How far can I push not paying my tv licence

JohnMarston · 17-10-2012 02:26PM

Madam_X wrote: »

In fairness it's wishful thinking to expect anything else. If you pay your motor tax late, they don't apply the charge from the date you pay; they apply it from the date it was due.

Nobody likes having to pay it, it sucks too when RTE is such a poor public service broadcaster paying insane salaries to its bigger names (some good home-produced documentaries/current affairs programmes, but most are made by external production companies, not RTE).

However, not paying it won't make it go away.

I wouldnt mind only i moved into my new flat 2 months after the license was due from the previous tenant. So i just paid for the 2 months i wasnt there. Fella in the post office basically said there was nothing they could do.

sebastianlieken · 17-10-2012 03:46PM

A few mates living in a house off campus in UL got a call from their mates next door one time warning them that the TV licence inspector was doing the rounds. So the curtains get closed and there's a bit of a shuffle about, next thing *DING DONG*. One of the lads answers and allows the inspector to come in, only to see 4 lads sitting in the couches, feet up watching the microwave. lol

nbar12 · 17-10-2012 03:51PM

WTF you need a dog's license to own one? jeeeeeeeeeeeeesus robbing pricks

IvyTheTerrible · 17-10-2012 03:56PM

Over here, they tack on the tv license on to the local rates. So it's difficult to avoid paying it.

shawnee · 17-10-2012 04:01PM

ronan45 wrote: »

Push it till you get your summons. Then pay up:D

If you do the above , you will also be obliged to pay the court costs , even if the case has not yet been heard and I am certain of this. Either way your licence will be backdated to the date your licence expired. Screwed either way methinks.:):rolleyes:

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 17-10-2012 04:27PM

Why not tell them you've sold the TV as you can't afford it.

If he asks why you can't afford it tell him you've lost your job and have spent all your savings supporting your sick mother who is in hospital and your dog recently got sick too and had to sell the TV in order to pay for its surgery but you still don't have enough money to pay for both your dogs surgery and your mothers medicine... So now its like Sophies Choice...

dean23 · 17-10-2012 04:34PM

Diddler1977 wrote: »

When you go to pay they will backdate it to August. You can't get away with not paying.

Unless a new owner of your house goes to buy the licence.....

Get it in another persons name who live in the house
I get on average 1 licence per 2 years

donegal_road · 17-10-2012 04:42PM

I haven't had a tv in the house for 9 years, I get a letter almost every year from the tv license people stating that my house is on a list of households that don't have a tv license and to pay at the post office etc. They have never called to me. I have had 3 addresses since 2003 in Ireland.

UCDVet · 17-10-2012 06:53PM

1.) First, declare that you no longer own a tele and have no need of the license. Refuse to pay. If you get a letter, write back, and explain you don't have a tele. Be crafty and word it like, 'I do not CURRENTLY own a Tele' and then gift it to me, UCDVet, such that it is a true statement at the time of your writing. I'll immediately gift it back to you after you mail the letter.

Then - either....

2a.) Get a digital projector that has no ability to pick up TV signals in any way and become a media pirate. Sure, you are 'stealing' media - but you don't have a TV and don't need to pay the TV tax. Instead, you have a sweet media projector you hook up to your computer to watch 'Videos'. Bonus: No commercials.

2b.) Lie and keep your tele.

lukesmom · 17-10-2012 07:03PM

I pay €13.33 every month by direct debit and don't even notice it gone. It's so easy this way.

You can dodge it for as long as you like but it's just going to cause more hassle than it's worth. You WILL have to pay it once you have a tv so not much point trying to dodge it.

GarIT · 17-10-2012 07:06PM

JohnMarston wrote: »

People should keep this point in mind. If you license expires in say september, and you avoid renewal until december. The license will only last until the next september.

I learned this one the hard way

Tell them that you didn't renew the licence sooner because you were without a tv for a bit and that you're not paying for the time you didn't have a tv.

PizzamanIRL · 17-10-2012 07:16PM

Don't pay it or the subsequent fine that will come. Eventually you'll have to do an hour in jail and that's everything sorted.

annascott · 17-10-2012 07:33PM

I rang the number on the reminder form and told them that I only stay at this address two or three nights a week and don't have a tv. The guy just said 'ok'. There was no third degree, requests for proof or threat that someone would be round to check. Try it, you might get away with it.

(For the record, I actually don't have a tv..)

gobnaitolunacy · 17-10-2012 07:36PM

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

Don't pay it or the subsequent fine that will come. Eventually you'll have to do an hour in jail and that's everything sorted.

A criminal record, just what the OP wants :rolleyes:

PizzamanIRL · 17-10-2012 07:37PM

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

A criminal record, just what the OP wants :rolleyes:

Then he should pay his TV licence :rolleyes:

UCDVet · 17-10-2012 07:49PM

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

Then he should pay his TV licence :rolleyes:

Nothing good has ever come from paying a TV licence.

Yawns · 17-10-2012 08:00PM

lukesmom wrote: »

I pay €13.33 every month by direct debit and don't even notice it gone. It's so easy this way.

You can dodge it for as long as you like but it's just going to cause more hassle than it's worth. You WILL have to pay it once you have a tv so not much point trying to dodge it.

I have a tv and haven't held a licence for years. So much easier this way as I don't even have to bother setting up a direct debit or filling out forms. I'm not required by law to talk to a tv licence inspector nor have I received any letter addressed to me about the licence. I have heard that they have heard all the excuses and none of them work so I've decided not to bother giving them one and just not engage with them in any way shape or form.

PizzamanIRL · 17-10-2012 08:02PM

UCDVet wrote: »

Nothing good has ever come from paying a TV licence.

Then he shouldn't pay it and do what I originally said???

R0ot · 17-10-2012 08:39PM

Diddler1977 wrote: »

When you go to pay they will backdate it to August. You can't get away with not paying.

Unless a new owner of your house goes to buy the licence.....

Is this true?

Stinicker · 17-10-2012 09:04PM

Write back to them saying you are your own illegitimate child and you wish to inform the authorities of your own death. Explain the property is now vacant and as you live abroad in North Korea an estate agent will be handling the renting of the property and it will be the new tenants responsibility.

Paying it monthly is still the same amount of money at the end of the year, I know heaps of people who don't pay and I don't blame them one bit considering the sort of wasters RTE are. They churn out nothing but pure manure programming, (Fair City OMG!) employ Fianna Fail cronie hacks like Miriam O'Callaghan and Ryan Tubridy and pay them a fortune when they would not compete in the real world. What really gets my goat is how not only do RTÉ try to mug the people for a licence fee they then have as many adverts on their channels as a private broadcaster.

At least in the UK you get decent public service broadcasting all of which is advert free. Look at those great Ateenborough programmes etc. produced. RTE exist in Ireland as a propaganda tool of the Fianna Fail party who employ overpaid underworked useless people like Miriam O'Callaghan.

Ronin247 · 17-10-2012 09:05PM

donegal_road wrote: »

I haven't had a tv in the house for 9 years, I get a letter almost every year from the tv license people stating that my house is on a list of households that don't have a tv license and to pay at the post office etc. They have never called to me. I have had 3 addresses since 2003 in Ireland.

Have they sent the letter to you personally or just " The occupier"?,not sure they can do much if they do not have a name.

Stinicker · 17-10-2012 09:11PM

Ronin247 wrote: »

Have they sent the letter to you personally or just " The occupier"?,not sure they can do much if they do not have a name.

They are using the electoral register, I know a house that recently got a letter complete with the persons name spelled wrong, the same mistake is only found elsewhere on the electoral register.

Madam_X · 17-10-2012 09:30PM

R0ot wrote: »

Is this true?

Yes.

Paying late has never been a reason to waive something.

My motor tax was due in September, I paid it the other day. My payment won't cover six months' motor tax from the point I paid, it will only cover from the point it was due in September. It had to be paid anyway - my fault it was paid late.

Fromthetrees · 17-10-2012 09:45PM

The license fee is outrageous, 13 euro odd per month is expensive considering what you get in return. RTE should just have the one channel focused on local and national issues with plenty of independent productions and a few other things like that. There's no need for the tax payer to fork out for all the crap they produce. How many feckin radio stations do they have? Why like?

If you're into soccer, why not put that 13 euro towards Setanta (or some pay station that shows Ireland matches) and get HD and enjoy you're sport.

Or, if you're into Desperate Housewives and that kinda thing put your 13 euro towards a UPC or Sky subscription, actually, the 13 would cover over half the cost of either package and you'd get a fantastic service with a lot of channels.

As far as I know TV3 and TG4 get very little money to subsidise them and have fantastic output of both sport and top shows.

Crap RTE presenters getting gargantuan salaries who are not fit to sweep the floor of a TV studio is a thundering disgrace. The amount of Irish talent over in England is almost criminal, with the amount of money RTE get they should be able to get these talented people making shows in Ireland, and this talent would be happy to pop back home to do the odd program.

I think Pat Kenny is very well informed, balanced and fair.

TL;DR, Scrap RTE 2, the license fee and all the 'top talent' at RTE. Allow Irish people choose what service they want. Bring in more broadcasters into the Irish market.

questionmark? · 17-10-2012 09:51PM

JohnMarston wrote: »

People should keep this point in mind. If you license expires in say september, and you avoid renewal until december. The license will only last until the next september.

I learned this one the hard way

You go into the post office and ask for a new licence in a different name so it ain't a renewal so it cant be backdated. Of course that person should be living at the house :pac:

*legal disclaimer dont do this as it may be illegal then again just never buy one

Doylers · 17-10-2012 09:58PM

UCDVet wrote: »

1.) First, declare that you no longer own a tele and have no need of the license. Refuse to pay. If you get a letter, write back, and explain you don't have a tele. Be crafty and word it like, 'I do not CURRENTLY own a Tele' and then gift it to me, UCDVet, such that it is a true statement at the time of your writing. I'll immediately gift it back to you after you mail the letter.

Then - either....

2a.) Get a digital projector that has no ability to pick up TV signals in any way and become a media pirate. Sure, you are 'stealing' media - but you don't have a TV and don't need to pay the TV tax. Instead, you have a sweet media projector you hook up to your computer to watch 'Videos'. Bonus: No commercials.

2b.) Lie and keep your tele.

Wasnt there a change though in recent months. They wanted to change the tv tax to include devices capable of playing media eg laptops. Dunno what was made of it

silly houseowner · 17-10-2012 10:58PM

what licencse fee.The saorveiw add tells you its irelands new digital tv service and its free.Just record the add and play it in court

donegal_road · 18-10-2012 12:01AM

Ronin247 wrote: »

Have they sent the letter to you personally or just " The occupier"?,not sure they can do much if they do not have a name.

the latest letter was addressed to me personally. Previously it was 'the occupier'. Funnily enough, not long after I posted on this thread, a car pulled up in front of the house with two guys scoping out the place as I was pulling in the gateway. They pulled away as I got out of my car and approached them. hmmm. Anyway, the license inspectors are more than welcome in, I have no TV and haven't had in 9 years, Ive been looking forward to them calling

dave1982 · 18-10-2012 12:05AM

RTE **** OFF

donegal_road · 18-10-2012 12:16AM

by the way, I dont see the point in having a TV. There are thousands of great documentaries online, plus I watch a lot of dvds. What am I missing? Eastenders, the news, recession report etc
When Ireland play, I watch it in the pub.. and it looks as if thats going to be rugby from now on. Imo television is yesterdays technology

How far can I push not paying my tv licence

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