[jpsouth]

Anecdotal, but out of my family I’m the only man who doesn’t pay the licence fee, and the only person who hasn’t had a visit.

They’ve visited my mother, sister and one auntie that don’t pay - they all live alone and are the sole name on the bill.

I’ve heard from friends similar experiences too, single men and households with men on the electoral register don’t get visits, or very rarely if they do.

I had the pleasure of answering the door at my mothers to one of these people and believe there’s an issue with the way they choose who to investigate. It’s predatory.

[notahacker]

Suspect more obvious factors are that men are far less likely to be home during the daytime when inspectors visit, and also more likely to admit they've had a TV for years or let the inspector in if he asks nicely...

(FWIW I'm had a visit shortly after I'd moved in with five other guys before, and avoided prosecution by simply asking how to pay...)

[gadders]

I suspect it's more likely that the inspectors see women as a soft touch and lower risk and more easily intimidated and less prone to violence.

In the same way ticket inspectors on trains ask people in suits for tickets but avoid asking the 6ft tall roadmen.

[wigster]

i'm beginning to think i'm the only one that DOES pay it.

[jpsouth]

It’s not really a topic of conversation that I’d bring up, but I know many people who do pay it so you aren’t the only one.

I don’t because I don’t use anything that requires me to, not from a moral standpoint. The BBC has given me a lot of fantastic content over the years but I’ve just stopped consuming most television over the past 5 years or so.

[MrScruff]

I don't pay it because I don't watch television anymore, live or otherwise.

However I do find the overreach of claiming I need to pay the license if I watch any form of live broadcast is ridiculous. If I wanted to watch the occasional live stream of a football game online via Amazon Prime then I would need to pay the license fee.

[bartread]

No, I do too, and I’m happy to do so. I’ve always felt it’s a useful brake on over-commercialisation of other channels, although perhaps less effective now than it once was. I do enjoy quite a bit of the BBC’s output as well.

[permo-w]

perhaps there needs to be an inquiry into the issue

[jpsouth]

I doubt Capita would have any fallout from an inquiry, it would be another headline for a day or two then get forgotten by the media. I’m all for it though, they should be held accountable, my first statement is purely cynicism from me.