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Can TV Licence inspectors check your bedroom?

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13

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    #62
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,293 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    I think we can agree that the current law is completely outdated and does not reflect the reality of modern broadcasting.

    This, I would assume, is the main reason for the new charge which everyone will need to pay rather than arguing over what is and isn't covered under the legislation.


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    #63
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Basically the old law is still in effect where you needed a tv with a tuner which was the part which required the licence. That is why even if you had no actual tv but only had a video recorder you still needed a licence as the vcr contained a tuner. So today if you have only a monitor you dont need a licence but if you have a cable or satellite decoder like sky box or upc microwave decoder that is the tuner and requires a licence.


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    #64
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,619 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    This will change things I suspect...

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/every-single-home-to-be-hit-with-new-broadcasting-charge-29428338.html


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    #65
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,293 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    Henry Ford III wrote: »
    This will change things I suspect...

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/every-single-home-to-be-hit-with-new-broadcasting-charge-29428338.html

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/rabbitte-lured-by-the-one-liner-1.1316682

    He does what he says he will do anyway:D


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    #66
    carpejugulum
    Registered Users Posts: 523 ✭✭✭carpejugulum


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They ask to be allowed in to search for any tv and if you refuse they just call the guards who will uphold the inspectors right to enter your property.
    They don't have a right to enter the property without your permission or a court warrant.


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    #67
    Deliverance XXV
    Registered Users Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭Deliverance XXV


    If you have any bit of a lane before your house, place a 'Beware of Dog' and 'No Trespassing Signs' and see if he crosses the garden threshold then. Maybe a Rifle Association Membership sign and old Republican US flags on the fence...

    With regards to the analogue monitor debate - what if someone uses a digital-analogue (DVI-D to VGA) converter with an analogue monitor? Should they then not be technically able to receive digital TV signals?


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    #68
    Cienciano
    Registered Users Posts: 14,226 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    UDP wrote: »
    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0018/sec0146.html#sec146
    Broadcasting Act 2009
    146.— (1) An issuing agent may appoint persons to be officers of the issuing agent for the purposes of this Part.

    (2) A person appointed under subsection (1) shall, on his or her appointment be furnished by the issuing agent with a certificate of his or her appointment and when exercising a power conferred by subsection (3) shall, if requested by any person thereby affected, produce such certificate to that person for inspection.

    (3) An officer of an issuing agent may enter at any reasonable time any premises or specified place for the purposes of ascertaining whether there is a television set there and a television licence is for the time being in force in respect of the premises or specified place authorising the keeping of a television set at the premises or specified place.

    (4) An officer of an issuing agent may request any person on the premises or at the place where he or she finds a television set or evidence of such to produce the television licence for the time being in force in respect of the premises or specified place for inspection by the officer.
    reads to me that they can.
    It seems to me that there's a couple of ways around it. First one is, don't open the door unless you're expecting someone. Second one is when he says "can I come into your house to check for a tv", say "no" and close the door.


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    #69
    Smashius_Clay
    Registered Users Posts: 70 ✭✭Smashius_Clay


    UDP wrote: »
    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0018/sec0146.html#sec146
    reads to me that they can.

    If I simply did not return their letter to them, what would happen then?


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    #70
    cameraman21
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭cameraman21


    What if I am away for 4 months, I will not receive or send back the letter? How can they fine me - how can they prove I got the letter if it is not registered post?


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    #71
    Minier81
    Registered Users Posts: 623 ✭✭✭Minier81


    Faith wrote: »
    What happens if they knock on the door and you just admit to not having a licence? Do they just tell you to buy one or what?

    This did happen to me! I just admitted I didn't have one, and the inspector just told me to get one within 10 days. A few days alter I got a letter to that effect.


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    #72
    F35
    Site Banned Posts: 87 ✭✭F35


    Pawwed Rig wrote: »
    I think we can agree that the current law is completely outdated and does not reflect the reality of modern broadcasting.

    This, I would assume, is the main reason for the new charge which everyone will need to pay rather than arguing over what is and isn't covered under the legislation.

    Yep, agreed, especially when people can get rte player for free.


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    #73
    MugMugs
    Registered Users Posts: 17,875 ✭✭✭✭MugMugs


    They had my name and kept issuing letters to me. Returned to sender the whole time. They now address them to the occupant.

    If he doesn't have my name, then he doesn't have a chance of taking me to court.

    And if he finds my name somehow, I'll be wanting to know how and what the DPA has to say about it.


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    #74
    D3PO
    Registered Users Posts: 7,879 ✭✭✭D3PO


    MugMugs wrote: »

    And if he finds my name somehow, I'll be wanting to know how and what the DPA has to say about it.

    Yeah because its so hard to find somebodies name without breaching data protection laws :rolleyes::rolleyes:


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    #75
    MugMugs
    Registered Users Posts: 17,875 ✭✭✭✭MugMugs


    D3PO wrote: »
    Yeah because its so hard to find somebodies name without breaching data protection laws :rolleyes::rolleyes:

    Well if you had my address, how would you go about obtaining my name?


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    #76
    OldNotWIse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,468 ✭✭✭✭OldNotWIse


    Smashius_Clay wrote: »
    I received a letter recently saying that a TV licence was not registered for the apartment in which I live. I share an apartment with two other people.

    We have no television in our living room, nor are we set up for Saorview, Sky or any of those things.

    However, I am wondering, if a TV licence inspector calls around, are they allowed to check your bedroom?

    Leaving aside whether or not any of us have a television any of our rooms, it does seem to be rather an invasion of privacy to ask to see someone's bedroom.

    If a TV licence inspector called round, would I have the right to refuse him/her access to my bedroom?


    I assumed you could refuse them access to the house?


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    #77
    D3PO
    Registered Users Posts: 7,879 ✭✭✭D3PO


    MugMugs wrote: »
    Well if you had my address, how would you go about obtaining my name?

    Electoral Register
    Asking a neighbour
    Phone book

    etc etc etc.

    Its not hard to find somebodies name without breaking data protection laws and with minimal enough effort.


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    #78
    MugMugs
    Registered Users Posts: 17,875 ✭✭✭✭MugMugs


    D3PO wrote: »
    Electoral Register
    Asking a neighbour
    Phone book

    etc etc etc.

    Its not hard to find somebodies name without breaking data protection laws and with minimal enough effort.

    I am not registered on the Electoral Register

    My neighbours do not know my name with the exception of one who has since left the area.

    My phone number is ex directory and furthermore, how does one find a name from an address in a phone book?


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    #79
    Grandpa Hassan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭Grandpa Hassan


    geez.....will you all not just pay the bleedin' licence! Its not that much


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    #80
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,293 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    Grandpa Hassan wrote: »
    geez.....will you all not just pay the bleedin' licence! Its not that much

    It is €160 a year. That is alot.


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    #81
    MarkR
    Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 11,053 Mod ✭✭✭✭MarkR


    Pawwed Rig wrote: »
    It is €160 a year. That is alot.

    Could be less if everyone paid it.


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    #82
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,293 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    MarkR wrote: »
    Could be less if everyone paid it.

    You honestly believe that?
    So the new universal charge will be less than €160 then?


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    #83
    shruikan2553
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,113 ✭✭✭shruikan2553


    MarkR wrote: »
    Could be less if everyone paid it.

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    Why would everyone pay it? Plenty of people dont have a TV. No reason for them to subsidise you getting bored in the evenings


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    #84
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,293 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    With Kenny off the payroll there must be some scope for reducing the current charge?


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    #85
    R P McMurphy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,129 ✭✭✭R P McMurphy


    Pawwed Rig wrote: »
    I think we can agree that the current law is completely outdated and does not reflect the reality of modern broadcasting.

    This, I would assume, is the main reason for the new charge which everyone will need to pay rather than arguing over what is and isn't covered under the legislation.

    I would agree t o ba point but if a person does not have tv and lives in an area with rubbish broadband service that would be incapable of streaming programming then there is still an issue


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    #86
    srsly78
    Registered Users Posts: 7,157 ✭✭✭srsly78


    R P McMurphy wrote: »
    I would agree t o ba point but if a person does not have tv and lives in an area with rubbish broadband service that would be incapable of streaming programming then there is still an issue

    Even rubbish broadband can stream low-res rte player and radio. You only need good broadband if you want to stream hi-def, which rte doesn't even offer I think.


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    #87
    shruikan2553
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,113 ✭✭✭shruikan2553


    srsly78 wrote: »
    Even rubbish broadband can stream low-res rte player and radio. You only need good broadband if you want to stream hi-def, which rte doesn't even offer I think.

    Have you ever tried using RTE iplayer? Unless it has improved in the past few months having broadband still makes it crap and slow.


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    #88
    srsly78
    Registered Users Posts: 7,157 ✭✭✭srsly78


    Yep works fine even on lousy eircom 3mbit broadband.

    If you were talking about 56k modem you might have a point.


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    #89
    MarkR
    Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 11,053 Mod ✭✭✭✭MarkR


    Pawwed Rig wrote: »
    You honestly believe that?
    So the new universal charge will be less than €160 then?

    Basic math. Say for example 1 million people paid the tv licence. State gets 160,000,000 euro.

    Everyone pays next year. State gets 179,200,000 (12% of people estimated not to have paid in 2010). Following year the state has 19,200,000 more than expected to budget with. Tv licence may not go down, but we might get f*cked in the ass more gently that budget.

    It's like tesco. Every little bit helps. Or hinders. People always think that their tax avoidance doesn't matter. But crib when the roads have potholes, the waiting lists get longer in the hospital, and another levy gets thrown in on top of us next year.


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    #90
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,293 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    I understand the maths but I think it would be very optimistic to think that they will lower this fee for any reason. RTE will find some way to waste use the money wisely.


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    #91
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,238 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    MarkR wrote: »
    Basic math. Say for example 1 million people paid the tv licence. State gets 160,000,000 euro.

    Everyone pays next year. State gets 179,200,000 (12% of people estimated not to have paid in 2010). Following year the state has 19,200,000 more than expected to budget with. Tv licence may not go down, but we might get f*cked in the ass more gently that budget.

    It's like tesco. Every little bit helps. Or hinders. People always think that their tax avoidance doesn't matter. But crib when the roads have potholes, the waiting lists get longer in the hospital, and another levy gets thrown in on top of us next year.

    In an ideal world it would work like that, but the chance of that happening in reality are slim to virtually none.


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