TV Licence fee enforcement?

TomF · 29-06-2003 3:59pm #1

I wonder if anyone on this board has had experience with TV Licence Inspectors knocking at the door?

We had such an inspector a year or so ago and ended-up on the computerised list of Licencees and therefore future addressees of computer-generated letters from An Post directing that the annual fee be submitted post haste.

Has anyone ignored the repeated letters, and the follow-up letter with questions on aerials/cable/TV in house?

Has anyone put his TV into a "Faraday Cage" to suppress detectable radiation?

de5p0i1er · 29-06-2003 4:19pm

They haven't come near me yet. They sent me a letter and that was it.

davelerave · 29-06-2003 5:04pm

my girlfriend deals with them now and again,she brought him in for a cup of tea and a chat and he told her to do her best (she's always behind)a book with one or two stamps in it

Tha Gopher · 29-06-2003 5:29pm

If you say that you dont have a tv I seriously doubt that they can force their way into your house to look,at least not without a court order.AFAIK the Gardai cannot come into your house uninvited without a warrant unless they have reason to believe that evidence will be lost or lives put at risk,so I hardly think the licence people can either.And as for their talk of detection equipment as Jim Royle once said"Detector vans my arse".And as he further said"They wouldnt even bother charging us if they knew we were watching this sh1te"which applies to quite a bit of RTE programming.
I have lived in my current address for 11 years and cant ever remember them coming.

Edit-I should have mentioned that I have a satellite dish clinging to the side of the house which could attract some unwanted queries after refusing to let them in and denying tv ownership.Even still I could say I got the dish because I believe space aliens are sending me important messages through it and there is nothing they could do.

Come to think about it there is an idea for those of you who dont subscribe to sky or a cable operator.Refuse them entry when they ask to come in and while they are away getting the gardai move your tv somewhere.When they come back with the guard(could be within hours or could take days,who knows)show them the empty space in your living room.Repeat if they show up again without a guard.I imagine they would get tired of getting court orders and gardai as it would cost them more than you owe them probably.Eventually they would most likely leave you alone.

Our man in Havana · 29-06-2003 6:22pm

The Licence inspector will try to get in but you can tell them where to go. They can go to a peace commisioner or a district court to obtain a search warrant. But they need evidence of an offence to do that.

Anyway It takes a long time to get a warrant so there is plenty of time to hide a tv at your neighbours!

herbie747 · 29-06-2003 6:27pm

Originally posted by TomF
I wonder if anyone on this board has had experience with TV Licence Inspectors knocking at the door?

We had such an inspector a year or so ago and ended-up on the computerised list of Licencees and therefore future addressees of computer-generated letters from An Post directing that the annual fee be submitted post haste.

Has anyone ignored the repeated letters, and the follow-up letter with questions on aerials/cable/TV in house?

Has anyone put his TV into a "Faraday Cage" to suppress detectable radiation?

Surely paying the fee would be less hassle than putting your TV in an anti-radiation cage!! What a peasant!

sceptre · 29-06-2003 7:12pm

Originally posted by herbie747
Surely paying the fee would be less hassle than putting your TV in an anti-radiation cage!! What a peasant!

Nice to others as usual I see.

Originally posted by Tha Gopher
If you say that you dont have a tv I seriously doubt that they can force their way into your house to look,at least not without a court order.

Like tha gopher said, they can't get in without a warrant. They can get a warrant if they believe you're in breach of section 5 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1926 but IIRC they need a cop to present the warrant to gain entry. If you invite them in it's obviously a different story.

myhandle · 29-06-2003 7:22pm

Everyone has a television today*

Thus detection of non-licenced households is probably by comparison of some register of addresses, such as that gleaned from the census or voting roll against a register of licenced households.

On the subject of radiation, what about VDU radiation, and why not use a flat panel TV instead of a faraday cage.

*exceptions allowed

Our man in Havana · 30-06-2003 7:03am

Originally posted by myhandle
Everyone has a television today*

Thus detection of non-licenced households is probably by comparison of some register of addresses, such as that gleaned from the census or voting roll against a register of licenced households.

On the subject of radiation, what about VDU radiation, and why not use a flat panel TV instead of a faraday cage.

*exceptions allowed

But they have to prove possesion of a TV, for that they need entry or an admission of guilt.

davelerave · 30-06-2003 11:44am

they they use detectors much?,i can't imagine so,i think they just assume everyon has one,once you pay you're on the books for life

Our man in Havana · 30-06-2003 12:04pm

Originally posted by davelerave
they they use detectors much?,i can't imagine so,i think they just assume everyon has one,once you pay you're on the books for life

AFAIK They dont use detectors. They just work on the assumption that every address has a tv and they just hassle those addresses where no licence has been purchased.

You are more likely to get a visit if you have perviously purchased a licence and dont renew it.

Drakar · 03-07-2003 12:20pm

Wonder if you had one of those tv tuner cards on your pc and were using that to watch tv could they nab you. Similarly for something like say a wall projector that has a tv in slot...

Mac daddy · 03-07-2003 2:45pm

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
AFAIK They dont use detectors. They just work on the assumption that every address has a tv and they just hassle those addresses where no licence has been purchased.

You are more likely to get a visit if you have perviously purchased a licence and dont renew it.

That is why i don't pay it

I might start thinking about paying it when there are decent programs on tv, until then not PAYING

alir123 · 04-07-2003 3:27am

i was living in a house for 6 years and never got a licence...

then moved into a house a few months ago, every week letters, warning letters, every couple of wks visits from the inspectors.....they badgered me so much I went out a bought the fcuking thing

people in the house before me had purchased it !

Dont ever buy one if the household never had one

I know someone who has never bought one...over 10 years !

Lord Nikon · 04-07-2003 6:00am

TV eh?? These sound wonderful. Where can i get one? Are they expensive. What's with all this talk of having a licence, does it resemble a dog or something? Does it bite, do I need a licence for it cause it can harm you, surely not?

Put me down for 2. Oh, and do they come in different colours?

:cool:

bucks73 · 04-07-2003 9:07am

Originally posted by Drakar
Wonder if you had one of those tv tuner cards on your pc and were using that to watch tv could they nab you. Similarly for something like say a wall projector that has a tv in slot...

You need a license for any piece of equipment capable of receiving radio and television.

http://193.120.124.98/ZZA45Y1926.html

the expression "wireless telegraphy" means and includes any system of communicating messages, spoken words, music, images, pictures, prints, or other communications, sounds, signs, or signals by means of radiated electro-magnetic waves originating in an apparatus or device constructed for the purpose of originating such communications, sounds, signs, or signals;

the expression "apparatus for wireless telegraphy" means apparatus for sending and receiving or for sending only or for receiving only messages, spoken words, music, images, pictures, prints, or other communications, sounds, signs, or signals by wireless telegraphy and includes any part of such apparatus and any article primarily designed for use as part of such apparatus and not capable of being conveniently used for any other purpose;

herbie747 · 04-07-2003 11:38am

Originally posted by Mac daddy
That is why i don't pay it
I might start thinking about paying it when there are decent programs on tv, until then not PAYING

If there's nothing decent on, then why do you have a TV? I bet you still watch it. So get a licence, or get rid of the TV. You can't have it both ways.
I don't even know what the big freakin' deal is. Its not even that much. Theres actually a whole thread about it, talking about ways of avoiding paying €100 a year by using anti-radiation cages!!! wtf? Just pay it, and don't be such bums.
I bet the same people don't buy bin tags too (and are most definately the same people who refused to pay water charges). I bet you were all protesting when they brought in the 15c charge for plastic bags too. lol

BKtje · 04-07-2003 11:50am

If you don't pay, you dont have a right to complain about the quality of the programming, or that you couldn't watch the ireland games etc.

Thats what your money is used for. (among other things)

herbie747 · 09-07-2003 1:56pm

Originally posted by B-K-DzR
If you don't pay, you dont have a right to complain about the quality of the programming, or that you couldn't watch the ireland games etc.

Thats what your money is used for. (among other things)

Exactly.

artvandelay · 10-07-2003 8:54pm

anyone know how through it is that they catch u without a tv lincence they give u a week notice to get one, or do u just get an on the spot fine?

herbie747 · 10-07-2003 9:45pm

Originally posted by artvandelay
anyone know how through it is that they catch u without a tv lincence .....

wtf? I seriously can't understand what you're saying.

hcvti · 06-09-2003 3:34am

In Reply to “You need a license for any piece of equipment capable of receiving radio and television”.

so a dvd player doesn’t usually have a tv tuner nor does a multimedia projector, so in theory neither of them can receive radio or tv communication's, so they don’t have to have a licence do they????????????

Cabaal · 06-09-2003 7:49am

Originally posted by TomF
I wonder if anyone on this board has had experience with TV Licence Inspectors knocking at the door?

Yeah back when I was in college, I was broke same as the rest of the lads in the house.
But that did'ent stop the TV License man knocking on our door once and sometimes switch for 1 month solid and then randemly calling out at other times.

In the end we just wouldn't answer the door to anyone unless they shouted in the letter box or phoned us first

Abit extreme, but it saved us abit of money, plus it was near the end of the college year when he started calling so feck that I ain't paying!

These days I don't really watch TV (now and then) so have been thinking about selling my TV and I'd be happy with my PC and DSL

sceptre · 06-09-2003 12:00pm

Originally posted by hcvti
In Reply to “You need a license for any piece of equipment capable of receiving radio and television”.

so a dvd player doesn’t usually have a tv tuner nor does a multimedia projector, so in theory neither of them can receive radio or tv communication's, so they don’t have to have a licence do they????????????

No need to be so confused.

If you don't have any equpiment in your home capable of receiving TV signals (TV with tuner, video with tuner, PCTV card with tuner, aerial) you don't need a licence. "In theory" doesn't cut the mustard. "In practice" is the benchmark. Nice and simple.

hcvti · 06-09-2003 11:06pm

Well I have a PVR-350 tv card in one of my P.C's, so I guess I would need a Licence for that........But I was only giving an example of the projector and dvd player.

Cabaal · 07-09-2003 8:18am

Originally posted by sceptre
If you don't have any equpiment in your home capable of receiving TV signals (TV with tuner, video with tuner, PCTV card with tuner, aerial) you don't need a licence. "In theory" doesn't cut the mustard. "In practice" is the benchmark. Nice and simple.

Basically they just blanket EVERYONE with the idea that everyone house/flat etc has a TV so it needs a TV license, tv license inspectors are annoying ****ers and if you did refuse to pay because you have no TV/device that will receive signals they would atleast try issue the fine anyway or you'd properly end up going to court with it.

What a nice reward for not watching the goggle box all day and actually doing something different to the rest of the population.

Oh I hear they can get you even if you have no tv's etc in our house, but if you have a TV point on the wall ie: NTL.
An example of this would be my flat, we have NTL included for free each month.
So even if I got rid of my TV they'd properly screwme for that.

ixoy · 07-09-2003 10:38am

Get this: We've moved into our appartment and the NTL was still working because of the previous tenant. Finally we got their bill and it said they could be cutting us off if we didn't pay up. So we moved the bill over and at the same - 26th of August I believe - we got the TV license too.

Last time I do that.

Although we bought it on the 28th, paid for a year, the fcukers at RTE only issued the license to be valid up until July 31st 2003. WTF?!! Why is it only valid until then?! Computers can automate things so what the goddam HELL is their excuse here!! :mad:

sceptre · 07-09-2003 5:40pm

Originally posted by Cabaal
Basically they just blanket EVERYONE with the idea that everyone house/flat etc has a TV so it needs a TV license, tv license inspectors are annoying ****ers and if you did refuse to pay because you have no TV/device that will receive signals they would atleast try issue the fine anyway or you'd properly end up going to court with it.

Michael Ross (writes a wee column for the Irish Sunday Times) had a pitched battle with the inspectors for ten years in an attempt to prove he didn't have a TV. They kept sending out threatening letters. Eventually they stopped. Took ten years though.

Originally posted by ixoy
Although we bought it on the 28th, paid for a year, the fcukers at RTE only issued the license to be valid up until July 31st 2003. WTF?!! Why is it only valid until then?! Computers can automate things so what the goddam HELL is their excuse here!! :mad:

Yeah, they've been doing this for the past few years. There's no excuse for this.

ken90 · 07-09-2003 6:12pm

If you buy a Tv etc, the shop has to inform them.

If you get Cable tv or Sky -Same.

Get the idea.

Possible x ref with Voters list.

Cabaal · 07-09-2003 7:35pm

Originally posted by ken90
If you buy a Tv etc, the shop has to inform them.

No they don't!
They must be guessing where I live because when I bought my TV I never gave them my address and when my parents bought there new tv 3 years back they were never asked for a address.

So don't think thats true, or atleast not in my experience.

Cabaal · 07-09-2003 7:37pm

Originally posted by sceptre
Michael Ross (writes a wee column for the Irish Sunday Times) had a pitched battle with the inspectors for ten years in an attempt to prove he didn't have a TV. They kept sending out threatening letters. Eventually they stopped. Took ten years though.

10 years eh, I better sell my TV and get started then

Might get it sorted before I'm 40

ken90 · 07-09-2003 7:42pm

Maybe the shop is not bothering with the paperwork,

and this being Ireland - not being checked.

Cabaal · 07-09-2003 7:59pm

Originally posted by ken90
Maybe the shop is not bothering with the paperwork,

and this being Ireland - not being checked.

I'd imagine its "this being Ireland nobody can be arsed to do such a thing"

Only people that are bothered are RTE and the TV license Inspector's

Well I'm trying my very best not to give either of them money...

mr_angry · 07-09-2003 8:26pm

I don't own a TV, but 3 of my housemates (rented accomodation) do. Do you think that makes me liable?

Cabaal · 07-09-2003 8:34pm

Originally posted by mr_angry4
I don't own a TV, but 3 of my housemates (rented accomodation) do. Do you think that makes me liable?

I'd imagine so as you are part of the household,
If you ever open the door to a tv inspector don't give him your name!
Could always give a false one..

Borzoi · 08-09-2003 8:57am

The inspector knocked on the door about six months after I moved in to my apartment, I only answered the door 'cause I figured it was a neighbour.

I was about to deny having a TV when I realised that there was a bloody great 28" monster sitting on the floor behind me - just back from being repaired. So what could I do but 'fess up, claim i only just moved in, things kinda tight etc.

So yer man goes, ok no problem, get a licence next month when you have a bit of cash.

Two days later get a bill in the door for it, threatening court action within 10 days if I didn't pay:mad:

DMT · 08-09-2003 7:15pm

What government department do the tv licence inspectors belong to anyway?

It's definately not Comreg.

sceptre · 08-09-2003 10:21pm

Originally posted by DMT
What government department do the tv licence inspectors belong to anyway?

I assume they're subcontracted by An Post

Our man in Havana · 12-09-2003 8:43am

Originally posted by sceptre
I assume they're subcontracted by An Post

Probably retired postmen:D

Remember folks they have no right of entry to your house unless they are with the Gardai and they have a search warrant. You are quite entilted to tell them to P*ss off and get a warrant and then get rid of the TV.

James

TV Licence fee enforcement?

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