TV Licence - ALL TV licence discussion/queries in this thread.

Capt'n Midnight

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

That is hardly a reason for its existence

Income tax was introduced in 1799 by William Pitt the Younger, as a temporary measure to cover the cost of the Napoleonic Wars.

Pawwed Rig

Yes Income Tax. But taxes have been around for alot longer. Income tax was just a fairer method of tax collection

The TV licence, like the household charge, is not a fair tax as it takes no account of a persons ability to pay

Sam Russell

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Yes Income Tax. But taxes have been around for alot longer. Income tax was just a fairer method of tax collection

The TV licence, like the household charge, is not a fair tax as it takes no account of a persons ability to pay

Not entirely. The Home Benefits package includes a free TV licence. This package is given to people on certain Social Protection payments.

Smithwicks Man

Tv licence inspector called yesterday apparently.. Missed him because we were all at college. Left a wee note saying he'd be back and that if we had a tv then we had 5 days to pay.

Here's the thing. 4 of us live in the apartment (student accommodation). There is a tv in the common room which is never used because it was never tuned in to the stations here, it belongs to person A.

Person B has a tv in his room and uses it regularly.

Person C (me) and Person D do not have or use a tv.

I have no intention of paying the licence because I don't have or use a TV but Person A and B also have no intention of paying for a licence.

If the inspector comes back, am I liable for not having the licence? I mean, is it the person who owns the tv that is liable or is it all the people who live in the accommodation?

Hardly seems fair if it is all of us. I certainly don't want to be slapped with a fine and have to try and explain in court that I'm not paying the fine and that my roommate(s) that own said tv's can pay it because they are the only ones liable.

zg3409

194 TV viewers jailed

Some 194 people were sent to prison last year for non-payment of a TV licence. The numbers were confirmed by the Irish Prison Service who added that the majority of offenders were women.

Females accounted for 121 of those sent down while the remaining 73 were men.

From:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/siptu-strike-ballot-3324058.html

mikom

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

Tv licence inspector called yesterday apparently.. Missed him because we were all at college. Left a wee note saying he'd be back and that if we had a tv then we had 5 days to pay.

Here's the thing. 4 of us live in the apartment (student accommodation). There is a tv in the common room which is never used because it was never tuned in to the stations here, it belongs to person A.

Person B has a tv in his room and uses it regularly.

Person C (me) and Person D do not have or use a tv.

I have no intention of paying the licence because I don't have or use a TV but Person A and B also have no intention of paying for a licence.

If the inspector comes back, am I liable for not having the licence? I mean, is it the person who owns the tv that is liable or is it all the people who live in the accommodation?

Hardly seems fair if it is all of us. I certainly don't want to be slapped with a fine and have to try and explain in court that I'm not paying the fine and that my roommate(s) that own said tv's can pay it because they are the only ones liable.

Was the note addressed to Smithwicks Man?

Fromthetrees

zg3409 wrote: »

194 TV viewers jailed

Some 194 people were sent to prison last year for non-payment of a TV licence. The numbers were confirmed by the Irish Prison Service who added that the majority of offenders were women.

Females accounted for 121 of those sent down while the remaining 73 were men.

From:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/siptu-strike-ballot-3324058.html

That's absolute madness. How much would it cost to process and accommodate all these people.

One hundred and sixty euro per year for the 6.1 news is effectively what we get in return.

I've moved house 6 times in the past 5 years and have never had even a letter from the tv license folks. I'd pay it if I was asked to but I'm happy not to pay it also because I think it's such a waste.

Pawwed Rig

The only people who are jailed are those that absolutely refuse to pay after appearing in court. Jail is the ultimate sanction for all cases that go before the courts. I agree with you that it is madness. One night in jail costs more than the TV licence. You would imagine that an automatic deduction from wages/social welfare would be preferable than jailing someone but this is what happens when we pass silly laws.

Smithwicks Man

mikom wrote: »

Was the note addressed to Smithwicks Man?

To ''the residents''

mel.b

I am renting a room but the landlord doesn't live there. I am currently the only person living in the house. Last year i paid the tv licence that was in my landlords name (as i was the only one there). It is time for the licence to be renewed and i don't have a problem with paying it, except i am planning on buying my own house in 2013 and will need to get a licence then and don't really fancy paying the fee twice. Any suggestions?

mikom

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

To ''the residents''

The can address the summons to ''the residents'' as well if that's all they know.

Sam Russell

mel.b wrote: »

I am renting a room but the landlord doesn't live there. I am currently the only person living in the house. Last year i paid the tv licence that was in my landlords name (as i was the only one there). It is time for the licence to be renewed and i don't have a problem with paying it, except i am planning on buying my own house in 2013 and will need to get a licence then and don't really fancy paying the fee twice. Any suggestions?

If you get the licence in your own name, you can move it to your new address. The present address would then not have a TV licence, and if it does not have a TV, then it does not need a licence. Simples.:D

mel.b

Sam Russell wrote: »

If you get the licence in your own name, you can move it to your new address. The present address would then not have a TV licence, and if it does not have a TV, then it does not need a licence. Simples.:D

Yeah thought of that, but the tv is the landlords so it will be staying when i move out. Will there be any implications for changing the licence out of the lanlords name?

Sam Russell

mel.b wrote: »

Yeah thought of that, but the tv is the landlords so it will be staying when i move out. Will there be any implications for changing the licence out of the lanlords name?

I would not think there is a problem - they take the money.

The landlord has a problem if he has a TV in a house without a licence. His problem.

Smithwicks Man

mikom wrote: »

The can address the summons to ''the residents'' as well if that's all they know.

do you think i would be liable if they knew the full story?

Icepick

zg3409 wrote: »

194 TV viewers jailed

Some 194 people were sent to prison last year for non-payment of a TV licence. The numbers were confirmed by the Irish Prison Service who added that the majority of offenders were women.

Females accounted for 121 of those sent down while the remaining 73 were men.

From:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/siptu-strike-ballot-3324058.html

That's absolutely shocking.

Sam Russell

Icepick wrote: »

That's absolutely shocking.

... that they went to prison, or that they did not pay their TV licence?

iMADEtheBBC

Here's a very annoying situation which I'm hoping others have found a resolution to.

I have a holiday home which I put a TV into last summer. I paid for a TV licence by monthly direct debit.
In the autumn I removed the TV and emailed the local post office/tv licence office to cancel the TV licence as I no longer needed it.

They said the only way to do this is to cancel the direct debit and the licence would be revoked.

Got a phone call from them today telling me that they wanted to bill for the remainder of the year. I pointed out that I don't have a TV in the house so don't need a TV licence. They said they could revoke the licence. I said to go ahead since I don't need it and , since the house is on the market, am unlikely to need it.

I said if I put a TV in the house that I would get another licence. I was then told that I would not be allowed to pay by monthly direct debit. This strikes me as odd and stinks of BS. Surely a consumer can cancel a direct debit and considering I was told this was the only way to cancel the un-needed licence it makes no sense.

Anyone else dealing with a situation where they only need a licence for a few weeks ? So much for trying to be compliant. More hassle than it's worth.

leeroybrown

Unfortunately for you the TV License is an annual renewal. Monthly Direct Debit payment is merely a convenience. I'm actually surprised they told you to cancel the Direct Debit becuase it's not the correct way to cancel any payment. They've basically suggested that you refuse to pay something that they still think you still owe. Even if you get your bank to cancel a Direct Debit the payee can still request payment as your mandate with them is still live until they (not the bank) agree to cancel it. This can result in irregular account charges and other problems for you.

iMADEtheBBC

Thanks.

I couldn't find anything on the AnPost website that said a TV licence must be taken for a full year. Ridiculous situation. In the UK you can get a refund for a part-year if you cancel the licence. Since the licence is revoked they won't be asking for payment and none has been made by my bank.

No wonder so many people don't pay. Stupid backward way to do business.

leeroybrown

At least they agreed to revoke it but unfortunatley for you they still consider you to have broken the Direct Debit mandate once you cancelled it.

zg3409

From this document Page 8:
https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/10144/239407.pdf

Approximately 4 in 10 of Irish Terrestrial homes were currently in receipt of the
household benefit payment scheme which includes a free TV licence.

I think that says, that 4 in 10 people who don't have pay TV, and who get the Irish channels through an aerial, get their licence for free.
Discuss.

Sam Russell

zg3409 wrote: »

From this document Page 8:
https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/10144/239407.pdf



I think that says, that 4 in 10 people who don't have pay TV, and who get the Irish channels through an aerial, get their licence for free.
Discuss.

I think that the point they are making here is that those reliant on their Irish TV through an aerial have a head of household that would be predominantly older with a slight bias towards female. Nationally, a large percentage of households get the benefit package that includes a free TV licence, I think around 25% of households. However, if 40% of Saorview houses get the package, that is a significant slew towards elderly and poorer households. They also mention that most of these households have smaller households, typically consisting of one or two people.

Johnboy1951

Sam Russell wrote: »

I think that the point they are making here is that those reliant on their Irish TV through an aerial have a head of household that would be predominantly older with a slight bias towards female. Nationally, a large percentage of households get the benefit package that includes a free TV licence, I think around 25% of households. However, if 40% of Saorview houses get the package, that is a significant slew towards elderly and poorer households. They also mention that most of these households have smaller households, typically consisting of one or two people.

Most households receiving the benefits package would have few people living there ...... IIRC, if there is a non-dependent living in the home the benefit is withdrawn.

KetchupKid

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but now that Saorview has launched, I think anyone who doesn't have Saorview, Sky or UPC shouldn't have to pay a TV licence. I have two older TVs which don't get Saorview, I don't have a Saorview STB and I can't afford Sky or UPC so all I have is FreeSat. Prior to the Saorview switch over I would occasionally watch RTE, but I don't have much time for the tele and there's so much on FreeSat I don't miss RTE at all. So my argument is why should I pay €160/year so Ryan Tubridy can get his €500K per year? This pathetic excuse for an Irishman is making 10 times what I work hard for and they expect me to pay for this twerp! To add insult to injury, Tubridy says he doesn't feel particularly guilty about his salary, but it doesn't end with Tubs, Pat the Plank Kenny makes over €700K, Marian Finucane also makes over €500k, Joe Duffy gets almost €400k and Miriam O'Callaghan and Derek Mooney make close to €300K. What makes it worse is the belittling ads they have about paying your TV licence, I'm glad I don't have to watch them anymore. I also remeber hearing that the TV licence was to become part of the household charge, but I suspect this government want all streams of revenue possible, so I don't see that happening. I'm sure someone will say if you have a TV you have to pay for a TV licence, but the whole purpose of the licence is to pay for RTE and maybe TG4, so if I can't receive RTE, TG4 or TV3, why should I have to pay for them?

Stark

Saorsat is there for people who can't get Saorview.

KetchupKid

Sorry, you missed my point. I can get Saorview if I want to, I just don't want it since I have no interest in RTE and therefore want to save the €160. Before the digital switchover all TVs were capable of getting RTE if you wanted it or not, this is no longer the case if you have a non-saorview TV. So if I don't have a Saorview TV, a Saorview box, Sky, UPC or a Ka Satelitte - I can't get RTE and I shouldn't have to pay the TV license.

ezra_pound

KetchupKid wrote: »

Sorry, you missed my point. I can get Saorview if I want to, I just don't want it since I have no interest in RTE and therefore want to save the €160. Before the digital switchover all TVs were capable of getting RTE if you wanted it or not, this is no longer the case if you have a non-saorview TV. So if I don't have a Saorview TV, a Saorview box, Sky, UPC or a Ka Satelitte - I can't get RTE and I shouldn't have to pay the TV license.

The law computer says no!

The Cush

KetchupKid wrote: »

So if I don't have a Saorview TV, a Saorview box, Sky, UPC or a Ka Satelitte - I can't get RTE and I shouldn't have to pay the TV license.

The law says if you have a TV and whether or not its used for Saorview you require a TV licence

Do I need a licence if my television set has not been "upgraded" to receive digital signals?

From the 24 October an analogue television set will need a set-top box to receive digital signals. An analogue television, with or without a set-top box, will still require a licence.

The definition of a Television set (Section 140 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009)

"television set" means any electronic apparatus capable of receiving and exhibiting television broadcasting services broadcast for general reception (whether or not its used for that purpose is dependent on the use of anything else in conjunction with it) and any software or assembly comprising such apparatus and other apparatus.

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/GeneralTemplates/FAQ.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7b24D68E6B-0B76-48A7-A11E-ADE6D4D02F8A%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fAnPost%2fTV%2bLicence%2bFAQsOld%2ehtm&NRCACHEHINT=Guest#DigitalQuestion

zg3409

How would you propose inspectors confirm that your existing equipment is incapable of Saorview reception? If you have a flatscreen should the inspector look up the make and model to confirm MPEG2 or MPEG4.

The main reason for "if you have a TV" is that it easy to enforce. Part of the TV licence also goes to the making of movies and content that possibly show up on UK channels. It also goes towards the RTE player (no TV needed) etc.

A massive percentage of people current watch Irish TV and don't pay for the licence.

In practice the most practical way forward is for it to be collected via a better method where everyone contributes a fair amount.

Can you honestly say

1) You never listen to RTE Radio 1, 2FM and other RTE radio stations

2) You never visit RTE's website

3) You never watch Irish made movies that were subsidised partly through the TV licence?

Also a lot of newspaper, web and other places use the stuff RTE etc creates such as investigative journalism, on site reporting etc.

I would prefer if everything was free, but for example would you be happy to pay a BBC licence instead, if for example BBC went encrypted tomorrow? (£145.50)