - be that by cheque/postal order, BACS or credit/debit card - then you should contact TV Licensing and tell them that you will no longer be receiving TV programmes, or BBC on-demand programmes, on any sort of equipment and therefore your property will not require a TV licence. 

As mentioned earlier, TV Licensing will undoubtedly press you for information about your reasons for cancellation. You do not need to provide this information, but for the sake of an easy life you might like to say you are emigrating. If they ask for proof, as they arrogantly assume they can, then tell them you are moving to live with family overseas or joining the secretive French Foreign Legion.

You should be able to claim a refund on any unused calendar quarters of your TV licence coverage (read more about TV licence refunds).

Cancelling a TV licence paid by Direct Debit

If you pay for your TV licence by quarterly Direct Debit (read more about the TV Licensing quarterly Direct Debit scam) then you should contact TV Licensing and tell them that you will no longer be receiving TV programmes, or BBC on-demand programmes, on any sort of equipment and therefore your property will not require a TV licence. 

As mentioned earlier, TV Licensing may attempt to find out your reasons for cancellation. You are under no legal obligation to provide that information, but you might like to tell them you are emigrating.

If you pay for your TV licence by monthly Direct Debit (read more about the TV Licensing monthly Direct Debit scam) then you should contact TV Licensing and tell them that you will no longer be receiving TV programmes, or BBC on-demand programmes, on any sort of equipment and therefore your property will not require a TV licence. 

In the case of monthly Direct Debit you will be entitled to a refund, as payment for the first licence was made 6-months in advance.

In the case of quarterly Direct Debit it is unlikely any refund will be due.

It is very important that you tell TV Licensing you are cancelling any Direct Debit mandate before you actually do. If you cancel the Direct Debit at the bank/building society without telling TV Licensing beforehand, then they sometimes instigate debt-collection proceedings.

Cancelling a TV licence paid by payment card

If you pay for your TV licence by payment card then you should contact TV Licensing and tell them that you will no longer be receiving TV programmes, or BBC on-demand programmes, on any sort of equipment and therefore your property will not require a TV licence. 

TV Licensing may attempt to find out your reasons for stopping payment, but you are under no legal obligation to provide that information.

It is very important that you tell TV Licensing your reasons for stopping payment before you actually do. If you stop payment without telling TV Licensing beforehand, then they sometimes instigate debt-collection proceedings.

It is unlikely any refund will be due to anyone paying by this method.

Cancelling a TV licence paid by savings card
A TV Licensing savings card allows someone with a valid TV licence to save for their next licence.

If you have a savings card then you should contact TV Licensing and tell them that you will no longer be receiving TV programmes, or BBC on-demand programmes, on any sort of equipment and therefore will not need to take up the renewed licence.

TV Licensing may attempt to find out your reasons for stopping payment, but you are under no legal obligation to provide that information.

A refund will be due on any funds associated with your savings card account.

You may also wish to cancel your current TV licence, in which case you should follow the relevant advice given elsewhere in this article.

After Cancellation
Be aware that shortly after cancelling your TV licence, your property will start to receive TV Licensing's monthly threatogram letters. There is much more information about how to deal with TV Licensing threatograms elsewhere within our blog.

Remember that a TV licence is required for those properties where equipment is used to receive TV programmes at the same time as they are broadcast to other members of the general public. A TV licence is also required to receive BBC on-demand programmes. Anyone who cancels their TV licence would be committing an offence if they continued to receive TV programmes, or BBC on-demand programmes, within their unlicensed property.

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