Notice of Legal Proceedings for TV License

seashore · 17-06-2014 7:52pm #1

Hey, don't know if this is in the right section or not

The TV license went up there at the start of June and the following few days the TV license inspector called around at bout 7/8pm, he saw that there was a TV on in the front room of the house (house mate had curtains open and window open) so he rang the doorbell twice, with it being that late and two rings, i thought twas hardly TV license inspector. Looks like thought made a fool of me!

Got a notice of legal proceedings there a few days ago in the post saying that we've 7 days to pay the license. Housemate is gone in a week and I'm moving out of the house at the end of August so I've no intention of paying it.

How many other letters will they send after this notice of legal proceedings?
How long can I ignore these letters for?
Will 2 months be enough time for me to get out of the house without paying the license?

alias no.9 · 17-06-2014 7:56pm

seashore wrote: »

Hey, don't know if this is in the right section or not

The TV license went up there at the start of June and the following few days the TV license inspector called around at bout 7/8pm, he saw that there was a TV on in the front room of the house (house mate had curtains open and window open) so he rang the doorbell twice, with it being that late and two rings, i thought twas hardly TV license inspector. Looks like thought made a fool of me!

Got a notice of legal proceedings there a few days ago in the post saying that we've 7 days to pay the license. Housemate is gone in a week and I'm moving out of the house at the end of August so I've no intention of paying it.

How many other letters will they send after this notice of legal proceedings?
How long can I ignore these letters for?
Will 2 months be enough time for me to get out of the house without paying the license?

Who's name was on the last licence? You do know can change the address on the license when you move.

seashore · 17-06-2014 8:04pm

alias no.9 wrote: »

Who's name was on the last licence? You do know can change the address on the license when you move.

Well its my kind of in my name, it's my short name along with my proper surname. Yeah I'm aware of that but the house that I'll be moving into has its TV license already sorted for another year.

alias no.9 · 17-06-2014 9:00pm

seashore wrote: »

Well its my kind of in my name, it's my short name along with my proper surname. Yeah I'm aware of that but the house that I'll be moving into has its TV license already sorted for another year.

Expect any summons to be issued to you. Toughing it out when correspondence is addressed to someone no longer living there or to 'the occupants' is one thing, when they have your name, it's chancy.

seashore · 18-06-2014 10:53am

alias no.9 wrote: »

Expect any summons to be issued to you. Toughing it out when correspondence is addressed to someone no longer living there or to 'the occupants' is one thing, when they have your name, it's chancy.

Yeah thats what I'm thinking, but if any fines are issued to me while I'm in the house I think that you've 2 months or so to pay that fine, I'll be out of the house by then so should be available to just ignore it maybe?

Grandpa Hassan · 18-06-2014 10:58am

seashore wrote: »

Yeah thats what I'm thinking, but if any fines are issued to me while I'm in the house I think that you've 2 months or so to pay that fine, I'll be out of the house by then so should be available to just ignore it maybe?

Once they have your name, surely the fines will follow you...

seashore · 18-06-2014 11:05am

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

Once they have your name, surely the fines will follow you...

They wont know where my next address is in 2 months so all they can do it keep sending letters to the present house? Also as it's not in my proper full name, perhaps I can just deny that it was me, bit of a long shot though!

_Kaiser_ · 18-06-2014 11:27am

seashore wrote: »

They wont know where my next address is in 2 months so all they can do it keep sending letters to the present house? Also as it's not in my proper full name, perhaps I can just deny that it was me, bit of a long shot though!

All these things are now inter-linked. The various departments are getting increasingly good at sharing information if there's money in it for them.

You'll probably just have to pay it I'm afraid. If they got your name (without you answering the door) then that should tell you they'll be able to pursue it.

Who owns the TV? Whose name is on the lease?

Grandpa Hassan · 18-06-2014 11:29am

seashore wrote: »

They wont know where my next address is in 2 months so all they can do it keep sending letters to the present house? Also as it's not in my proper full name, perhaps I can just deny that it was me, bit of a long shot though!

But if you don't respond will a bad debt / judgement eventually get put against your name? So whenever you next go to get a loan or consumer finance for something, the bank will see it when they track your old addresses?

Not sure how that stuff works. I find it difficult to believe though that you can leave stuff behind by just moving house

No Pants · 18-06-2014 11:31am

There will be several more letters I expect.

If there's still a TV in the house, I'd move it to another house now. Since your housemate has moved on, there's nothing linking it to you any longer. Don't leave a forwarding address.

Grolschevik · 18-06-2014 11:32am

seashore wrote: »

The TV license went up there at the start of June and the following few days the TV license inspector called around at bout 7/8pm, he saw that there was a TV on in the front room of the house

Got a notice of legal proceedings there a few days ago in the post saying that we've 7 days to pay the license.

The timeline here is strange...

License expires beginning of June.

Inspector calls a few days later.

Notice of legal proceedings issued a few days after that.

And we're not yet three weeks into June. Doesn't add up.

_Kaiser_ · 18-06-2014 11:35am

Grolschevik wrote: »

The timeline here is strange...

License expires beginning of June.

Inspector calls a few days later.

Notice of legal proceedings issued a few days after that.

And we're not yet three weeks into June. Doesn't add up.

It's possible. I seem to recall reading lately about license inspectors putting in more hours to catch people

It's all about the money. As I mentioned above, the various departments are getting very efficient at collecting. The Revenue is probably the only government body that DOES work properly - to be fair, any refunds I've ever been owed are sorted promptly

Whoever owns the TV should pay it really

No Pants · 18-06-2014 11:36am

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

But if you don't respond will a bad debt / judgement eventually get put against your name? So whenever you next go to get a loan or consumer finance for something, the bank will see it when they track your old addresses?

No. If you're get a licence, it's an offence, which will eventually result in a summons to court.

JoeySully · 18-06-2014 11:36am

Why would you give your name to anyone who calls to your door. Id simply just say nothing and close the door. Nothing to be gained or lost by doing that. They cant take you to court if they don't know your name.

TimeToShine · 18-06-2014 11:41am

Well they have your name but whether or not they can connect it to anything of substance is a different matter. They can send letters to your old house till the cows come home - including a summons. I am nearly sure they cannot find your new address, there are definitely data protection acts in place specifically to prevent companies sharing this kind of information. I wouldn't take anything I say as gospel though, but speaking totally off the record if I were in your position with a few weeks left on the lease I know what I'd do.

Grandpa Hassan · 18-06-2014 12:03pm

Surely the whole point is that companies do share this information. If you have a judgement against non payment of the payments a white good, it will go on a register so that your bank can see it and anyone else who wants to provide finance.

Maybe as this is a fine though, it doesn't get treated the same as a bad debt

seashore · 18-06-2014 12:07pm

Grolschevik wrote: »

The timeline here is strange...

License expires beginning of June.

Inspector calls a few days later.

Notice of legal proceedings issued a few days after that.

And we're not yet three weeks into June. Doesn't add up.

Grolschevik the inspector came a few days just after the TV license we had expired, then the letter came a few days after giving us 7 days to pay, the last day to pay that is today. I didn't think they'd be so quick on the ball.

TimeToShine wrote: »

Well they have your name but whether or not they can connect it to anything of substance is a different matter. They can send letters to your old house till the cows come home - including a summons. I am nearly sure they cannot find your new address, there are definitely data protection acts in place specifically to prevent companies sharing this kind of information. I wouldn't take anything I say as gospel though, but speaking totally off the record if I were in your position with a few weeks left on the lease I know what I'd do.

No banks or phone networks have this as a recorded address as my bank statements and my old phone bills are all addressed to my home address. I agree that they can't find my new address, just hoping that the end of August is enough time to ignore the letters.

Mike Tobacco · 18-06-2014 12:09pm

It doesn't matter where you live or whether someone else in your new house has a licence (if you have 3 TVs you should have 3 licences) - you've already admitted to owning a TV which requires a licence by the fact that you previously got a licence. They would have been on to you looking for you to renew it anyway, with or without any visit from an inspector.

Your best chance of getting out of paying is to respond in writing saying that it was not your TV which the inspector saw and that you no longer own a TV. How realistic this approach is will depend on what information you gave them at the door. Ultimately it is very difficult for them to prove that you own a TV, and it may just end up being the inspector's word against yours. Ignoring it means they will chase you. Looking like you are going to fight it in court if necessary may just put them off as it probably won't be worth the hassle - they are set up to issue reminders and warnings (and these are usually effective enough) and process payments, not to take people to court.

emo72 · 18-06-2014 12:16pm

Surely 1 licence for as many TVs as you like?

Grolschevik · 18-06-2014 12:18pm

Mike Tobacco wrote: »

if you have 3 TVs you should have 3 licences

No.

seashore wrote: »

Grolschevik the inspector came a few days just after the TV license we had expired, then the letter came a few days after giving us 7 days to pay, the last day to pay that is today. I didn't think they'd be so quick on the ball.

Strange that they were so quick. Didn't renew mine the last time for a couple of months, and only got one not-threatening-at-all reminder letter.

Mike Tobacco · 18-06-2014 12:23pm

emo72 wrote: »

Surely 1 licence for as many TVs as you like?

Sorry, yes - if the house is rented and sub-divided then everyone needs separate licences but if it is one house (i.e. not bedsits) then 1 licence covers them all.

Shiraz 4.99 · 18-06-2014 3:56pm

OP, speaking as someone who has spent 11 years living in rented accommodation just ignore the letters, especially if you're moving on.

No Pants · 18-06-2014 5:22pm

JoeySully wrote: »

They cant take you to court if they don't know your name.

They do know his name.

However, they need to serve you with a summons in order to take this to court. You should move the TV elsewhere and not accept a summons. Instruct anyone else living there not to accept one too.

happywithlife · 18-06-2014 7:02pm

Set up the direct debit -13.13 euro a month - licence is valid and issused immediately and you just cancel in 2 months when you move. €26 for peace of mind. Can't see the negatives.

annie.t · 19-06-2014 8:37am

happywithlife wrote: »

Set up the direct debit -13.13 euro a month - licence is valid and issused immediately and you just cancel in 2 months when you move. €26 for peace of mind. Can't see the negatives.

Was just going to post same thing. Seems to be the best solution

TeaBagMania · 19-06-2014 1:27pm

You were caught red handed, in the long run I think it’ll be cheaper just to pay it now and transfer to your new residence.
In the future I wonder if we’ll see this TV license rolled into peoples property tax

happywithlife · 19-06-2014 9:31pm

TeaBagMania wrote: »

In the future I wonder if we’ll see this TV license rolled into peoples property tax

No cos they're bringing out a new broadcasting tax of some sort aren't they to cover all appliances capable of receiving tv etc
So the idea of having no tv but watching rte on your tablet would come under the new regime.
Can't remember the specifics but thought this was to come in next year? Or am I completely delusional?

Grandpa Hassan · 19-06-2014 11:06pm

No, you're right. Even if the only thing you have in your house is a smartphone...no tv, no computer....you'll have to pay the charge.

BobTheBarman · 11-07-2014 4:53pm

So I have never had a TV.

For the past few years in this particular apartment, whenever an inspector has come to the door I have shown them that I don't have a TV(let them in).

This time I was obviously out when they called and I have a little leaflet that says I have 5 days to take out a licence until action is taken.
It also mentions notifying them if I don't have a TV.

Can I just ignore this?

I don't feel like the onus is on me to prove I haven't done anything, I'd rather not have to go chasing forms and ****e every time this happens.
If he wants to come back when I'm home I'll let him in.

Cheers.

The_Morrigan · 11-07-2014 5:01pm

BobTheBarman wrote: »

So I have never had a TV.

For the past few years in this particular apartment, whenever an inspector has come to the door I have shown them that I don't have a TV(let them in).

This time I was obviously out when they called and I have a little leaflet that says I have 5 days to take out a licence until action is taken.
It also mentions notifying them if I don't have a TV.

Can I just ignore this?

I don't feel like the onus is on me to prove I haven't done anything, I'd rather not have to go chasing forms and ****e every time this happens.
If he wants to come back when I'm home I'll let him in.

Cheers.

Just ring them and tell them that you don't have a tv and that you are willing to let the inspector in if he calls around.

Don't ignore it - you weren't there when they called, they are giving you the opportunity to explain why there is no licence registered at the address.

ted1 · 11-07-2014 5:02pm

BobTheBarman wrote: »

So I have never had a TV.

For the past few years in this particular apartment, whenever an inspector has come to the door I have shown them that I don't have a TV(let them in).

This time I was obviously out when they called and I have a little leaflet that says I have 5 days to take out a licence until action is taken.
It also mentions notifying them if I don't have a TV.

Can I just ignore this?

I don't feel like the onus is on me to prove I haven't done anything, I'd rather not have to go chasing forms and ****e every time this happens.
If he wants to come back when I'm home I'll let him in.

Cheers.

have you a radio?

Notice of Legal Proceedings for TV License

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