Tv licence - i dont own a tv..

Musicman2006 · 03-09-2011 12:24AM #1

I live on the top floor of an apartment complex and have been getting a rake of highly threatening letters from an post telling me why I MUST have a tv licence ...... Only thing is - i dont own a tv.

Should i let them take me to court and wait until the end of a lengthy trial before the judge asks for my closing statement, to which ill reply "yes, just one minor point....i dont own a fvcking tv!"?

Cill Dara Abu · 03-09-2011 12:25AM

Whats all you're furniture pointed at?

Musicman2006 · 03-09-2011 12:26AM

The wall..

The Internet Explorer · 03-09-2011 12:27AM

That's fairly sickening to be honest.

03-09-2011 12:27AM

Same as all bills, ignore them until they send the red ones.*

*Probably bad advice

Morag · 03-09-2011 12:28AM

Doesn't matter if you have a pc/mac/smart phone then you can watch rte programming off the website and so you have to have a tv licence.

seanybiker · 03-09-2011 12:28AM

Anything that can receive transmission is counted I think. Do you have a radio?

MrStuffins · 03-09-2011 12:28AM

Do you own a radio? if so, you need a tv license.

In fact, come to think of it, you can receive FM radio on your phone. So you probably need a TV license for that too!

Chris P. Bacon · 03-09-2011 12:29AM

TV licence fella knocked at my friends door a while back,he said "have you a licence for the telly" my friend says "i dont have a telly","oh you dont,well why is there an aerial on your roof",to which my friend replied,"just because i have milk in the fridge it doesnt mean i have a cow out the back",and closed the door in his face.

Musicman2006 · 03-09-2011 12:29AM

ronoc wrote: »

Same as all bills, ignore them until they send the red ones.*

*Probably bad advice

Even when i get a red one - what should i do? Just buy a licence for a tv i dont have?!

coolmoose · 03-09-2011 12:31AM

Sharrow wrote: »

Doesn't matter if you have a pc/mac/smart phone then you can watch rte programming off the website and so you have to have a tv licence.

This is not correct.

You do not require a television licence to watch television on your computer or mobile phone. However, you do require a licence if the computer is used together with any other apparatus to receive a signal.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer_affairs/media/tv_licences.html

EDIT: Pretty sure the need for a licence for a radio set was abolished (it was, 1972), only the TV licence remains.

flutterflye · 03-09-2011 12:32AM

Nah, that's ridiculous..
I wouldn't get one in your position.
There again, I can live with the shame, can you?

TheZohanS · 03-09-2011 12:34AM

Musicman2006 wrote: »

Even when i get a red one - what should i do? Just buy a licence for a tv i dont have?!

Fill out the declaration on the form stating that you don't have a TV. That's it, no drama.

ted1 · 03-09-2011 12:34AM

You say you don't own one, is their one in the apartment.

MrStuffins · 03-09-2011 12:34AM

Musicman2006 wrote: »

I live on the top floor of an apartment complex and have been getting a rake of highly threatening letters from an post telling me why I MUST have a tv licence ...... Only thing is - i dont own a tv.

Should i let them take me to court and wait until the end of a lengthy trial before the judge asks for my closing statement, to which ill reply "yes, just one minor point....i dont own a fvcking tv!"?

To answer your question, let them chase you as much as they like, then in the end just tell them "I DON'T OWN A F*CKING TV!!!"

2 Miles From Narnia · 03-09-2011 12:34AM

I'm the same, no TV and get regular letters about the licence. I take offence to their assumption of guilt, and the tone of the letters. I ignore them all, as I'm not doing anything wrong and I don't feel that there should be an onus on me to prove my lack of a possession just because I'm in a statistical minority.

emanresu · 03-09-2011 12:34AM

Sharrow wrote: »

Doesn't matter if you have a pc/mac/smart phone then you can watch rte programming off the website and so you have to have a tv licence.

No, You only need a TV licence for a computer if it has a TV tuner. You do not need a licence to watch TV programmes on the internet.

seanybiker wrote: »

Anything that can receive transmission is counted I think. Do you have a radio?

No, You do not need a licence for a radio.

Greentopia · 03-09-2011 12:34AM

MrStuffins wrote: »

Do you own a radio? if so, you need a tv license.

Really?? I had the TV inspector guy call to my door last year and he asked if I have a licence, I told him no and he never asked if I have a radio or PC.
I told him he could come in and look around if he liked as I had nothing to hide-I really don't have a TV-and he declined and went on his way.

Do you have any source for your claim to need a licence for a radio? I'd be interested to read it. Not being smart assed-I really would

Greentopia · 03-09-2011 12:37AM

emanresu wrote: »

No, You only need a TV licence for a computer if it has a TV tuner. You do not need a licence to watch TV programmes on the internet.

No, You do not need a licence for a radio.

Now see that's what I thought too! why would you need a TV licence for something that has no TV tuner.

Temptamperu · 03-09-2011 12:37AM

But you have either a laptop or a pc or a smartphone that can get RTE.ie and the player or the radio channels.

Sorry dude your fecked.

Bullseye1 · 03-09-2011 12:38AM

Next up will be having to buy a license for each tv.

MrStuffins · 03-09-2011 12:39AM

Greentopia wrote: »

Really?? I had the TV inspector guy call to my door last year and he asked if I have a licence, I told him no and he never asked if I have a radio or PC.
I told him he could come in and look around if he liked as I had nothing to hide-I really don't have a TV-and he declined and went on his way.

Do you have any source for your claim to need a licence for a radio? I'd be interested to read it. Not being smart assed-I really would

Nope. I always just presumed you needed one but reading the link on the last page from Citizen Information it's apparent that one isn't required for a radio.

Greentopia · 03-09-2011 12:47AM

Temptamperu wrote: »

But you have either a laptop or a pc or a smartphone that can get RTE.ie and the player or the radio channels.

Sorry dude your fecked.

No, I checked it out on citizensinformation.ie and it states:

"You do not require a television licence to watch television on your computer or mobile phone. However, you do require a licence if the computer is used together with any other apparatus to receive a signal."

Now quite what they mean by 'any other apparatus' is not clear but I assume they mean an aerial.

I have no aerial on my phone or laptop (:D) so therefore presumedly the OP, like myself, need no licence so he's in the clear.

paddyandy · 03-09-2011 12:47AM

It's ten years since i bought a tv license and i was getting reminders for a while after the last one expired.I've had no tv for quite a long time BUT I WAS STILL GETTING reminders.I wrote a letter telling them what i thought of tv and invited them to pay me a visit at any time..."i will not hesitate to let you in but you will not find a tv in my home" which is true.Those letters are very rare now and i wont refuse them entry.I detest tv to put it very mildly.Nothing in history has done anything remotely like the damage the tv has done.They have'nt got the staff in dublin and they yelp a bit but people have been taken to court.Let the frs in if they have proper I.D.I would imagine they will have instruments to identify you and what station you're watching.Their Office is very close to Cleary's in O'Connell st dublin.I get sky live free on the net plus rte player for the few items i'd watch.I have enough nonsense on the net do i need more?

Daithi 1 · 03-09-2011 12:48AM

You dont need a license. Any information you give them is completely voulentary. MUST is a derivitave of MAY.

You might use your tv for dvd's only, computer games etc.

You are not obliged to answer any questions they have.

You CAN charge them admistration fee's for taking up your time. Say 100 euro for any letters recieved.

See this video and search "tv license inspector" on youtube for more...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPwNgIsH9BA

UnkieKev · 03-09-2011 12:49AM

Temptamperu wrote: »

But you have either a laptop or a pc or a smartphone that can get RTE.ie and the player or the radio channels.

Sorry dude your fecked.

eeeeeeeeh no?

he still doesn't own a television, PC's can not receive television signal, nor smart phone (except the cheap china iPhone Tv's)

Greentopia · 03-09-2011 12:50AM

MrStuffins wrote: »

Nope. I always just presumed you needed one but reading the link on the last page from Citizen Information it's apparent that one isn't required for a radio.

Hah, I just checked that site out too. Seems I'm definitely within the law too so.

starbelgrade · 03-09-2011 12:50AM

You're missing out OP.

My Left Foot is on RTE 1 now. And Telly Bingo will be on later.

MrStuffins · 03-09-2011 12:54AM

Daithi 1 wrote: »

You might use your tv for dvd's only, computer games etc.

You still need a licence as you own a device capable of receiving a signal.

Cill Dara Abu · 03-09-2011 12:55AM

MrStuffins wrote: »

You still need a licence as you own a device capable of receiving a signal.

Even a mobile phone?

emanresu · 03-09-2011 12:58AM

Greentopia wrote: »

No, I checked it out on citizensinformation.ie and it states:

"You do not require a television licence to watch television on your computer or mobile phone. However, you do require a licence if the computer is used together with any other apparatus to receive a signal."

Now quite what they mean by 'any other apparatus' is not clear but I assume they mean an aerial.
...

A television tuner, which is a circuit board that can be fitted into one of the slots inside a computer.

Tv licence - i dont own a tv..

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