TV Licence Question

ZeroCool17

Hey all,

So at the moment i am helping someone sort out their finances which were a complete mess and we have nearly everything back on track. I'm just after thinking about the tv licence. I haven't asked this person but i would highly doubt it has been paid with years!

My question is if we went to sort it out now or maybe in the next few months which is probably more realistic what way does that work? Will they turn around and say you haven't paid since 2013 for example so you owe all them years too or will they just take a payment of €160.

I like the idea of doing the DD payment of €13.33 or whatever a month as that is much more manageable but it says money owed will be taken from 1st installment so not taking that chance. I will be insisting on this being sorted but bills and food needs to be paid for first at the moment before a small bit of savings can be achieved.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Charles Babbage

No, they'll not bother with the past.

ZeroCool17

Charles Babbage wrote: »

No, they'll not bother with the past.

Thanks for the reply. Can't seem to see anywhere where it says this so just want to make sure.

DesperateDan

It's impossible for them to retroactively prove you owe them money

aido79

ZeroCool17 wrote: »

Hey all,

So at the moment i am helping someone sort out their finances which were a complete mess and we have nearly everything back on track. I'm just after thinking about the tv licence. I haven't asked this person but i would highly doubt it has been paid with years!

My question is if we went to sort it out now or maybe in the next few months which is probably more realistic what way does that work? Will they turn around and say you haven't paid since 2013 for example so you owe all them years too or will they just take a payment of €160.

I like the idea of doing the DD payment of €13.33 or whatever a month as that is much more manageable but it says money owed will be taken from 1st installment so not taking that chance. I will be insisting on this being sorted but bills and food needs to be paid for first at the moment before a small bit of savings can be achieved.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

I don't see how they would know if the person had a tv for the last few years so wouldn't worry about.

DeadHand

I either wouldn't bring it up or tell them not to pay it at all.

Actively searching for and organising unnecessary expenditure for them to pay isn't really helping them with their finances.

They've been doing fine so far and the licence crowd won't have their name to match the address if it's never been paid/hasn't been paid in years. No name, no fine.

So, the only way this becomes an issue is if he answers the door and gives his name to one of the licence people (which he shouldn't do and is under absolutely no obligation to do). Sounds like they don't call his way or he is already avoiding it anyway.

The high horse brigade

They tried to back date it for me in the post office, had been out for months. I was having none of it so just went online and paid it as a new licence in the wife's name.

ZeroCool17

DeadHand wrote: »

I either wouldn't bring it up or tell them not to pay it at all.

Actively searching for and organising unnecessary expenditure for them to pay isn't really helping them with their finances.

They've been doing fine so far and the licence crowd won't have their name to match the address if it's never been paid/hasn't been paid in years. No name, no fine.

So, the only way this becomes an issue is if he answers the door and gives his name to one of the licence people (which he shouldn't do and is under absolutely no obligation to do). Sounds like they don't call his way or he is already avoiding it anyway.

So it's better to not pay and have someone arrive at their door and get a large fine instead. I'm sorry but i pay the bills i owe like most honest people in this country. I assume you are the part of the minority that don't like to pay for anything.

They have paid it before and their name definitely would be on file somewhere. I'm not trying to avoid paying i'm only trying to see about backpay. Thanks for your input anyway.

ZeroCool17

The high horse brigade wrote: »

They tried to back date it for me in the post office, had been out for months. I was having none of it so just went online and paid it as a new licence in the wife's name.

I like this idea. Thanks very much for your help. I obviously don't want them to struggle anymore with finances so could do without the back pay but would like them to become current on all bills and be able to keep up to date. Thanks again.

The high horse brigade

ZeroCool17 wrote: »

I like this idea. Thanks very much for your help. I obviously don't want them to struggle anymore with finances so could do without the back pay but would like them to become current on all bills and be able to keep up to date. Thanks again.

Wait till the 1st of next month

CeilingFly

The high horse brigade wrote: »

They tried to back date it for me in the post office, had been out for months. I was having none of it so just went online and paid it as a new licence in the wife's name.

That's surprising unless you put it in your wife's maiden name - the licence is for the property not the person.

Same if you don't give your name. - Usual fake crap that people spout. They simply send to household, then if legal action commences they find name of property owner - quite easy to do and again before people spout more fake crap, ownership details are not subject to data protection.

Give me an address and I can find ownership details in minutes.

The high horse brigade

CeilingFly wrote: »

That's surprising unless you put it in your wife's maiden name - the licence is for the property not the person.

Same if you don't give your name. - Usual fake crap that people spout. They simply send to household, then if legal action commences they find name of property owner - quite easy to do and again before people spout more fake crap, ownership details are not subject to data protection.

Give me an address and I can find ownership details in minutes.

You have the option of taking out a new licence online where it asks for new details and does not back date, most likely does not matter what details you put in, does not look to back date.

Sleeper12

ZeroCool17 wrote:

Thanks for the reply. Can't seem to see anywhere where it says this so just want to make sure.

All they want is to get you paying. They never bother with the past. Hard to prove who lived there in the past.
Going forward buying tv license stamps each week take the sting out of it for people not good at budgeting

DeadHand

CeilingFly wrote: »

That's surprising unless you put it in your wife's maiden name - the licence is for the property not the person.

Same if you don't give your name. - Usual fake crap that people spout. They simply send to household, then if legal action commences they find name of property owner - quite easy to do and again before people spout more fake crap, ownership details are not subject to data protection.

Give me an address and I can find ownership details in minutes.

Propaganda.

Legal action cannot commence without a name to commence against. Even if they established who the owner is by means other than asking in a house call (they don't to my knowledge) it would mean nothing as it is the occupier who is responsible, not the owner.

Fines and summonses with part of the details on them guessed are not valid.

And even then, the occupier is not responsible unless it is proven there is a television set on site. This cannot be done unless the inspector is engaged with and admitted into to the premises- the occupant is under no legal obligation to do either.

Now, if they turn up with a Guard, this is a different ballgame but I'm yet to hear of this happening anywhere. Any self-respecting Garda I know would laugh off such a request for back up from a glorified salesman

And TV licence inspectors are essentially salesmen (working off fear and intimidation): they have as much legal power as random chuggers.

They require both a name and proof of a television at the address to prosecute you- two things it is easy and perfectly legal to deny to them.

ZeroCool17

The high horse brigade wrote: »

Wait till the 1st of next month

Good thinking! Although still getting the budget in order so could be first of October but we'll get there. :-)

ZeroCool17

Sleeper12 wrote: »

All they want is to get you paying. They never bother with the past. Hard to prove who lived there in the past.
Going forward buying tv license stamps each week take the sting out of it for people not good at budgeting

That's good to hear. Thanks for your help. I do the stamps myself and they are great.

ZeroCool17

Just wanted to come back and say that I asked this person and they are up to date with the Tv license. It expires in a couple of months. To say i'm shocked is an understatement considering they weren't paying their mortgage and missed a few other important bills but paid the TV License! :pac:

All in all that is great news and I will be setting up a DD for them when the time comes. Tbh I only found out about the DD option myself last night. Very handy! Thanks to all who replied. Much appreciated.