Court summons for no tv licence

Ethereal Cereal

Hey

I received a court summons today for not paying my tv licence. Has anyone experience with these summons?

The letter states that on the 19 of Jan, at tv inspector called. He advised me to buy a licence, which I did not. This is all true.

The court date is on the 7th of September.

Does anyone know if I pay my tv licence now, could the summons be withdrawn?

If not, does anyone know what charges or fines I might be looking at?

Thanks a mill,

Uncle Pierre

Obviously depends on the judge and the usual procedure wherever you live, but for what it's worth...

I used to cover District Court sittings for the local newspaper myself, and saw countless instances of being people being summonsed for not having a TV licence.

In all such cases, if they'd taken out a licence and paid arrears by the time the matter actually came to court, then it was struck out. It was only those who absolutely refused or who passed up several opportunities to buy a licence who were ever actually fined.

However, wouldn't operate exactly the same way in every court district. There's a chance that the fact that you ignored the Inspector's advice to buy a licence at the time might work against you, and you might end up with a fine after all. As I said, depends on the judge.

walterking

Once you are polite and have bought a license within a short period of getting the summons you will most likely have the probation act applied.

But you will have to waste a few hours in court

Eldudeson

When I read the question I clicked into the thread to see if the first post was to tell you off for not buying a licence in the first place. 😁

Well done to the 2 posters with nice, polite, and helpful answers.

I would absolutely follow the advice of paying up before the court date and hope the judge is having a good day. Best of luck OP.

ebbsy

Pay up, phone the TV office and ask for it to me struck out.

That worked for me.

brokenbad

I also recently received a letter from An Post informing me that a tv inspector called and there is no record of a TV licence at my address even though i clearly have an up to date licence and have been paying monthly instalments on same! I just ignored the letter - obviously their admin dept. is not up to scratch.......

Ethereal Cereal

Thanks for the replies guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120717872#Comment_120717872

Yes, I was worried about these sort of responses too. Obviously, mea culpa, I should have a licence. I am part of the %15 evasion rate. I will buy a licence, back pay it and turn up on the day and hope for the best

Ethereal Cereal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120717906#Comment_120717906

Just to be clear here brokenbad. This is the next letter after that letter. Its a letter from a solicitors office, with a court date, in September.

The tv licence inspector called in February, obviously, if I could do it again, I would just pay the bloody thing. It worth thinking about

tesla_newbie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058301005/court-summons-for-no-tv-licence

Yes , happened to someone I know recently, ring the licence section of an post

Ethereal Cereal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120718187#Comment_120718187

And, do you know, did they receive a letter from a solicitor or was it a letter from anPost that there is no record of a TV licence at the address?

tesla_newbie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120718360#Comment_120718360

Doesn’t matter, this person close to me rang the solicitors dealing with the summons and advised my relatives to contact an post

Mrs OBumble

Do you have a TV? You could just get rid of it.

Did you have a licence and just let it lapse, or did you never have one?

A friend let their TV Licence lapse (they just never renewed it).

When they did eventually got a summons they bought a new licence, and in court told the judge that they had no excuse except they were struggling with the cost of living increases, and it just took a back seat to other bills.

The judge just said not to let it happen again.

At least if you get your new licence now, next year you'll be able to sign up for direct debits monthly, and it doesn't seem like such a pain.

pale rider

Are Tv Licence Inspectors still calling out given the mess RTE is in right now and the scale of non renewals and anger out there, seems to me to be a waste of time as an overhaul is anticipated which if applied against the eircode will mean equity at last with every property owner that should be paying contributing.

Not a nice job I would thnk, now more than ever.

Rubberchikken

How does that work though? Only property owners to pay? Does the renter get to watch tv and the landlord has to cough up?

Hardly seems fair.

I've no tv on my tv just streaming but I pay the licence. On top of that I pay for the streaming channels and the broadband.

And have to read all summer about rte and their crap.

Qwerty27

With the large drop off in renewals, (think I saw weekly renewals were down 35% compared with same time last year), what is likely to happen all of these non payers?

My renewal reminder came in the post and as much as I want to make a stand by not paying, if I leave things on the back burner and eventually get a court summons, am I not just as well paying up now? On the other hand, is there an appetite or even aboilty to issue summons to thousands of non payers?

I know its the law but tired of always being the one who stumps up for everything.

pale rider

I have always paid until now, we are the silent ones that always pay…I’m out around 4 months, got some reminder letters but that’s it, I will pay when or if a call comes to my door assuming I am home and willing to answer.

the focus is on getting it paid rather than getting non payers into court so I don’t see a risk of me going to court before getting an opportunity to get a license and anyway they have to be swamped

SharkMX

We decided that we are done paying the tv license.

Got a letter in the door a few months ago and binned it.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121262519#Comment_121262519

The decision is yours I guess. Much as I think RTÉ deserve a good whatever, the challenge with the TV licence is that it’s likely all automated- letter, reminder letter, final demand (maybe), court summons. You’ll have to take a day off work, pay for parking, a coffee, maybe a over priced sandwich- you’ll still have to pay for the TV licence - I understand why people are doing it but in reality, it’s probably better just to pay it.

Qwerty27

https://www.thejournal.ie/rte-tv-licence-income-drops-6204305-Oct2023/

This article suggets renewals are down 15k in just the first 2 weeks of Oct compared to same time last year. So whats the process, it isnt going to be feasible to issue court summons or even bring 25/30k people a month to court.

Part of me wants to pay to ensure the decent, ordinary reporter or worker is looked after but one the other hand, they wont go without pay or some sort of govt bailout and I want to make a stand of some sort!

nicholacm

Hi All,

I got a summons to court for a TV Licence. In the Summons it says that they called to my door ON or Around a specific date. On or Around? how bloody vague is that. Anyway when I contacted them apparently the inspector says they spoke to me or a person who identified themselves as me and I confirmed I had no licence and I had a TV. This is 100% not true. Would I be that stupid!! Anyway, the inspector is standing by his claims. Has anyone any advice? I had already gotten a licence in the meantime but the only way to stop this court date is to pay a fine of €80 which I am not doing

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121507910#Comment_121507910

This forum prohibits legal advice.

You have limited options though - if you don’t pay the fine I imagine you’ll be summonsed to court - you might wave the TV licence in front of the judge and they might say off you pop but then again they might not - it’s up to you

Qwerty27

https://www.irishtimes.com/media/2024/03/07/tv-licence-sales-drop-by-almost-22m-since-start-of-rte-controversies-last-summer/

Almos 140,000 people havent renewed, myself included. Are summonds still going to be issued on an ad hoc basis as there's no logical way to follow up or prosecute this many people?

anewme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121507910#Comment_121507910

Very frustrating. The Inspector did on me as well years ago when I’d just moved into my house and was broke. I didn’t have a tv at the time.

He also slyly said it was a Saturday as most people would have witnessed that they were in work during the week.

however at the time he said I spoke to him at the door, I was on a long haul flight with work and sent them a copy of my boarding card. They had to disregard his report. Disappointing to see they are still fabricating stuff.

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861770#Comment_121861770

If they take their time they can prosecute as many as they want

BagofWeed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121274409#Comment_121274409

Simple: Rule 1, Don't answer the door to anyone.

Rule 2, If he/she have attempted to contact you by those stupid reminder letters than don't accept or sign any unexpected registered letter as he/she will get the real name from either, voting register or An Post database and attempt to trick you.