TV Licence - ALL TV licence discussion/queries in this thread.

STB

intbn wrote: »

There may be some other people on here a bit more familiar with the law than me but 'Statues' & 'Statutory Instruments' are all laws that have to be consented to, am I right?

So I figure what this little hustle is all about is, just as the others above said 'getting you to lie' or 'admitting you do have a telly' on paper................etc.

Look the Broadcasting Act came about in 2009 and underpins many things broadcasting related including the statutory declaration in relation to people who maintain that they don't have a TV.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0018/sec0147.html#sec147

It quite clearly states the time period and what happens to people who don't respond within a certain period. Perhaps you should read it before you start giving out advice. I doubt you will be representing them in court or paying their fine.

builttospill

Question here, probably stupid but I'm clueless when it comes to this stuff:

When I moved into my new house there was a triax box for the TV here so now I watch a load of channels on that however it doesn't have the Irish channels. Any Irish programmes I want to watch I will get on RTE player on the net.

Do i still have to pay the TV licence?

ezra_pound

YourNameForMe wrote: »

I just got a letter in my door that says "... TV license inspector called to you... but you were not in... you must hold a TV license if your premises contains a TV, receiving equipment or both..."
I have just moved into a new apartment that has "receiving equipment" already installed. It was noted in the letter that the inspector is aware of this receiving equipment as every apartment on my block is connected to a receiving antenna.
I do have a television set but I only use it to watch DVD's and play video games. I realize I have to get a TV license but like most people; I am very annoyed at being forced to pay for a service I will never use.
RTE programming is already packed full of commercial advertisements so why are we paying a huge TV license fee? I honestly could not care less if there was no national broadcaster.

I was just wondering, how many people out there want the TV license act abolished?

Get a monitor if you don't want to pay. If you have a tele then you gotta pay the man.

The Cush

builttospill wrote: »

Do i still have to pay the TV licence?

If you have a TV you require a TV Licence, doesn't matter which channels you watch.

Johnboy1951

ezra_pound wrote: »

Get a monitor if you don't want to pay. If you have a tele then you gotta pay the man.

A monitor combined with a STB would also require a licence .... a combination capable of receiving and displaying TV broadcasts.

djamblade

Hello guys,

I got a 40" TV, I'm not watching TV at all. I don't see why I would pay a TV licence. No company is giving me the opportunity to by a 40" monitor for less than 700e. Here is the problem with this legislation.

Any idea how I could avoid to pay a TV licence?

How much does it cost if they catch you with a TV (not use to watch TV)?

As said previously by other, I couldn't care less if the public service for television comes to an end anywhere, especially in Ireland from my previous TV experience here, I don't think that any program deserves it.

Regards,

Djamblade

Sparky J

STB wrote: »

Look the Broadcasting Act came about in 2009 and underpins many things broadcasting related including the statutory declaration in relation to people who maintain that they don't have a TV.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0018/sec0147.html#sec147

It quite clearly states the time period and what happens to people who don't respond within a certain period. Perhaps you should read it before you start giving out advice. I doubt you will be representing them in court or paying their fine.

The reason that says registered post is so that someone at that address has to sign saying they received it.
I would presume where it states that the notice can be given personally to any person there must also be a requirement for that person to sign saying they received the notification.
Therefore if they only have addressed it to 'The Occupier' and the person answering the door doesn't sign anything they cannot follow up with a court summons.
If they have the persons name already that may be a different matter though.

-Vega-

Hey guys and girls,

I have a tv in my sitting room however it is broken. It's very large and I need to wait for a few weeks before I can get it to the dump. A tv license inspector called around last week and will be calling again this week.

Do I need a license for a broken tv? Should I let them come in and see that it is broken or just not let them in without a warrant? Thanks.

Pawwed Rig

Just don't answer the door

nicearbhaill

Hi ya

quick question - any advice appreciated

Recently sent off the direct debit mandate for the tv licence as I got a letter in the post recently asking for a tv licence. Have a tv but dont use it as I use my laptop for the everything.

Now I have received another card asking for the tv licence number and saying an inspector called. I only sent in my application on Tuesday and on reading the website I wont get a reply from them with my licence number until after the 20th of the first month of the direct debit which is next month.

is there any point replying to this card or will they figure out I have applied for one and am waiting on them???

clonadlad

Got a call from the TV license man 2 weeks ago. Answered the door but when he said who it was, just closed the door. He gave us a letter saying that TV equipment was observed.

Now we got a letter saying that we have a week to pay. The letter was addressed to the "residents of the household" so surely they cant send a fine or a courts summons to a group of people. We're students living in rented accommodation btw.

Should I just stay ignoring the letters or what else can I do?

Bob24

clonadlad wrote: »

Got a call from the TV license man 2 weeks ago. Answered the door but when he said who it was, just closed the door. He gave us a letter saying that TV equipment was observed.

Now we got a letter saying that we have a week to pay. The letter was addressed to the "residents of the household" so surely they cant send a fine or a courts summons to a group of people. We're students living in rented accommodation btw.

Should I just stay ignoring the letters or what else can I do?

Do you have a TV?

zg3409

Bob24 wrote: »

Do you have a TV?

Bob24 Are you the inspector trying to catch people out?

Bob24

zg3409 wrote: »

Bob24 Are you the inspector trying to catch people out?

What is your real name, please? :-D

Seriously though - if he doesn't have a TV he can ring them to argue his cause and get them to send him a form to say he doesn't - and they'll probably not chase him for the money they are requesting now since they will be happy to have his name and they can come and check at a later stage.

If he does have one - well he knows what he is supposed to do and I don't think anyone here can give him great advice (if he chooses to ignore them he might be fine or he might not, who knows? - so I guess even leaving the legal aspect aside it wouldn't be very responsible to tell him "ignore them and you'll be fine")

Fuzzy Clam

clonadlad wrote: »

Got a call from the TV license man 2 weeks ago. Answered the door but when he said who it was, just closed the door. He gave us a letter saying that TV equipment was observed.

Now we got a letter saying that we have a week to pay. The letter was addressed to the "residents of the household" so surely they cant send a fine or a courts summons to a group of people. We're students living in rented accommodation btw.

Should I just stay ignoring the letters or what else can I do?

Just keep ignoring the letters.
If you've nothing to worry about, then they can't prosocute you :rolleyes:
On the other hand...........

bp1989

How would I go about finding out how many people pay/do not pay a tv license? Would that info be freely available or would I need to make an FOI request?

bigron2109

The missus let the Tv Inspector into the apartment block tonight. We had a license , but he said only 3 people in our block had one. And there is about 18 in our block. :eek:

Capt'n Midnight

bp1989 wrote: »

How would I go about finding out how many people pay/do not pay a tv license? Would that info be freely available or would I need to make an FOI request?

396,850 on free TV licenses (2011)
An Post sold 1,021,443 licenses. (including business premises - 2011)
TV ownership is 97.2% (cso 2010)
1,649,408 Private households (cso 2011) cso.ie/en/media/csoie/census/documents/thisisirelandpart2census2011/Internet.pdf



So 1,418,293 licenses to cover 1,649,408 households (~1,603,224 with TV's)

so at least 184,931 without licenses - 11% , 1 in 9 households
to which add the number of business licenses, ~7,500 pubs , 700 banks, (not forgetting that businesses also evade license) - check with IMRO on how many licenses they have ??

If everyone with a TV paid the license would be less than €145 a year
If you removed An Post's cut as well it would be less than €133 a year

Excluding collection costs, €68 a year per ESB connection would raise the same revenue.
https://www.esb.ie/esbnetworks/en/about-us/index.jsp Number of Customers in 2010: 2,237,230


http://www.independent.ie/national-news/new-broadcasting-licence-to-target-every-irish-household-even-those-without-a-tv-2993767.html

An Post said more than 80 jobs were related to servicing the TV licence contract, across sales, administration and inspection. The contract is worth €12m a year to the semi-state body.

But a spokeswoman said revenue streams were changing and that there "may well be new opportunities within a new arrangement".

However, An Post has not been in touch with the department concerning the plans. An Post said 1,021,443 licences were sold last year.

Any update on whether TV license will be replaced with a household charge, and if so will there be a pro-rata discount for the months remaining on your license ?


You could use ESB residental connections or household charge stats to work out number of houses. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1204/breaking15.html

A total of 1,112,521 properties have now been registered with the agency out of the estimated 1.6 million properties that are eligible for the charge.

Census data shows a slight drop in numbers of households with TV's http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/housing/2010/0910first.pdf
page 34
in 2004-2005 99.2% of households had TV's
this dropped to 97.2% in 2010 - but the number with two sets has gone up from 48.7%to 64.8%

I'm guessing that some of the drop in the TV % is down to netflix and watching other nonbroadcast media as well as people watching broadcast TV on computers and other devices.

zg3409

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

If everyone with a TV paid the license would be less than €145 a year

That assumes if more people pay, they would automatically drop the price, which is not realistic at all. If you factor in the reduced costs of operating Saorview compred to previous cost(I know they have a lot of debt) and the selloff of spectrum. Neither of these had any change to fees. If RTENL, RTE, TG4 etc all operated at a fixed cost, then the move to Saorview should have reduced the licence fee.

However if the licence fee is changed to a method that increases the chances of everyone paying, then that should be used to reduce the fee.

kuro2k

bigron2109 wrote: »

The missus let the Tv Inspector into the apartment block tonight. We had a license , but he said only 3 people in our block had one. And there is about 18 in our block. :eek:

Don't expect any christmas cards from your neighbours this year!! :pac:

Capt'n Midnight

zg3409 wrote: »

That assumes if more people pay, they would automatically drop the price, which is not realistic at all

True, the ratchet works one way doesn't it ?

An Post are more less getting €12 out of every licence even though 1 in 9 households probably is evading the license. Not sure if I consider that value for my money :mad:

We have well over double the UK license evasion rate of 5% , their ownership rates are 97% just like ours. http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-licences-facts-and-figures-AB18/

UK license collection - how does this compare to here ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom#Licence_fee_enforcement

Maybe it's a Celtic thing, Scotland has an evasion rate of 10%
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/revealed-britains-capital-for-tv-licence-1032982


As for An Post I'm guessing one of the main reasons they got the contract was because of their address database.



The €68 figure was to compare with the scheme to replace the license with a broadband tax.

Pawwed Rig

The BBC (including BBC Scotland) is very England focused so I am sure that annoys many Scots.

Many in Ireland object to the TV licence for various reasons such as you said yourself poor value for money.

Celtic thing? I don't think so.

Johnboy1951

Truthfully, the basis for the licence is what annoys me most.

I see no reason whatsoever that anyone should require a licence to receive broadcast signals from any source.

If the broadcaster does not want me to receive them, then encrypt them or whatever and make me pay for the privilege of receiving the actual broadcasts I want.

zg3409

Encryption and billing would increase the licence fee further. No encryption system for TV is totally secure. When this all started encryption was not an option. The extra hardware and billing costs still mean it's not viable.

As far as I know every public broadcaster in Europe is broadcasting unencrypted.

Johnboy1951

zg3409 wrote: »

Encryption and billing would increase the licence fee further. No encryption system for TV is totally secure. When this all started encryption was not an option. The extra hardware and billing costs still mean it's not viable.

As far as I know every public broadcaster in Europe is broadcasting unencrypted.

Did you read what I wrote?

Stark

zg3409 wrote: »

No encryption system for TV is totally secure.

Whereas the current license fee collection scheme is perfect...

zg3409

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Did you read what I wrote?

Yes but that leaves 2 options.

1) Funding by persons subscribing to the service. In reality it would mean large portions of the population would then only view UK stations as UK stations are free (if there was no licence fee in ROI anymore)

2) Funding through government or taxes or advertisement. Advertisement would not pay for much. Look at the crap homegrown shows on TV3 for example. Government funding would be the same as the licence fee.

In theory the public service adds to the society by providing everyone with information and entertainment relevant to their lives. Part of the fees go towards radio too.

If TG4 was self funding it would not exist.

Johnboy1951

zg3409 wrote: »

Yes but that leaves 2 options.

1) Funding by persons subscribing to the service. In reality it would mean large portions of the population would then only view UK stations as UK stations are free (if there was no licence fee in ROI anymore)

If you are of that opinion then you must regard the provided broadcasts under the licence fee arrangement to not be what 'large portions' of the licence fee paying population want.

In that case the licence fee is used to supply a service that large numbers do not want. Their money is thus, from their point of view, misspent!

2) Funding through government or taxes or advertisement. Advertisement would not pay for much. Look at the crap homegrown shows on TV3 for example. Government funding would be the same as the licence fee.

In theory the public service adds to the society by providing everyone with information and entertainment relevant to their lives. Part of the fees go towards radio too.

If TG4 was self funding it would not exist.

Great theory ..... but effectively debunked in 1. above ..... apparently the ONLY reason that 'large portion' of the population have access and MIGHT watch is because every receiver is subject to a licence fee.

So they pay for a service they do not want.
That is not equitable or reasonable.

My point remains ...... there is NO reasonable basis for the application of a licence fee on receiving equipment.
Yes, on broadcasting equipment I can understand such a fee .... whether personal or commercial ..... but to have to pay a licence fee on receiving equipment is a nonsense.

Capt'n Midnight

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

So they pay for a service they do not want.
That is not equitable or reasonable.

My point remains ...... there is NO reasonable basis for the application of a licence fee on receiving equipment.
Yes, on broadcasting equipment I can understand such a fee .... whether personal or commercial ..... but to have to pay a licence fee on receiving equipment is a nonsense.

From the consumers viewpoint there is no reasonable basis for motor tax or VRT. The revenue collected is not spent on roads etc. etc.

The arguments about public service broadcasting have been done to death. We all agree that certain people in Montrose are ridiculously overpaid.

Receiver licenses have been a fact of life since at least the 1920's



UK 1920 http://www.radiolicence.org.uk/licence1920s.html

Johnboy1951

Receiver licenses have been a fact of life since at least the 1920's

That is hardly a reason for its existence