Has the TV license inspector ever paid you a visit?

smash

I got a letter one day to say an inspector had called by and saw a TV through my window... The blinds were closed so isn't that an invasion of privacy that he was peeking through my window?

celt262

Got the legal notice the other day. Is that it now do i have to pay or is there other letters that they send out before the bring you to court, the have my correct name.

gurramok

celt262 wrote: »

Got the legal notice the other day. Is that it now do i have to pay or is there other letters that they send out before the bring you to court, the have my correct name.

Yeh, they have you as they have your name.

I got yet another letter today addressed to the occupier. Think he called last week as someone knocked on the door for a good 5-10minutes while the tv was blasting but I was not there, my OH was in who didn't answer. I only answer to people who I expect to knock or to a Garda looking for me

alibaba12

Am renting at the mo and have had an inspector call, my partner was in bed after night shift and its pretty hard to wake him, he heard the bell but didnt get up. They have called a few times since but we havent answered and wont beither. They sent letters adressed to the occupier and the old tennants. Tbh I aint paying it and I dont see why I should either as we already pay for our cable.

Scuid Mhór

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:

hahahaha i remember reading this post months ago and reciting it during a debate for the lulz. fair play galwayrush, i enjoyed reading that post.

Princess Peach

Yeah he came when I was out one day, said he'd call back within 2 weeks but never did.

And I have a tv licence, kinda wanted to show it off

meglome

Called to me before, got the card but never saw the guy.

They called to my business partners place who really doesn't have a TV but he wouldn't let the inspector in.

senordingdong

Been living in my place now for two years.

Every three months I get a letter addressed to the previous tenant but he has left the country and left no forwarding address.

Furthermore, the inspector only calls when I'm in work.

So after two years of a license not being paid, a draft summons hasn't even arrived.
So if the ever find out my real name or anything, the cycle will just repeat itself!

120_Minutes

Called to me twice in the last month, after getting the occupant letter. We don't answer the door unless you're expected. We could see him from the upstairs window and he didn't look happy as he left. He left no card or letter behind as he couldn't prove we have a tv (we do) they'll only get a red cent from me after I make em jump through every hoop imaginable. I don't watch rte and don't want it, I download 60% of my viewing and think the fee is a scam.

Let the bastards twist I say.

rugbug86

I was getting ready for training one night & had headphones in so didn't hear him knocking. I ran out the door and straight into him. Cue quick inspection of the apartment for TV's

senordingdong

rugbug86 wrote: »

I was getting ready for training one night & had headphones in so didn't hear him knocking. I ran out the door and straight into him. Cue quick inspection of the apartment for TV's

Did he have a warrant and a Garda present?

DecentBee

I once got a summons for not having a TV license at an address I hadn't been living at for almost 2 years. By the time they had found my current address it was less than a week from the court date. Tried calling them to explain that I wasn't at that address anymore but was told I had to make an appearance anyway. Took a half day from work (at least they were understanding about it), sat there fuming for an hour while they went through a huge list of other people up on the same charge. They didn't call out my name til the very end (had been going alphabetically, so I should have been somewhere in the middle). Was all pumped up to unleash a tirade defending myself against this ridiculous charge, etc. Judge simply glanced at the list and said my case had been "thrown out".

Half day from work though, so that was something.

pulpfictionost

Ive only ever seen an inspector twice, once about 15 years ago, and my mum paid it, then once 4 years ago living with friends, he gave his REAL name the idiot, we got 2 letters warning of a court date for him, then after that nothing. He has finished studied gone to america come back and is now studying in scotland a free man.

If they call to me ill give a fake name, all i do is play ps3. Ill smash the remote infront of him to prove i dont watch tv.

yoyo

Well I have a tv license (get it free from the state) and I got a letter there yesterday informing me I have no license (Well I kinda do :P), Rang the idiots yesterday and the bloke says I've been summonsed to court for having no tv license and I'm getting a letter soon, heres the thing:
* I have a TV license for about 2 months now (Took social welfare a while to process it)
* I got a letter yesterday informing me I have none, which is a lie the guy confirmed to me I have a license
* I'm being summonsed to court for apparently having no license :S

Talk about a waste of time, tbh I will push them to take back the summons if this is true, but tis a ****ing nuisance nevertheless, the ammount of tax payers money wasted due to these idiots

Nick

Lemegeton

i have been living in a house for 4 years and never bought that rip-off, out-dated, irrelevant piece of **** they call a tv license. we have had letters from the inspector about 3 times in those 4 years warning us that we are showing on their system as not having a license and they would be sending an inspector if we did not respond. nobody has ever come to the door.

Irishcrx

Oh yes, The TV licence inspector , it goes something like this.

*Guards
*Failed guards
*Security guards
*Debt collectors
*Gang members
*Dirt bags
*TV Licence inspector

All have chips on there shoulders, last call I had was a few years back, he asked me name, when I gave it he turned around and started fumbling in his pocket then in TJ Hooker style fasion spins around waving his badge in my face and says.

"TV LICENCE INSPECTOR!!!"

Oh no I thought, not the TV licence inspector, in utter shock I pleaded for mine and my familys lifes...but he was so cruel...so cruel...eventually I persuaded him not to turn us in and I would pay whatever he wanted. I then fled the country fearing my safety.

RDM_83 again

Can they ask to be let in under false pretences, had a guy call to the flat a while ago saying he was working for some company (can't remember name and never heard of it) kept door on the latch and said I wasn't properly living there. That week got a letter that an inspector had been around and would around again soon.

Also anybody know if by removing the aerial connector you would make the TV LEGALY incapable of picking up a signal (we don't have ntl tv or dish so wouldn't actually be capable of it)?

PandyAndy

Had a card address to 'Dear leader Occupant' saying the Mr. TV Inspector man saw we had a Sky satellite.

This was a good 2 months ago and haven't heard anything since. Think I used the card to make up some roaches

yoyo

RDM_83 again wrote: »

Also anybody know if by removing the aerial connector you would make the TV LEGALY incapable of picking up a signal (we don't have ntl tv or dish so wouldn't actually be capable of it)?

I think that would be classified as a broken television and even broken televisions which don't turn on need a license...

Nick

Ghandee

A TV license???

Never knew I needed one!:eek:


Just told Lily Savage she could no longer stay with me, gonna miss her/him/it :mad:

Jesus Wept

Can we get a poll regarding how many people have and do not have a licence?

nevaeh-2die-4 wrote: »

i got a visit i was caught out, its due again next month tbh i wont be paying this time end of story.

im living in rented property when i buy my own house i MIGHT get one.

if they come knocking again im going to tell them i dont have one, i dont even watch the ****n thing i play the xbox on it the odd time, they can smell my helmet if they think there getting 160euro off me in 09

MIN2511 wrote: »

No ****ing way.... No one has called yet


I learnt that it's per tv, we have two in the gaff that means 320 per year-NO WAY!

No.

krudler wrote: »

Hope, got a few letters to "the resident" over the years in my apartment, never got one then, even though they said they had "witnessed tv recieving equipment on the premises" which is pretty impressive given I lived on a 4th floor city centre block apartment and we had tv through the internal cable, not through satellites

I'll never get one as I dont watch RTE, and Im not paying to keep Gerry Ryans stocked up with lard and meat pies and Tubridy to have his face surgically smugged up ever few months

1/2

The-Rigger wrote: »

Perhaps not.

At the last rented address I lived at, we were getting letters to a couple of different non-national names who may have lived there previous.
Eventually a guy called to the door and he caught me offguard, I think I had just woken up. He asked me name without telling me who he was and strangely I blurted it out without thinking.

A couple of weeks later and my name was in the mix of reminder/warning letters.

I waited a couple of months, called them up and said 'I'm just after moving in, we're getting threatening letters addressed to three different people, Ms Asian name, Mr Eastern European name and 'My name' - I don't know who any of these people are, if you send me one in my (insert fake) name, I'll gladly pay it.

All the letters stopped barring the new fake name I had given them.
Did a whip around with the other people living there and a few weeks later went to the Post Office and got a licence from that day on for the year.

Didn't bother renewing, moved out shortly after renewal date by chance and haven't heard anything since.


P.S: When I mentioned it to my dad, he pointed out that the name I had given them was that of a local councillor.

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Sky/NTL etc cannot pass their customers details onto RTE. Against the law due to privacy.

Only database they have is previous licensees

Moved into a new place 6 months ago, previous occupant was getting the occasional letter. Now I got one with my name on it.
Had a licence once before as per my post after a slip up a few years ago at an address in another part of Dublin.

So how did they get my name this time?
Obviously there is other mail arriving at this address for me, are they allowed to just send it to that? That said, if they were they could have started doing so 6 months ago.

The-Rigger wrote: »

He can stick it up the wazoo.

.




Also, why does this J Brady guy not put his first name. Bit rude to be sending personalised letters to people non stop and not include your full name.

Exclamation Marc

We've been living in our house now for 15 years and never paid for a license and never got a visit (living in Blackrock, Co. Dublin)

We live in an estate and have a big gate outside. About a month ago the bell rang and I looked at the intercom and all I could see was a guy holding up a "Official License Inspector" (or something like that) badge, and I didn't answer the bell then.

Letter in the postbox about a query on no license, bought one later that day.

I guess I can't complain paying now after 15 years.

CorkMan

I wonder if Charles Haughey had a TV license.

steo87

CorkMan wrote: »

I wonder if Charles Haughey had a TV license.

Of course he did...he was, afterall, an upstanding member of society.

CorkMan

steo87 wrote: »

Of course he did...he was, afterall, an upstanding member of society.

You sure hit the bird with the stone there :pac:

deepsouthtalla

He was around the other week, i let him waffle on for a while about how we have to get a licence and he give me two weeks blah blah then i said hold on a sec them showed him the life TV Licence my gf gets because she is on DA u should have seen the look on his face ha ha ha Fcuking ejit!! they must be on commission!!!

senordingdong

CorkMan wrote: »

I wonder if Charles Haughey had a TV license.

Probably did.

I wouldn't be surprised if TDs get one for free.

skywalker

Sara Gentle Saddlebag wrote: »

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.

I got this notice under the apt door today (no idea how he got into the apt building to get as far as my door). Is this a final notice, or is the 5 working days thing bluster? Really cant afford this right now after a sucky January financially.

c_man

skywalker wrote: »

I got this notice under the apt door today (no idea how he got into the apt building to get as far as my door). Is this a final notice, or is the 5 working days thing bluster? Really cant afford this right now after a sucky January financially.

If your name isn't on it, then let it slide. I've been doing this for years. If they catch me fair enough, but if the warning is to the "occupier" then it's immediately binned.

Pacifico

c_man wrote: »

If your name isn't on it, then let it slide. I've been doing this for years. If they catch me fair enough, but if the warning is to the "occupier" then it's immediately binned.

Can a summons be sent to the address?!

Just wondering as i'm in the same boat!