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Has the TV license inspector ever paid you a visit?

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    #92
    cojomo2
    Registered Users Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭cojomo2


    Elenxor wrote: »
    Yup, opened the door just as the sig. tune for Coronation Street was blareing out of the sitting room.
    Went to Court.....long story...went to wrong Court...was fined 80 Euro in my absence.:mad:

    No warning/last chance!? Did you not just tell him at the door that you would get 1 in the morning?

    My mate has had no licence for the guts of two years, he has got all the usual notices in the door though, the last one just saying that ''you don't have a licence and our inspectors are visiting your area soon''..that was about 6+ months ago and nothing since..

    the inspector may well have called around but he doesn't answer the door..He seems to think that if he ever opens the door to one, he can just spin some crap and say he just moved in blah blah and then get one the following day..I'd tend to agree with him..


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    #93
    gaeilgegrinds1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭gaeilgegrinds1


    Twice, once ten years ago and three times this year til we answered. I've always paid after an ex of mine getting fined when we were in college. Sucks but worth it.


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    #94
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,518 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yep turn on a show about fish and say it's an aquarium.


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    #95
    Stephentlig
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭Stephentlig


    Hogzy wrote: »
    Im not trying to weigh up the odds of being paid a visit as i know that its not random calls they make to households!and i pay it so iv nothing to worry about!
    Anyways has anyone had a call from the Inspector asking to see you license?

    Yeah I got paid a visit, we'd only just moved in though, so we told him this and it bought us some time. but since we couldnt afford the licence we should threw out the T.V instead.

    Pax Christi
    Stephen <3


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    #96
    UnitedIrishman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭UnitedIrishman


    Licence inspector called to ours twice since we've come back for college (September). When the guy says who he is, each time whoever has answered the door just walks out and closes the door behind them saying "Sorry mate, don't live here. The lads are all gone out". Before walking off the street to ring whoever is inside to tell them not answer but we generally can hear who it is when they start talking.

    Last year a one of the lads got caught and gave them his real name. After numerous letters they just wrote a letter back saying "Shane has since moved out... we no longer have a TV.. Regards, residents of [address]". Never heard a thing about it after that.


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    #97
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users Posts: 23,995 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    ondarack wrote: »
    thats just a ridiculous statement

    Which one?


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    #98
    grundie
    Registered Users Posts: 458 ✭✭grundie


    Yep, we had them round.

    We live in an apartment block and there is a very big sign inside the main door that says visitors may only conduct business at the apartment that buzzed them in and that they will be considered to be trespassers if they do otherwise. It's written in fairly legal language, but it's easy to grasp the meaning. Long story short, I threatened to call security on them (there were several of them) as I hadn't buzzed them in. The scampered pretty quickly.

    When I was living in York I had them call round one evening, being a little drunk I got brave.

    Him: "I'm from TV licensing, we don't have record of a TV licence here, etc, etc..."
    Me: "Do you own a gun?"
    Him "Errr, no"
    Me: "I'm not sure I believe you, I'm going to have to call round your house and search it to make sure you don't own one as there is no record of a gun licence in your name"
    Him: "That's irrelevant..."
    Me: "That's exactly what you do, now f**k off!"


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    #99
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,227 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Had a visit but we didn't have a TV so that was a bit of an anti-climax all round.


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    #100
    Mike 1972
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,018 ✭✭✭Mike 1972


    Richard wrote: »
    The official language of Barbados is English!.

    The official language of Ireland is Irish but lots of people dont speak it


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    #101
    oneila
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭oneila


    "I haven't got a tv license, and if I did, I wouldn't show it to you"


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    #102
    Noreen1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,654 ✭✭✭Noreen1


    The inspectors are very efficient round here. I get a visit every 12 months or so. I never show tthem the license - I show them a very large file and tell them it's in here err.....somewhere. At which point, they consult their database. I've also been known to "forget" whether it's in my own or my OHs name.:D:D

    Incidently, all retail outlets who sell tvs are legally obliged to inform the licence inspectorate when you buy a new tv......... or so my local dealer informs me!

    Noreen


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    #103
    Tail Wagger
    Registered Users Posts: 670 ✭✭✭Tail Wagger


    Hogzy wrote: »
    Im not trying to weigh up the odds of being paid a visit as i know that its not random calls they make to households!and i pay it so iv nothing to worry about!
    Anyways has anyone had a call from the Inspector asking to see you license?


    Are you Chinese?


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    #104
    cock robin
    Registered Users Posts: 724 ✭✭✭cock robin


    Im sure you guys have heard the add you know the one "we have heard all the excuses" But all the excuses are pityfull and childish. I wonder have they heard this one. Im broke unemployed and cant afford the fcuking licence fee. Why are the adds not realistic. Im sure no-one has ever given the half arsed excuse that some of the add's imply or have they. Has the TV inspector ever called to you ?


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    #105
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Robin, since the last thread is just a month old I took the liberty to merge the threads so everyone would have to answer twice.
    And yes, I've been visited twice but paid after the first visit so the second was no bother.


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    #106
    Miguel_Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    I had the TV licence for my house revoked recently and received a threat of legal action even though I was actively trying to pay it.

    They don't make swapping a licence from one name to another easy.


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    #107
    Wazdakka
    Registered Users Posts: 4,467 ✭✭✭Wazdakka


    Yup he called last week.
    But I haven't seen the adds because we don't watch telly..

    We have about 6 of them attached to PC's, Xbox's, Playstations, Atari Jaguar's, ect but we don't have cable connected nor do we use broadcast TV.

    They can fcuk right off if they want their licence fee from me.
    I know that I'm legally obliged to pay it by having devices capable of recieving a television signal in the house, but fcuk that.

    Where does the money go??
    To fund RTE?
    What the hell are the advertisements for?

    In Britan I can understand a TV licence because the BBC is state funded, but what the hell is the story over here?

    It's just one more pointless and illegal tax imposed by the government and I'm not paying it.

    I do not watch TV therefore I refuse to pay an annual charge of roughly one third the value of a flatscreen tv for RTE to continue making crap shows that I'll never see.

    It's a fcuking joke.


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    #108
    ScumLord
    Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    pickarooney wrote: »
    Had a visit but we didn't have a TV so that was a bit of an anti-climax all round.
    I have no TV either but I do have the internet, I can't wait for them to call round. I'll try to have the RTE live stream running in the background just to rub salt in the wound.


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    #109
    thetonynator
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭thetonynator


    Never been visited but I live in a one off out in the country . . .


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    #110
    trad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,696 ✭✭✭trad


    Called twice, first time was a guy I wnet to school with 35 years ago. We had a licence but it was in my wife's maiden name and due to bad handwriting on the licence it looked like we lived in no 28 whereas we wile in no 25.

    Second time he (different guy) arrives driving a taxi. I'm outside with a neighbour and tell him he's going to the wrong house - we haven't ordered a taxi, (he had removed the roof sign but you could see the yellow stickers in the window). He says tv licence inspector, I says we didn't order a taxi. He shows me ID as a tv inspector, I says what are doing driving a taxi - No reply. Had renewed the licence the previous week.


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    #111
    mathie
    Registered Users Posts: 5,099 ✭✭✭mathie


    I'd one call to the house.
    Nasty piece of work he was.
    I tried to explain to him that we'd just moved in and that our license was moved over from our previous address as we'd 8 months left on it.

    He just walked away as I was mid-sentence and said nothing.

    I'm sure they get some nasty responses but they don't have to be so pig ignorant themselves.


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    #112
    Irishcrx
    Registered Users Posts: 2,861 ✭✭✭Irishcrx


    Yeah had them call before, bunch of twats they are. The one I got was just after I moved in, he knocks and asks me is my name XXXX and I say yeah, then then turns around and starts fumbling in his pocket for about 30 second before swinging around with his ID in my face like some sort of a hollywood bad ass detective in this thick voice and says...

    "TV licence INSPECTOR...have you got your TV licence ready?"

    Errrrr...no? now **** off..


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    #113
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,221 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    I had one call to my apartment last year. Very nice guy, was pleasant and wasn't ignorant. Asked me if I had a TV and I said yes, then he just said I could pay for the license in the local post office in the next so many days, so I did. TV sitting in the corner for the past 6 months, unused. I changed address but didn't rectify the licence and I am not going to either. I plan on getting rid of it soon, we do not watch TV or use the TV for anything (I used to play Xbox, but I sold my Xbox). The letter they put in my post box was very forceful. They assume that you and everybody else has a TV.

    Dear Occupier,

    Our TV licence Inspector was unable to gain attention at this address today.

    According to our records this address is not covered by a current television licence. Under Wireless Telegraphy legislation you are obliged to hold a current TV licence if there is a receiving apparatus (e.g. television set, ariel or both) in or on the premises. Please ensure a license is taken out within 5 working days to prevent further action being taken.

    If you do have a current TV licence, please supply the information requested hereunder and return this prepaid postcard to the address overleaf, so that we can update our records. Likewise, please notify us if you do not have receiving apparatus.


    On the postcard there is nowhere to say you don't have a TV. They make this very inconvenient for people.


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    #114
    Sin1981
    Registered Users Posts: 180 ✭✭Sin1981


    HI,
    Just got first notice in the door, addressed to occupier, saying that TV licence Inspector was here and couldnt' gain attention bla bla. Says they will revisit within 7 days.
    Im in a shared rented house, I have small tv in room, only get crappy rte stations, other lad in the house took TV from home down a few weeks back for front room, he's moving out in 2 weeks, so will take it with him. I seriously do NOT want to spend E160 for my own licence as I dont' use my TV that often and feel like it's a major rip off for receiving 2 stations.

    So, my question is, at what point do I get the last warning before getting fined? Also, if they do not have my name etc, what exactly can they do?

    Thanks.:)


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    #115
    Catari Jaguar
    Registered Users Posts: 6,649 ✭✭✭Catari Jaguar


    My bro says he bought a tv licence and only had to give his name but no address. So the whole tracing, knowing who in what house has a tv licence or not is bull. And if he moves house he just has to take the licence to next address.

    But they can **** off if they call to me. I'm 5 floors up and visitors need to be buzzed in, unless buzzed in they have no right to be in the building. I can see visitors on the camera so there's no way I'd let an inspector in. Got one of those bull**** glaring black & yellow leaflets in my postbox.. "oooh you're in the area.. scary" LIES! They waste the ****ing licence fee on that junk mail :mad:


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    #116
    cojomo2
    Registered Users Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭cojomo2


    Sin1981 wrote: »
    HI,
    Just got first notice in the door, addressed to occupier, saying that TV licence Inspector was here and couldnt' gain attention bla bla. Says they will revisit within 7 days.
    Im in a shared rented house, I have small tv in room, only get crappy rte stations, other lad in the house took TV from home down a few weeks back for front room, he's moving out in 2 weeks, so will take it with him. I seriously do NOT want to spend E160 for my own licence as I dont' use my TV that often and feel like it's a major rip off for receiving 2 stations.

    So, my question is, at what point do I get the last warning before getting fined? Also, if they do not have my name etc, what exactly can they do?

    Thanks.:)

    If they don't know your name, then as far as I can tell, there is no 'last warning'..I don't think they can do anything really, you can't issue a court summons to 'the occupier' as far as I know.


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    #117
    gurramok
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,992 ✭✭✭✭gurramok


    cojomo2 wrote: »
    If they don't know your name, then as far as I can tell, there is no 'last warning'..I don't think they can do anything really, you can't issue a court summons to 'the occupier' as far as I know.

    I got the same letter today addressed to me as 'The Occupant', first letter ever from them. Recently moved in to a new apt and had a tv licence in my old address that expired a few months ago so they do not know who is living at my address presently.

    I had forgotten to renew it and notifying a change of address but I probably won't now as they are liars. No card was ever pushed through the letterbox by this inspector and neither was I 'requested to purchase a TV licence immediately' unless of course its addressed to the previous non-national occupants!. See letter attached.


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    #118
    Magic Monkey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭Magic Monkey


    Eh, I don't know how you blacked out that image, but the A/C number and address are still legible. You may want to consider removing that image.


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    #119
    anewme
    Registered Users Posts: 11,902 ✭✭✭✭anewme


    Person I know has never had a licence (talking years here), so is not on the data base. On the couple of occassions he was in when the inspector called he refused to give his name and said he was minding the house for someone and would prefer if the Inspector came when they were there. Has never heard anymore about it. He reckons once you are on the database they will just keep sending you letters and eventually a summons in your name, but until he is on the list he wont get one. They cant send a summons to the occupier.


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    #120
    Mike 1972
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,018 ✭✭✭Mike 1972


    gurramok wrote: »
    I got the same letter today addressed to me as 'The Occupant',

    Why does it say "Dear Customer" ?


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    #121
    gurramok
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,992 ✭✭✭✭gurramok


    Magic Monkey wrote: »
    Eh, I don't know how you blacked out that image, but the A/C number and address are still legible. You may want to consider removing that image.

    Thanks for that, i should of zoomed on it as it didnt show on my pc unzoomed.
    Mike 1972 wrote: »
    Why does it say "Dear Customer" ?

    I dunno. Is that what they normally send out?


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