TV Licence

Mortgaged

[POSTED BY MORTGAGED, NOT DALTONR]

I refused entry to the TV Licence Inspector about 3 years ago. He called just as I moved into the Estate. They always call to new estates. Never returned with the Guards etc.

Not because I am a sponger or anything, just simply cant afford it. On my own, big mortgage, one job. Have just paid €380 bin charges(last year and to the end of this year) off over about 10 months because I have no objection to paying for my rubbish to be taken away.

Will eventually get a TV Licence, but when I can afford it and it will have to wait at the end of the pile of bills

In the meantime, I have no problem in refusing entry or to give my name, no need to be rude to the inspector, just say you would prefer not to give your name.
 
TV Licence/Daltonr's comments

Daltonr,
Sorry the previous post is from me not you, I have just typed the user name and subject in the wrong order. Could one of the MOD'S correct it for me please.Sorry

Thanks
 
Re: Mortgaged

Not because I am a sponger or anything, just simply cant afford it. On my own, big mortgage, one job. Have just paid €380 bin charges(last year and to the end of this year) off over about 10 months because I have no objection to paying for my rubbish to be taken away.

So you're not paying your TV license because (a) you can't afford it and/or (b) you object to paying for it? You could always get rid of the telly in either case.
 
Re: Mortgaged

Debates aside, I believe there is a fundamental problem with the notion of a TV licence. The fundamental problem being that the fees are not restricted to the provision of a nationwide TV service. The TV licence fees, as far as I am aware, go towards many non-TV related services (but I can't find anything on the Government website that explains how the TV licence kitty is divied up). That's where the problem is.

The thought has just occured to me, that if nobody in the country had a TV then nobody would have to pay a TV licence fee. The result would be that other dependent services suffer.

Why don't the powers that be face up to it and just introduce a proper tax. If they want to get serious about TV licences then they should enforce some sort of more rigorous controls. For example, a TV licence should be produced when buying a TV. Haven't thought that one through fully but I thought this anomaly should be addressed. It's not enough for people to say that they won't get a licence because RTE is crap. People need to be made aware of what they're paying for when/if they buy a licence. It then becomes clear that 'TV licence' is an unfortunate name.

It reminds me of the time when Bertie was on with Kenny one night and he was challenged on the subject of vehicle registration tax. He was asked what it was for and why is it so expensive. The clincher for me was that Bertie said that if he was to reduce that tax he'd have to up some other tax. Surely you should charge tax for a reason and that tax should be representative and justified for the cause for which it is being collected. Also, I could never understand why stamp duty depended on the value of a house.

I digress.

So should we have some sort of public service tax and bin the licence idea? Or should we have a tax along with a reduced licence?
 
Clubman,

I think your reply is very smart... given the fact that I was very honest in saying that I couldn't afford a TV Licence.

For the record, I was given a second hand portable TV by my mum, which I have in the bedroom, which I hardly watch as I dont really watch TV and it wouldn't bother me either way.

A couple of other users on the site have commented recently how impolite it has become and how posters are often given smart ass replys when their views differ from the norm and I have to say I agree
 
I think your reply is very smart

I was trying to clarify if you weren't paying it because you couldn't afford it (as you state) or because you object to paying it (as you imply) or for both reasons. I don't see how suggesting that you get rid of the TV if you can't afford to buy a license and/or object to paying (particularly since you say that you don't watch it that much and wouldn't be bothered without it) it is bad advce given that it is the only way you can really avoid breaking the law and potentially facing the consequences. :rolleyes
 
Not because I am a sponger or anything, just simply cant afford it.
Click to expand...

This is contradictory - If you're not paying, you're sponging - plain & simple. No amount of excuses get away from this fact.
 
No, I am not a sponger and I object to being called one by somebody I dont know from Adam. When I can afford a TV Licence and a decent TV I will get one along with the cablelink. Its just not a priority for me at the moment as I have other more important outgoings like mortgage, food and essential bills.

Now you both know well that the reply was meant to be smart assed and judging by some recent posts to other people you have taken the same holier than thou attitudes when other queries have been raised. Example being, the woman last week who raised the query about dry cleaning, when she replied to your "snotty" comments, you shut down the post!!

I hope it keeps well for you. It must be great to be perfect.
 
No, I am not a sponger
Click to expand...

Oh yes you are (we can keep doing this all night, if you like)

I object to being called one by somebody I dont know from Adam
Click to expand...

I know you have a TV & you don't have a licence. That's all I need to know. The fact that you don't know me doesn't change the fact.

Its just not a priority for me at the moment as I have other more important outgoings like mortgage, food and essential bills.
Click to expand...

We can all make 'prioritisation' excuses for not paying our taxes, our insurance, our waste charges & our TV licences. The simple fact is - its the law. If you don't like the law, get it changed or get rid of your TV.

you have taken the same holier than thou attitudes when other queries have been raised
Click to expand...

You can call it 'holier than thou'. I call it 'calling it like it is' - As a community, we have generally been too tolerant of excuses for everthing, for violence (oh he had drink taken, your honour), for tax evasion (oh my accountant looked after all that), for speeding (oh I slept it out) and for TV licence sponging (It's not my priority at the moment).

Don't expect me to salve your clearly edgy conscience about your failure to pay the legally required TV licence.
 
Hi all !

Is the display ( screen) of the computer the
receiver or not ?

Thanks for any opinion

Tomas
 
Thomas,

Is the display ( screen) of the computer the
receiver or not ?
Click to expand...

No it isn't.
The only fair was of interpreting what is published on Oasis, is to say that a computer with a TV receiving card would require a license and a computer with no TV Card would not.

-Rd
 
Mortgaged, I remeber reading a while ago that if an inspector calls and you don't have a licence, you CAN claim inability to pay.

I think the article went on to say that the inspector had to work with you to arrange regular payments.
 
As a bit of mediation, may I suggest that if Mortgaged agrees to keep his TV, but promises not to watch RTE, we can all shake hands?
 
As a bit of mediation, may I suggest that if Mortgaged agrees to keep his TV, but promises not to watch RTE, we can all shake hands?
Click to expand...

I don't think so since we've already agreed unfair as it may seem, that companies who don't watch ANY TV channels and only use the TV for presentations etc, are obliged to pay.

When I rented a house it had a satellite dish bolted to the front wall, even though I didn't have a TV or a subscription to any service. But apparently I should have been paying a license.

-Rd
 
Dalton R, If you weren't paying the Licence when you should have been, I suppose you could always backdate the Licence if you wanted to.
 
No Intention

I have no intention of doing any such thing.
If the land lord felt like bolting a satellite dish to the front of his house that's fine.

He can pay the TV license for it too if he likes but if he had any sense he didn't.

But as someone who didn't own or watch tv at the time there's no way I'd be willing to pay a license fee for it.

And if any inspector tried to convince me at the time that I was liable for it I'd have laughed at him.

There's a limit to how much stupidity I'll stand for.

-Rd
 
TV Licence Spongers

Biggerry, I didnt know you could do that. But I am joining a thing called "home payments". I dont know if any of you have heard of it. You pay them a set payment a month, and they arrange all your household bills to be paid including mortgage, car loan, car tax etc., TV Licence in fact all your bills. If there is any money left over, you get it back at Christmas. Apparently it has been going over 20 years and would suit me to pay just one payment out a month.

Rainyday seems to think that I have a guilty concience over a TV Licence????Not so. Furthest thing from my mind. As a first time buyer on my own in my house for the first three years, I have to say I got into considerable debt trying to keep the place going at all and my priority was whether the bills/direct debits would bounce or at some stage if I would end up having to sell/rent a room. I was often left with less than €160 per month for food/clothing/socialising and other emergencies, eg. car trouble and thats "telling it like is is" I had actually got to the stage where I would have no money and I mean no actual money for the last week of every month. I wasnt in the least concerned if I was breaking the law by having no TV Licence. Now I am starting to pay off the VISA bill, credit union, etc. As I said in my previous post, it took my 10 months to pay €380 bin charges, but thats it paid now till the end of the year. First time buyers will know what I am talking about as I am sure many people have been there.I have no time for people who claim to "tell it like it is" but havent got a clue.

Rainyday, you claim to have no time for "excuses" from people and thats your perrogative. But I was not making any excuse to you as I dont need to justify myself to you or anybody else for that matter. Far from having a guilty concience or feeling like a sponger, I have to say I gave myself a pat on the back and said "well girl, you've come a long way in three years, sponger or no sponger"
 
Re: TV Licence Spongers

Hi Mortgaged - Just a word of friendly advice - I haven't heard any mention of this 'Home Payments' organisation in 3+ years on Askaboutmoney (though I know some of the main banks used to offer a similar service) - Do make sure that they are a reputable, trustworthy organisation before you hand over your money.

I too congratulate you on 'coming a long way' in getting your finances sorted. It is just a pity that you couldn't manage the fairly trivial amount of 50c per day to meet your legal obligations to pay the TV licence.
 
Re: TV Licence Spongers

Rainyday,

I never bought into that 50c a day nonsense. Or 23c as at was I think. TV license isn't the only one to do it.

I reckon if a company wan't to advertise like that they should be willing to accept payment like that too. Whatever the shortest payment period you accept, that's the shortest advertising period you should be allowed to tout.

BTW Did anyone else find the sound of an apple being munched annoying enough to make You reach for ANY other channel you could find?

-Rd
 
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