No TV License

Belle_247

Just came across your thread and wondering what the result was? I'm in the same boat kind of, our license was due for renewal end of march and we haven't paid it, we've gotten 3 letters and I don't see us getting away with it, our lease is up end of september so even if we did, the tenants next year aren't going to pay our overdue tv license. My housemate is having none of it since the letters are addressed to the landlady who we've never met as we deal with an estate agent. I thought we could say we never opened the letters etc. but it says An Post/TV license on the envelope so don't know if that's going to wash. I'm just afraid we'll get a summons or something for non-payment and to this my housemate insists it's in her name so it's fine! It's driving me mad that I'm contemplating paying the whole thing and saying nothing since I figure 160e is better than a 1000e fine!

Nothingbetter2d

Belle_247 wrote: »

Just came across your thread and wondering what the result was? I'm in the same boat kind of, our license was due for renewal end of march and we haven't paid it, we've gotten 3 letters and I don't see us getting away with it, our lease is up end of september so even if we did, the tenants next year aren't going to pay our overdue tv license. My housemate is having none of it since the letters are addressed to the landlady who we've never met as we deal with an estate agent. I thought we could say we never opened the letters etc. but it says An Post/TV license on the envelope so don't know if that's going to wash. I'm just afraid we'll get a summons or something for non-payment and to this my housemate insists it's in her name so it's fine! It's driving me mad that I'm contemplating paying the whole thing and saying nothing since I figure 160e is better than a 1000e fine!

it is illegal to open mail that is addressed to someone else.

Ickle Magoo

Do you have a lease? Most leases include something about what is expected to be paid while having use of that house and TV licences are generally included in that.

Shivers26

You could pay it monthly by DD so its less of a strain on the finances and then if /when you move house they transfer the address on the license to your new address.
I've been paying by DD for years now and it is much easier to pay €13 per month than €160 when the license falls due and they just post out the new license each year.

ted1

The fine is generally 100 euro and fifty euro court expenses. Do nothing tell something comes in your name.

calex71

The fine for me was €130 including fees after court for 1st offense but before that comes a registered letter you need to sign for, ie a summons , won't be in your name so don't sign for it, took 2 years to get to this stage and after being caught by inspector 6 months prior to fine this march.

The way the license works is if you renew it as it stands in the land lady's name you will be given a back dated license to the date it expired, if you renew in your name it will be from the date you buy it .... as was explained to me by the lady working in the post office

@Mods, this could be construed as me offering advice on dodging the license fee, not my intention, simply my experience of the system.... I;ve since bought a license

Squiggler

As already said by another poster it is illegal to open post addressed to someone else. The correct procedure if you receive a letter addressed to someone who does not live at your address is to forward it to them, if you have a forwarding address, or return it to the original sender if you do not.

A TV license is transferrable, linked to named person, not to address, so you can take it with you when you move.

mikemac1

I paid €140 for a court fine, it's no big deal

OP, don't open post that's addressed to your landlady, just forward it on.
Though for this she will send it back to you

Nothing can happen until you get a letter with your name and they won't get that unless you give your name to the inspector

A very good chance you'll be out of there next September before anything happens

AckwelFoley

It's nothing to do with that letter. If you don't have a licence you are obliged to get one.

The tv licence is payable not by the landlord but by the occupant...he won't get in any bother at all, he just needs to ring and say he doesn't live there.

All that said, after watching pat kennys performance on frontline last night I can understand why you don't want to get one