If you want to join the many people who are not paying their TV Licence to assert their common law rights, boycott the BBC and lawfully rebelling against the system, here is an idea that worked for us.

First I cancelled the Direct Debit and waitd for the usual threats which I did not answer. I waited for the actual threat that stated there was a search warrant for the house and they would visit. I then came home to a note saying they had tried to call. So I did some more research and realised that I could remove their implied rights of access to my property. For those who don’t know, an implied right of access means that someone can come onto your property to carry out their business without being guilty of trespass, such as a Postman to post letters, or someone to knock your door for other reasons. If their reasons are lawful they are exercising their implied right of access. By specifically removing any implied rights of access you are telling the party in question that if they come onto your land they are trepassing and can be charged.

We had a reply from TV Licence after I wrote to them removing their implied right of access to my house. They said that they will not be visiting me again! That is how easy it is to refuse your TV Licence. Whether it is for lawful rebellion, unwillingness to fund a corrupt corporation, or whatever – you do not have to pay a TV Licence and you are not legally obliged to let them visit you. They cannot get a legal search warrant as there is no evidence to obtain it despite using this as a threat.

Actual wording of my letter (adapt to your own style):

Dear Sir

I have no need of a licence and your correspondence, threats of visits and actual visits are unwanted and are causing harassment. Despite having nothing to hide from you, your correspondence is causing myself and my family much distress. Any such further communications will be deemed to be unsolicited and therefore illegal.

On 16th March I received a notice that an associate of your company had tried to access my property. Therefore I am informing you that from the date of this letter, implied rights of access to the above address by any TV Licensing Officers and all agents working on your behalf has been withdrawn and any such approach will be deemed as trespass.

Under the Distance Selling Regulations which came into force on 1st November 2000 it is an offence to demand payment for goods known to be unsolicited, in other words sent to a person without any prior request made by them or on their behalf. If I receive goods in these circumstances I may retain them as an unconditional gift and don’t have to pay for or return goods sent to me that I did not request.

Yours faithfully

The Legal Occupier

NOTE: sign as “the legal occupier” so they will not have your name to impose any fines upon! Even if they have your name from before, if you have waited long enough they start writing to the legal occupier rather than your name after about 9 months of non response on your part.