Has the TV license inspector ever paid you a visit?

universe777

I used to live in Smithfield Market, Dublin.. Nice secure complex but the tv licence man was known to be knocking about so I never answered my apartment door. Phone me or ring the intercom, never answered a door knock..

One Saturday morning a loud knock at the door, ignored it and stayed quiet for a few mins.. Another loud knock, ignored that one too..
Thought he was on to me...
It turns out it wasn't the tv licence man at all but the Gardai investigating a death overnight in the complex.

Lived there for 2 years and never had a licence. Moral of the story is don't answer the door and he can't catch you.

Chancer3001

called twice - both times conversation was very similar

Hi - Im from an post can I talk to you for a minute.

OK.

Whats your name?

Im not telling you.

Im from the TV licencse dept you have to tell me.

Im not going to.

Look at my license, says you have to tell me who owns the house.

I wont.

The guards can come up and inspect your house for a tv.

OK. I dont have a tv.

Can I come in and look?

No.

OK.

Bye

Bye


theres literally SFA they can do. Even if they see the tv thru your window. Even if you have a tv in the hallway.

rambutman

i remember once in college we lived with a pretty dizzy girl. One afternoon we were all in the sitting room watching star trek and rolling doobies and there was a ring on the door. The girl went out to answer the door, there was a man in a suit that said "hello do you have a tv", she went "yes" and took him in to have a look, there we were caught with the pants down, woppers in hand, no license. The dude was pretty cool, he said if we went up the road and bought a license straight away, he'd let us off.

Sala

TV License inspector got into our apartment block one day and knocked on my door. We have a TV stand with a PC monitor on it clearly visible from the door and playing the Good Wife. I told her it was a PC. She asked my name and unthinkingly I gave it. Fully expected a snotty letter saying you do have a TV but didn't get one, but I reckon they have me on the system now when the broadcasting license comes in.

Years ago I cancelled my TV license told them I was moving and didn't need it and they wouldn't until I had to told them where I was moving to. I got a letter to my parents house asking to pay the TV license and had to give the details of the licence already purchased at the address (which they should have known anyway??)

Remmy

Yep and he tried to ultimate no-no of putting his foot through the half open door and trying to bluster his way through . It was quite funny in retrospect because I managed to get him to promptly get the **** out while still being very polite and mannerly.

Fromthetrees

Friends ring your phone or knock on the window when they're outside.

Bad people knock on the door.

Not answering your door = WINNING!

Mountainsandh

The only time we were ever visited by the tv licence inspector was 9 years ago, when we had just bought the house and hadn't got the electricity installed yet !

The house had been left unoccupied for a great number of years and there was plenty for us to do everyday, but we weren't living in it.
It was an old no ESB no bathroom/running water place.

TV inspector : do you have a TV/licence ?
Mr Mountains : Sure, look around, we don't even have electricity here.

Idiot.

shruikan2553

Since my girlfriend got a letter telling her to get a TV licence or she'll be getting a summons around November we havent heard anything since. After going from visit to threat of summons in weeks I'm surprised at having nothing in months

dan1895

Friend of mine took great pleasure in showing the inspector around her new house after he called saying there was no licence at the address. Of course not when there's no tv. Said he left very confused.

Chancer3001

If they get your name youre kinda screwed.

if not then best they can do is threaten you with the guards.

My "master plan" for if the guards ever did arrive is not answer the door. Or answer it accidenatlly, immediately close it again. They dont have my name. Nothing they can do. Not going to kick in my door on the off chance I have a tv!


This new "entertainment charge" or whatever its called is going to end all the people like me though. They just charge you whether or not you have a tv. And they just charge based on a database of houses. No way round it really.

IM0

yup. 2 or three times in a couple of weeks. the persistent ****er :mad:

stateofflux

how do these inspectors survive going into to the real heavy areas?

Reati

galwayrush wrote: »

A South African friend told me that it's a 500 rand fine for shooting a trespasser, and a one thousand rand fine for not having a TV licence, so it's cheaper to shoot the fecker when he comes to your door.:D
( probably only works in S.A.):rolleyes:

I don't think Oscar Pistorius would agree....

Freddy Smelly

Reati wrote: »

I don't think Oscar Pistorius would agree....

ah to be fair he "thought" it was a burgular not a tv license inspector

burgulars have more rights than tv license inspectors

Quandary

stateofflux wrote: »

how do these inspectors survive going into to the real heavy areas?

Obese people are very likely to have TVs. easy pickings for the crafty inspector.

Remmy

stateofflux wrote: »

how do these inspectors survive going into to the real heavy areas?

That is a good question. Do they not bother chasing up tv licenses in places there is a possibility of them getting a hiding?

JustAThought

I had a TV license guy came knocking last summer - invited him in to show there was no TV - he refused. I insisted & got ratty. Said even scumbags who murdered people were presumed innocent & handed free solicitors but there he was insisting I was guilty of an offence and yet Refusing to come in and verify that I wasn't & didnt have one, even thou I had invited him in. Guy literally backed away & ran off down the street. Quite funny but annoying too.

I see the licence has now been amended to " transmitting device" and no longer says tV. Is this the stated Labour wish of taxing all PC's being brought in. Disgusting.

We should clog up the courts & make
Them was their time,holiday days off & sick leave being there and available to " testify". Another waste of public taxes & resources for rubbish RtE & their super inflated " salaries" and family dynasty jobs .

Why should RTE & their cronies be rewarded for me using YouTube or Wikipedia or any of the genuinely entertaining or useful stuff in the Internet. -usually provided for free.

And all this , while the state under the auspices of their licensing bidy the Broadcast Authority of Ireland ( bai.ie) had now instructed the media : radio & talks how hosts NOT to make a Comment on any issues of " importance" but to just read out state issued press releases or they will be fined &/or their license taken away. Bai.ie / news... Read all about it. Un-f'ing believable. It's the stuff of nazi dictatorships .

senordingdong

stateofflux wrote: »

how do these inspectors survive going into to the real heavy areas?

You mean the heavy areas with the long term lazy and unemployable unemployed?

Sure they get an exemption, no need for the inspector to risk losing a few teeth.

S28382

One called to mine i didnt bother paying the license, after a few threatening letters they sent a letter informing me that they would be around at some stage with a warrant and the cops and they sure did arrive with the cops i wasnt in at the time. It was my neighbour that told me that the cops were with the inspector. I moved out of the house 2 months later and told them i was no longer living there so nothing ever came out of it.

NobodyImportant

Got my Occupier letter in the door.

I wont be paying. I just hope the wife doesnt get fooled at the door by an inspector some day.

Lord Trollington

Received summons in the post today for having no license, but I have a license, since last year. October to be exact.

Anyone have any advice?

everdead.ie

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Received summons in the post today for having no license, but I have a license, since last year. October to be exact.

Anyone have any advice?

Email the local address and scan a copy of the summons and your license and ask them to have it rescinded?

Lord Trollington

everdead.ie wrote: »

Email the local address and scan a copy of the summons and your license and ask them to have it rescinded?

There is absolutely no contact details on the summons.

Its for next month. I'd like to get it sorted.

dxhound2005

Lord Trollington wrote: »

There is absolutely no contact details on the summons.

Its for next month. I'd like to get it sorted.

You could try phoning one of the TV Licence offices.

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Personal+Customers/More+from+An+Post/TV+Licence/tvlicence250108.htm#recordoffices

everdead.ie

dxhound2005 wrote: »

You could try phoning one of the TV Licence offices.

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Personal+Customers/More+from+An+Post/TV+Licence/tvlicence250108.htm#recordoffices

The email address' I was referring to are on this as well.

Fr_Dougal

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Received summons in the post today for having no license, but I have a license, since last year. October to be exact.

Anyone have any advice?

Ha! Your friends are winding you up!

Did an inspector call and enter your house to confirm that you have a tv?

Lord Trollington

TheZohan wrote: »

Ha! Your friends are winding you up!

Did an inspector call and enter your house to confirm that you have a tv?

No inspector ever entered the house.

One called and asked my name. That was it, we were only after moving in and having a baby the same week he called.

He said get one whenever you get sorted.

Fr_Dougal

Lord Trollington wrote: »

No inspector ever entered the house.

One called and asked my name. That was it, we were only after moving in and having a baby the same week he called.

He said get one whenever you get sorted.

Do you have any mates that would wind you up like this?

Lord Trollington

It's definitely not a wind up.

I'm to appear in the 4 courts in April. Summons is from last September.

How am I only getting it now?

shruikan2553

Lord Trollington wrote: »

It's definitely not a wind up.

I'm to appear in the 4 courts in April. Summons is from last September.

How am I only getting it now?

They are very, very, very slow. Just call or email and tell them to check your address again and see that there is a licence and they'll sort it out.