TV license inspectors

sprinkles · 01-10-2004 03:54PM

If you don't answer the door.....

skywalker · 01-10-2004 03:59PM

Blub2k4 wrote:

A mate of mine invited them in and showed them his projector hooked up to Sky digital and his xbox and the lack of a normal tv tuner was enough to get rid of them, sky was not their concern as you are not watching Irish terrestrial and they had no tuner.

is this a legit way around this?

Civilian_Target · 01-10-2004 04:06PM

If you're on cable, you should get a TV license. We were on NTL last year and got inspected 3 times. If you're not on cable, and you're not in, say, a student area, you'll probably be fine. I'd be the kind of taxpaying person who would get one anyway though....

Fysh · 01-10-2004 04:18PM

Anybody have any specifics on how it relates to tenancies? The Oasis website says that the onus is on the user not the owner (ie the landlord might provide the tv for the house, but you live there so you have to get the licence) but I'm fairly sure that this has to be explicitly mentioned in the tenancy agreement. Can anyone confirm/reject this? (I need to know as this may affect me - much to my chagrin, since my TV is only used for gaming as Irish terrestrial TV is mostly tripe)

mr_angry · 01-10-2004 04:23PM

Interestingly, my name is currently on the TV license despite the fact that I am the only tennant in the house who does not own a TV. Can I be fined for non-payment of a TV license, or is it a collective fine for all the occupants of the house?

The Corinthian · 01-10-2004 04:41PM

As best as I can remember, if a TV inspector comes to your home, then by all means, tell them to **** off until they come back with a warrant. You are under obligation to answer any of their questions or allow them into your dwelling. Even if they do get a warrant (and will have to be accompanied by a Garda) you should have your licence by then.

If they send you a letter, respond by requesting in writing how they got your details in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

Personally, I consider it an outdated mode of funding a station that only needs this revenue because of a handful overpaid personalities and union work practices that would have been considered extreme even in 1970’s Britain. That is what drives up the price of the licence.

In comparison, TV3 is pretty crap, but not by much and at least I’m not paying TV3 €150 a year so they can pay a veritable army of civil service middle managers to take tea breaks.

pickarooney · 01-10-2004 04:45PM

How does the post office get your name and address? I would have thought that would be quite easy for them.

kegan5 · 01-10-2004 04:54PM

hmm I always wondered if you only get Tv3 Tg4 and can't get a good signal for Rte1 and Net2 do ya still have to pay? seems stupid!

seamus · 01-10-2004 04:58PM

kegan5 wrote:

hmm I always wondered if you only get Tv3 Tg4 and can't get a good signal for Rte1 and Net2 do ya still have to pay? seems stupid!

TG4 comes out of the licence fee too.

Cactus Col · 01-10-2004 05:20PM

have a tv? ... get a licence ...

wiw4 · 01-10-2004 05:28PM

Doesnt everyone over 18 in a household have to have a license?

This is what i meant (from oasis):
if the building in which the equipment is kept (i.e., the house, etc.) is sub-divided into flats, apartments, separate living quarters, then a separate television licence must be held for each of these quarters. In other words, an individual licence must be held for each separate flat, apartment, etc.

If you are a tenant living in rented accommodation with a television you must have a television licence. This applies irrespective of who owns the television (i.e., if the television belongs to you or the landlord). The law states that anyone resident on a premises in possession of a television set must have a television licence.

Fysh · 02-10-2004 12:11AM

Cactus Col wrote:

have a tv? ... get a licence ...

Err...thanks, but I'll only be getting one if I see concrete evidence that I'm required to have one - and I'm sure this doesn't apply to me. I don't use my TV for anything other than gaming because Irish TV offers very little I'd want to watch. If I could buy a gaming-only TV, I would have done. As things stand, I'll wait until it's made clear for me whether the onus is on me or my landlord to provide a licence for the house (given that the house I live in has a TV provided) and whether that licence extends to my own personal TV.

As for the section quoted from the Oasis website - I'm sure the license people would love it if every individual in a house with TV access paid for a license (as in, if six people live in a house with one tv, each of the six gets a license) but, well, they can f*ck off if they think I'm voluntarily paying ?152 for services which I don't use. Corinthian's post sums up my feelings exactly. TV licenses work in the UK (in that they offer a broader range of services, and of generally higher overall quality than here) and in Spain they're not use at all to my knowledge - the quality of terrestrial TV there isn't noticeably different to here (ie. it's still pretty dire, but at least it's free).

Stephen · 02-10-2004 01:35PM

We got busted last week. Used the old "but we just moved in a week ago" excuse though

Victor · 02-10-2004 10:53PM

Seanie M wrote:

THATS what the usual license is about - paying for state broadcasting. Hence why TV3 has so many ads - it is not included in the tv license drama, and must get its revenue from advertising customers.

TV3 is included in the régime. Under one of the recent Broadcasting acts, it is entitled to some money for it's public service obligations, although I don't know if they have actually been paid any money.

Hobbes · 03-10-2004 10:34AM

The person going on about NTL passing on your information. Sorry to say but it is Irish law that all suppliers have to pass on your details.

You also only need a TV license if you own an item capable of recieving a broadcast.

"television set" means any apparatus for wireless telegraphy designed primarily for the purpose of receiving and exhibiting television programmes broadcast for general reception (whether or not its use for that purpose is dependent on the use of anything else in conjunction therewith) and any assembly comprising such apparatus and other apparatus.

(2) In this Act references to sale by retail include references to sale by credit-sale agreement but do not include references to sale by auction unless the auctioneer is selling as principal.

(3) For the purposes of this Act a television set is sold or let on hire or hire-purchase when the contract of sale or, as the case may be, the contract of hire or hire-purchase is made.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA5Y1972.html

I would prefer it they change the law that you only pay the TV license if you are watching RTE. I would gladly give up watching RTE as it is total crap.

billy the squid · 03-10-2004 10:40AM

quick question, Could RTE's website be considered a broadcast then?

Victor · 03-10-2004 10:51AM

billy the squid wrote:

quick question, Could RTE's website be considered a broadcast then?

Probably not as it's designed to narrowcast on wires (unless you are watching TV on you mobile

)

kaiphas · 03-10-2004 11:07AM

Just video RTE2 new comedy "Stew" and make the TV licence man sit through it. He won't have the balls to ask for payment after that!!

magpie · 04-10-2004 11:11AM

The person going on about NTL passing on your information. Sorry to say but it is Irish law that all suppliers have to pass on your details.

Which law is that then? Isn't that a direct contravention of the Data Protection Act?

Anyway, looks like these are the top tips for putting getting a licence on the long finger (those of us without €150 to burn):

1) Don't get SKY/NTL
2) Ignore all letters you receive
3) If an inspector comes round and wants to look in your house send him away for a warrant
4) Buy a licence before he comes back!

A mate of mine got a bloke to hook him up 'Cable Guy' style with NTL for a once-off payment of €50, which although illegal gives him free telly for life and no licence fee request. If anyone knows of such a person please make sure you keep the information to yourself, as I have no interest in it whatsoever.

Superman · 04-10-2004 11:13AM

**Cough*Throw a cinder block at him*Cough**

Mossy Monk · 04-10-2004 11:56AM

we received a letter this morning that an inspector would be in the area shortly which is a bit strange considering

magpie · 04-10-2004 12:01PM

Would this be a good time to tell you I am a TV Licence Inspector?

Hobbes · 04-10-2004 12:12PM

magpie wrote:

Which law is that then? Isn't that a direct contravention of the Data Protection Act?

The one I posted in the same post. Read it.

It doesn't effect the data protection act in the slightest. The retailer only needs to be registered by the data protection office. Also you are able to see what they send (which is basically a name and address). You can ask for your name to be removed after the sale but there is no law against passing your address onto the government.

You buy a TV or get Cable then your name is sent on.

Verdammt · 04-10-2004 12:18PM

magpie wrote:

Would this be a good time to tell you I am a TV Licence Inspector?

Would this be a good time to tell you I own several automatic weopons and I hate TV Licence Inspector's ??

magpie · 04-10-2004 12:19PM

Just read it. It dates from 1972 and only seems to make reference to purchasing a TV.

Where's the reference to NTL passing on your details?

Civilian_Target · 04-10-2004 12:20PM

I don't object to paying my license fee o TG4. They're a station with some fantastic programming (and some beautiful weathergirls) who manage so do very well on a shoestring budget. It's RTE, the same people who manage to use 50% more cabling than the BBC every year (where does it go?), the same money black hole, that annoys me. TBH, I dunno if our house has paid TV license or not, on NTL so I sure as hell hope so.

pork99 · 04-10-2004 12:42PM

Civilian_Target wrote:

It's RTE, the same people who manage to use 50% more cabling than the BBC every year (where does it go?)

Check their houses

Civilian_Target · 04-10-2004 02:23PM

Yeah, it was a rhetorical question, I guessed that they don't have a small black hole in the centre of RTE that they throw cables into. (Although that would be very cool)

The_Conductor · 04-10-2004 11:17PM

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZSI608Y2002.html

12 (c) the holder shall not divulge or allow to be divulged to any person (other than a duly authorised officer of the Minister or another Minister of the Government, An Post or a competent legal tribunal) or make any use whatsoever of any communication (other than matter broadcast for general public reception) received by means of a television set under the licence

Hmmm- so we're not allowed to discuss the weather forecast- and woe betide anyone who forewarns another person about anything they may have seen or heard on telly..........

You know- thats actually the current SI in force......

The mind boggles......

S.

imp · 04-10-2004 11:36PM

smccarrick wrote:

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZSI608Y2002.html
Hmmm- so we're not allowed to discuss the weather forecast- and woe betide anyone who forewarns another person about anything they may have seen or heard on telly..........

Somehow I think the weather forecast falls under "matter broadcast for general public reception". Just a thought.

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TV license inspectors

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