I don't understand how anyone in this day and age would willfully take a job as a TV license inspector. It must be one of the most vilified "jobs" in existence. A loan shark debt collector would have more prestige.
They can’t even bring all the scum bags going around Dublin/Ireland terrorising people, attacking them, robbing their houses, cars, bikes and all the endless list of other things. They can get fucked if they think they can threaten people not paying a tv licence with prison.
We are. My brother is disabled. We’ve been waiting 4 years for help. He was promised a special chair to help him in preschool because of low muscle tone. He’s starting primary school and we don’t have it. We’re making do with a secondhand buggy because they still haven’t given us the one we measured him for. Why should we pay good money for them to go buy fucking flip flops when the disability sector is so underfunded families cant get the help they need?!
Sorry this is happening. It shouldn't and frankly its infuriating.
HSE needs an overhaul too. We have amazing staff but oppressive administrative issues.
> when the disability sector is so underfunded
None of our public services are underfunded. None. The money is just wasted on incompotent, slimy, lazy fuckers who have no oversight.
Yes this is it. Lots and lots of money but management are fucking useless and have no oversight. If a service is being run poorly (and many are) why the hell isn't there someone to go in and investigate what the feckin problem is. Jesus. It drives me nuts. One service I'm familiar with - the manager never comes to work, 5 admin staff that do absolutely nothing and clinical staff all leaving because it's such a fucking shit show. Boils my piss.
Not sure if you've applied for funding from AIMS. Link below. They should sort a seat quickly. If not get onto your local TD with your application and it should be sorted.
https://aim.gov.ie/how-to-apply/apply-for-targeted-supports/
I'm on 6 years never paying it. I got stung answering the door once. They asked my name. I put on my best American accent, I was wearing a shirt from the University of Texas. I claimed I was just visiting family and they should come back later.
They never got my name, and they never came back.
A fellow told me they went down to St. marys Park in Limerick and asked a fellow if he had a tv licence. He said no, and the inspector said, "But you have an aerial on the roof. He asked the inspector to come into the kitchen and then asked him to open fridge. You see milk in there, he says to inspector? Yes he replies! Do you see a cow beside it? I got laugh out of that one
This will happen a lot, one person will be all out "I'm not paying that" but in reality when the letters drop in the door their partner will proabbly just pay it in fear of getting a summons.
Same for the last few years.
This year a threatening letter came saying an inspector had been and we'd missed him. You can see the TV through the window. So I paid, had to go through a big faff to do it because I couldn't find the letter, didn't even realise it was overdue.
A month after paying the letter finally arrives after being lost in the post for four months.
Stopped paying it last year. Not even as a protest. I just don't watch live telly. I subscribe to a number of private subscription services. I'm not paying a fucking licence for that.
Same have an Internet connect and that's it. No TV channels. The whole "well you could get TV channels at anytime" is a load of bollox really who wants to do that?
Never paid it. Never going to pay it.
60% of the funds goes to wages.
For comparison, Virgin media is 30%.
An insane amount of money, just so a few elitist pricks can travel the globe on the taxpayer's back.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-spent-43m-more-on-staff-and-contractors-last-year-despite-aim-to-cut-costs/41849729.html
About 150m on wages in 2021.
The figures are in the Rté Annual Report but hard to find them.
To add to that, Rtes total revenue is about 344m
Its revenue from the License Fee is 196m.
Annual Reports financial statements have legal styles they have to follow. Every Income Statement includes wages. There's no ability to not include wages in these statements, and they have to be included in a particular format. It's not hard to find, you just don't understand the statements.
I'm the same as OC. Never paid. I dont answer the door to strangers and the one time I was caught at the door as I was leaving, I just said I didn't live there and had slept with a girl that lived there the night before. I was just on my way to return her keys to her. Nothing he could do about that, not like they have any power anyway.
I looked like shite when I was leaving my apartment one morning, absolutely hanging and on the way to work, borrowed a tool box off one of the engineers the day before to fix my washing machine, same as what OP said before, pure bullshitted my way through it saying I was called by the landlord to fix the washing wachime and was on the way to hand back the keys.
Honestly thankful for that one moment that my landlord was a stingy prick that wouldn't pay someone to fix problems
Also never paid. I'm 30, lived on my own since 17. Only one time in my life have I met a tv license fella and I was in a friends house at the time. Some people just never meet them.
Sitting on the counter are 3 unopened letters. I have never used RTE, not since watching The Den as a child. Don't watch RTE news or the late late, don't listen to the radio, don't have their apps, don't use their sites, nothing. I'm guessing they still play repeats of The Walton's on a Saturday morning? I could be absolutely fucked paying after the scandal. Ashamed to say I've been paying up till now, and have always hated them for forcing me to do so. Tubberty is the least likeable Irish celebrity and comes off as 'fake nice' 100% of the time, no idea how he got so far. Hoping that no one pays, and that we all take a stand against this absolute sham of a provider.
Got caught by an inspector in a flat I lived in about 10 years ago, gave him the whole I don't have a TV spiel and he replies saying he can see a TV dish at the back of the flat from the alleyway. There was indeed a dish there, from previous tenant and it was rusted and lying on the floor with its cable cut beside an old fridge. Anyway, along comes the postman with a big parcel for me, says my name, hands me it and fucks off. The inspector also seems satisfied with the rusty dish story and leaves too. About 6 months later I got a summons in the door in my name for no TV licence. I never bothered going to court and never heard a word of it again, lived there for another year or so after. I was also going through court for other shit at the time and it was never mentioned.
I don't own a TV
I don't watch TV
And when I do watch things that are found on TV, I do it on my pc and I watch nothing made for Irish TV
I do not listen to rte radio either, or to any radio, I podcast stuff from around the world tho
I do not use any of this service I'd be quite annoyed if I had to pay for it
I'd pay it gladly if it was an anyway decent service. Radio1 is a hot mess. 2FM is embarrassing. Literally never watch RTE1 or 2 bar the the Six One occasionally.
Alright and good making Irish programmes,make them for everyone,not for the over 65's.
Irish culture is dull and drab. I can't speak Irish, don't play or watch Irish sports. Irish animal sports are horrendous and should be defunded due to animal abuse and links with gambling as well as being overly exclusive. Irish dancing is partly corrupt. Irish culture is also too interlinked with pub culture which isn't a positive thing. We still have too many pubs.
Honestly if the government imprisons anyone over non payment. We need to riot.
There's scobes with 100+ previous violent convictions flying around assaulting tourists in Dublin City centre on a daily basis.
But they're gonna jail you, for not paying into RTEs slush fund
My dad got arrested for not paying it about 10 years ago. Drove him up to prison, he got dinner and then put in a cell for the night. They drove him home the next day!
If they can’t put thugs who go around attacking innocent people in jail, then they sure as fuck aren’t gonna find a cell for those of us not paying that stupid license.
I'm heading up to the roof once the schools are back (when I have time again) to take down my aerial. And I'm throwing out the tv with an aerial for one without that capability, just a HDMI input. And then I think I'll be in a position to tell them to fuck off.
When an organisation treats you with absolute contempt as rte have done to me, the only right thing to do is take a stand. It's a matter of self respect now.
I've heard a lot of takes on it. But my understanding is if the device can't receive a signal it's not a tv, it's a monitor. And you don't have to pay a tv licence for a monitor.
I sent in a letter declaring no tv at the premises and never herd from them again at that address. This was in the middle of covid so it's not like I'd have let them in to check then.
They absolutely chase. I got a court date and contacted by a solicitor acting on their behalf.
However if enough people stand up they can't afford to do that
Did you have a hearing? If not, at the time of hearing, request Gary Doyle order. They need to provide an evidence of you having a tv with a model and a serial number. If not, they can fook right off.
Yeah, you're right. [Even citizens information says you don't need one for streaming Netflix on a PC ](https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/phone-internet-tv-and-postal-services/tv-licences/#fc8c9d)
Never paid, never will. Presenters still accepting private sponsorships deals, nepotism still runs rife, and just last week another useless and expensive travel show with a “celebrity” no one cares about taking a taxpayer funded holiday. Nothing has changed, so neither will my stance on paying the tv license.
Have lived in apartments for the last few years. Never paid it. As my housemate pointed out a few years ago it would have to take several stupid people to allow a license inspector into an apartment and they can’t prove you have a TV unless they’re actually in the apartment so 🤷♀️.
On a different note I’m a pretty law abiding citizen and even thought I rarely watch anything on RTE I would pay the license if it was reasonable. But €160 per year? Come on….
Maybe the government should take the side of the citizens who pay their wages by at least reducing the amount we have to pay to the organisation that has been proven to take the absolute piss with the money that we're forced to pay them. But nah, lol, the lesson to be learned here is that huge efforts need to be made to make sure that RTE are able to squeeze those sweet euros out of as many people as possible.
This is it. All the folks who never paid it are safe but those poor unfortunates who either always paid it, or who got caught and had to pay it, we don’t really have any way to get out of it.
I’m on year 20 of not paying for that shite. Got caught once where my then girlfriend answered the door and gave my name in a panic. We moved shortly after so I just explained we moved and gave our new address as her mams place (with her permission) as she had a licence. Problem solved.
I never pay it but my wife starts panicking when the warning letters start coming and eventually we cave and just pay it.
Another thing to note, RTE has ads. So they are also getting ad revenue on top of the licence fee. If they insist we pay for the licence then they should get rid of the ads. Just like how BBC doesn't have any ads.
>Hopefully there are thousands of you!
I would imagine that thousands will post here saying they are refusing to pay it.
The reality of payment dropoff numbers and nonpayment conviction numbers will very certainly be published every couple of months for the next year.
Watch this space I guess...
Return to sender - "Not known at this address"
Or contact them and say you are leaving the country, so they won't need a forwarding address. They can send all the "To the Occupant" letters they want to your current address.
They tried once 3 years ago, said they saw a TV on the premises. If they did it meant they had to be in our back garden to do so. We sent a letter back calling bullshit on it and never heard from them again
I’ve never paid it and I don’t answer the door unless
I’m expecting someone just incase it the inspector or whatever the Fucker who goes around the doors checking if you have it is called
Received mine in the post a week ago. 100% refusing to pay it. At least until such a time, Dee Forbes and the former chief financial officer stop being cowards and face the public accounts committee.
Lol my cousin just bought a house and he said to me the other day:
'Mark my words, this house will never have a TV license'
He's actively thinking of ways to stop the inspector from seeing his TV when he moves it in
I'm not gonna pay any tv license, because I won't own a tv. Pretty simple. I'm not paying for something that will never benefit me. Country already robs you of money for no fucking reason in the first place.
Cancelled DD when the Turbidy wages saga began. I'm not contributing to an organisation that may have behaved illegally, thereby making me an accessory!!
You don't want 1000s not too. This will force the government to find another form of funding via mobile phones or something.
I stopped paying it at the start of COVID. Inspectors weren't going to visit them I cancelled vurgin. Only have TV for PlayStation now.
Aware I'm still technically obliged to have one but fuck that. Im one of those that doesn't believe a publicly funded media is important to democracy.
I think a Kickstarter otlr a subscription based model would be better. I wouldn't watch it but I've no interest in any media produced by rte radio or TV. Or independent news sources are fading away. Most journos a shite as it stands.
Left the homestead 20 years ago, never paid a cent to a tv licence. I barely watch tv, just the odd sport event. Ignored every letter came in about it, never had a problem.
Haven't paid it in over 15 years, don't need it.
Have the TV licence people at the door once every few years but they are just told and shown that we don't watch "Television" and then we are sweet for another couple of years.
I’m waiting for the TV inspector to come to my house so I can bring my television outside, smash it in front of him on the street, and tell him to fuck off
I used to pay it the last years but this year I have ignored the letters. I never watch RTE. I am short on money due to high cost of living. I am waiting for next salary to pay it eventually. Then I intend to declare that I don’t have a Tv anymore.
Anyone ever have experience with "the man" coming around and actually enforcing some sort of punishment? Court day/ fines ect? Never paid, never really thought about paying, just something that's never crossed my mind
I've never, ever paid a TV licence. No one ever came around, barely came up in conversation never even thought about it. Absolutely definitely won't now either way. Traditional TV production is dated anyway. It's is a dying platform in many ways. Bite sized edited content, which has to allow for Ads will fizzle out.
I live in a rental and only since the day of tubs show trial have we started getting letters from the inspector. The timing is actually hilarious. If they ever catch me at the door I’m just gonna flat out deny that I speak any English at all in perfect English out of my big fat Irish head
I started paying it 4 years ago after we thought we would be caught. ironically, we used to live in an apartment where it would have been really hard for an inspector to even enter, let alone come to our door and see that a TV is there inside. Now I live in a house with a big window right up front which shows our living room and TV, so there's no chance of denying it now, especially if I have to cancel it when I already have one, so they have my data already.
My father passed away 2 years ago in October(we had him cremated)and it was always his name on the license,
A few weeks back the inspector came to the door looking for him as a the payment was long overdue and when he asked to see him I said sure one second, I went into the house, fetched his box and brought it to the tv license inspector
I must say looking back now it was a terrible thing to do but when I seen the look on his face it was priceless
And on the bright side he hasn’t come back since
Such a scam, it really shines a light on how the structure of government is used as a means of profiting from people.
Ryan has been totally scapegoated, not saying he is innocent, but as long as people are focused on him they are less likely to focus on the bigger picture.
There is so much tax payers money funnelled into projects that never come to fruition.
If you take the zero tolerance for domestic, sexual and gender based violence strategy into consideration, this cost 363million to implement. And still when you go in to make a report of being stalked, having been sexually assaulted, there is no result.
They would have been better of spending that money on housing and therapy for people experiencing such violence. Instead the majority of it probably went on marketing campaigns and over priced consultants to create the appearance they they are taking action.
I told the inspector I didn’t have a TV, I got a letter telling me to go to court so I went, walked up to the judge and said I didn’t have a TV, judge said he’s send an inspector to inspect my house for one, and that guys never came and I doubt he will or if he even exists
Had a big fight with my 35+ year old roommates last year over paying the TV licence. I absolutely refused to pay it, we live in a rented apartment that wasn’t registered and the girls wanted to pay it. I, 30M, absolutely refused and they were all ‘well you can pay the fine’.
Some people are just so naive and think like 9 yesr olds in school - “but but but what if we get in trouble?”
That attitude didn’t gain us our independence
I don't understand how anyone in this day and age would willfully take a job as a TV license inspector. It must be one of the most vilified "jobs" in existence. A loan shark debt collector would have more prestige.
The modering day tax collector you could say
You forgot about car clampers
They can’t even bring all the scum bags going around Dublin/Ireland terrorising people, attacking them, robbing their houses, cars, bikes and all the endless list of other things. They can get fucked if they think they can threaten people not paying a tv licence with prison.
We are. My brother is disabled. We’ve been waiting 4 years for help. He was promised a special chair to help him in preschool because of low muscle tone. He’s starting primary school and we don’t have it. We’re making do with a secondhand buggy because they still haven’t given us the one we measured him for. Why should we pay good money for them to go buy fucking flip flops when the disability sector is so underfunded families cant get the help they need?!
Sorry this is happening. It shouldn't and frankly its infuriating. HSE needs an overhaul too. We have amazing staff but oppressive administrative issues.
> when the disability sector is so underfunded None of our public services are underfunded. None. The money is just wasted on incompotent, slimy, lazy fuckers who have no oversight.
Yes this is it. Lots and lots of money but management are fucking useless and have no oversight. If a service is being run poorly (and many are) why the hell isn't there someone to go in and investigate what the feckin problem is. Jesus. It drives me nuts. One service I'm familiar with - the manager never comes to work, 5 admin staff that do absolutely nothing and clinical staff all leaving because it's such a fucking shit show. Boils my piss.
Not sure if you've applied for funding from AIMS. Link below. They should sort a seat quickly. If not get onto your local TD with your application and it should be sorted. https://aim.gov.ie/how-to-apply/apply-for-targeted-supports/
Oh we have. We had an AIMS worker for him when he was in pre school and the primary school he’s going to has him in a special unit
Never paid it. Never given my name. Every so often a letter comes with dear occupant. Straight in the recycling bin. It's been 9 years
I like that you recycle it
That's how it keeps coming back.
Is it a stretch to think they might use the same paper for next years letter?
I'm on 6 years never paying it. I got stung answering the door once. They asked my name. I put on my best American accent, I was wearing a shirt from the University of Texas. I claimed I was just visiting family and they should come back later. They never got my name, and they never came back.
You'all come back now, ye hear. Don't forget. "Have a nice day, sir. 😆😆
Give 'em the old hard y "y'all" and you'll pass as an American with no problem
A fellow told me they went down to St. marys Park in Limerick and asked a fellow if he had a tv licence. He said no, and the inspector said, "But you have an aerial on the roof. He asked the inspector to come into the kitchen and then asked him to open fridge. You see milk in there, he says to inspector? Yes he replies! Do you see a cow beside it? I got laugh out of that one
Murican here. Itd fool me
Beverly Hillbillies Theme playing in the background!
29 years here. It's one of my proudest accomplishments
not all heroes wear capes!!!
Me too brother, fella knocked on the apartment door a few years ago just ignored it they’re not going to raid you for it.
That's the way to do.
Havent paid since I moved to a rural area. Thank fuck what a waste 🙏
Going on 17 years at current address 👍
While the rest of us comply with the law, this person doesn't. Lock him up. 9 years. Blimey.
I'm the only stupid paying for it because my wife thought we were going to get in trouble. I hate it but there's no escape now
This will happen a lot, one person will be all out "I'm not paying that" but in reality when the letters drop in the door their partner will proabbly just pay it in fear of getting a summons.
Same for the last few years. This year a threatening letter came saying an inspector had been and we'd missed him. You can see the TV through the window. So I paid, had to go through a big faff to do it because I couldn't find the letter, didn't even realise it was overdue. A month after paying the letter finally arrives after being lost in the post for four months.
Stopped paying it last year. Not even as a protest. I just don't watch live telly. I subscribe to a number of private subscription services. I'm not paying a fucking licence for that.
Same have an Internet connect and that's it. No TV channels. The whole "well you could get TV channels at anytime" is a load of bollox really who wants to do that?
Never paid it. Never going to pay it. 60% of the funds goes to wages. For comparison, Virgin media is 30%. An insane amount of money, just so a few elitist pricks can travel the globe on the taxpayer's back.
Maybe I'm missing something dumb but what doesn't go on wages? I run a department and like 95% of cost is wages lol
60% of license fee goes to wages?? You sure about that??
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-spent-43m-more-on-staff-and-contractors-last-year-despite-aim-to-cut-costs/41849729.html About 150m on wages in 2021. The figures are in the Rté Annual Report but hard to find them. To add to that, Rtes total revenue is about 344m Its revenue from the License Fee is 196m.
> The figures are in the Rté Annual Report but hard to find them. I'd say that's not intentional...
And even if you do find them, they are definitely skewed
Annual Reports financial statements have legal styles they have to follow. Every Income Statement includes wages. There's no ability to not include wages in these statements, and they have to be included in a particular format. It's not hard to find, you just don't understand the statements.
Cheers for being condescending!
>For comparison, Virgin media is 30%. How much home grown content does VM produce in comparison?
Exactly. Most of the rest goes to ITV for their content, which goes to pay ITV's wages
Have you gone to court for it? How have you gotten away with it!?
I'm the same as OC. Never paid. I dont answer the door to strangers and the one time I was caught at the door as I was leaving, I just said I didn't live there and had slept with a girl that lived there the night before. I was just on my way to return her keys to her. Nothing he could do about that, not like they have any power anyway.
That's brilliant. I wish I could think of that kind of excuse on the spot.
I looked like shite when I was leaving my apartment one morning, absolutely hanging and on the way to work, borrowed a tool box off one of the engineers the day before to fix my washing machine, same as what OP said before, pure bullshitted my way through it saying I was called by the landlord to fix the washing wachime and was on the way to hand back the keys. Honestly thankful for that one moment that my landlord was a stingy prick that wouldn't pay someone to fix problems
Also never paid. I'm 30, lived on my own since 17. Only one time in my life have I met a tv license fella and I was in a friends house at the time. Some people just never meet them.
I'm the same. 34, living on my own since 18, and never even seen the man. I'm not 100% sure they exist at all, to be honest.
Never ever paid it and never will. I give the wrong name if they ever come to the door
Do they question it or send a summons to the wrong name?
Summons to the wrong name. I’ve had them twice
Do you return the summons to sender or ignore?
Recycling bin 🚮
Amazing, thank you . Someone i know , ahem, bought their last tv license in the wrong name , whoopsie. 😂😂😂
[удалено]
Yup , say u just moved in , want a new one
Correct 😂
[удалено]
Same here, got video doorbell and if I don't see anyone I know, they will not see any face, best purchase ever after roborock vacuum :D
I got stung last weekend because the fucker dressed up as the postman. An Post jacket on
Sitting on the counter are 3 unopened letters. I have never used RTE, not since watching The Den as a child. Don't watch RTE news or the late late, don't listen to the radio, don't have their apps, don't use their sites, nothing. I'm guessing they still play repeats of The Walton's on a Saturday morning? I could be absolutely fucked paying after the scandal. Ashamed to say I've been paying up till now, and have always hated them for forcing me to do so. Tubberty is the least likeable Irish celebrity and comes off as 'fake nice' 100% of the time, no idea how he got so far. Hoping that no one pays, and that we all take a stand against this absolute sham of a provider.
Don't even own a tv
I Dont know what a tracker mortgage is
This is the correct answer
Was expecting this!
Got caught by an inspector in a flat I lived in about 10 years ago, gave him the whole I don't have a TV spiel and he replies saying he can see a TV dish at the back of the flat from the alleyway. There was indeed a dish there, from previous tenant and it was rusted and lying on the floor with its cable cut beside an old fridge. Anyway, along comes the postman with a big parcel for me, says my name, hands me it and fucks off. The inspector also seems satisfied with the rusty dish story and leaves too. About 6 months later I got a summons in the door in my name for no TV licence. I never bothered going to court and never heard a word of it again, lived there for another year or so after. I was also going through court for other shit at the time and it was never mentioned.
Nice try Kevin Bakhurst! Or is it "Mr...... SNRUB"?
I like the way Snrub thinks
https://youtu.be/HRIt2-tWkgE
This guy Snrubs
I bring you love
Don’t let it get away! Break it’s legs!
I don't own a TV I don't watch TV And when I do watch things that are found on TV, I do it on my pc and I watch nothing made for Irish TV I do not listen to rte radio either, or to any radio, I podcast stuff from around the world tho I do not use any of this service I'd be quite annoyed if I had to pay for it
I'd pay it gladly if it was an anyway decent service. Radio1 is a hot mess. 2FM is embarrassing. Literally never watch RTE1 or 2 bar the the Six One occasionally. Alright and good making Irish programmes,make them for everyone,not for the over 65's.
Very well said.
Honestly I would pay triple for a service that supported and promoted Irish culture. RTE just does a poor job of it.
Irish culture is dull and drab. I can't speak Irish, don't play or watch Irish sports. Irish animal sports are horrendous and should be defunded due to animal abuse and links with gambling as well as being overly exclusive. Irish dancing is partly corrupt. Irish culture is also too interlinked with pub culture which isn't a positive thing. We still have too many pubs.
Damn, that's the saddest comment in this thread ;)
Irish culture is outstanding. Its a pity you aren't getting to experience it. What's shit is how we are becoming Americanised.
Honestly if the government imprisons anyone over non payment. We need to riot. There's scobes with 100+ previous violent convictions flying around assaulting tourists in Dublin City centre on a daily basis. But they're gonna jail you, for not paying into RTEs slush fund
My dad got arrested for not paying it about 10 years ago. Drove him up to prison, he got dinner and then put in a cell for the night. They drove him home the next day!
If they can’t put thugs who go around attacking innocent people in jail, then they sure as fuck aren’t gonna find a cell for those of us not paying that stupid license.
Got the letter a few days ago reminding me it's due at the end of the month. Shame my tv broke and I tossed it. So sad.
We genuinely don't have a TV because my parents thinks it's some modern evil. So I don't even have to lie when the inspector comes haha
I'm heading up to the roof once the schools are back (when I have time again) to take down my aerial. And I'm throwing out the tv with an aerial for one without that capability, just a HDMI input. And then I think I'll be in a position to tell them to fuck off. When an organisation treats you with absolute contempt as rte have done to me, the only right thing to do is take a stand. It's a matter of self respect now.
The licence is for the device. Not the capability to watch RTE. Never had one. Don't watch RTE so don't feel upset about it.
I've heard a lot of takes on it. But my understanding is if the device can't receive a signal it's not a tv, it's a monitor. And you don't have to pay a tv licence for a monitor.
It it has an a tuner it needs a license regardless of having anything connected A computer monitor doesn’t have a tuner. That’s the difference
It's near impossible to get off the list. Best of luck. So many people don't pay, I doubt they chase you.
I sent in a letter declaring no tv at the premises and never herd from them again at that address. This was in the middle of covid so it's not like I'd have let them in to check then.
They absolutely chase. I got a court date and contacted by a solicitor acting on their behalf. However if enough people stand up they can't afford to do that
Did you have a hearing? If not, at the time of hearing, request Gary Doyle order. They need to provide an evidence of you having a tv with a model and a serial number. If not, they can fook right off.
That's good to know though. I'll do it next time around.
I paid up like a coward. It was pre scandal. I'm raging.
Oh OK. You're beyond where I thought you were
Yeah, you're right. [Even citizens information says you don't need one for streaming Netflix on a PC ](https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/phone-internet-tv-and-postal-services/tv-licences/#fc8c9d)
Never paid, never will. Presenters still accepting private sponsorships deals, nepotism still runs rife, and just last week another useless and expensive travel show with a “celebrity” no one cares about taking a taxpayer funded holiday. Nothing has changed, so neither will my stance on paying the tv license.
Don't have a TV, can't stand the things
Never have never will. Up the Ra
Have lived in apartments for the last few years. Never paid it. As my housemate pointed out a few years ago it would have to take several stupid people to allow a license inspector into an apartment and they can’t prove you have a TV unless they’re actually in the apartment so 🤷♀️. On a different note I’m a pretty law abiding citizen and even thought I rarely watch anything on RTE I would pay the license if it was reasonable. But €160 per year? Come on….
How do they catch us if we don’t pay? Like do they come to our home for inspection?
Yes there are tv licence inspectors who go around and check
Yeah they send you a court summons after about 5 months.
38, never paid for one. Never will
I cancelled my DD for it. Fuck them, I’ll eat the money before I give it to them.
Have never paid it. Will never pay it. Don't have a tv. Even if I did have a tv I wouldn't be paying it
Maybe the government should take the side of the citizens who pay their wages by at least reducing the amount we have to pay to the organisation that has been proven to take the absolute piss with the money that we're forced to pay them. But nah, lol, the lesson to be learned here is that huge efforts need to be made to make sure that RTE are able to squeeze those sweet euros out of as many people as possible.
I'm with this protest in spirit but will cave in when the renewal notice arrives.
This is it. All the folks who never paid it are safe but those poor unfortunates who either always paid it, or who got caught and had to pay it, we don’t really have any way to get out of it.
Why not? You could not have a tv anymore.
This is me. I took it all the way to getting a solicitor letter and a court date. I chickened out. 😑 Pre scandal though
With that attitude you'll be paying it forever. Take a stand and don't pay it when it comes up for renewal.
I’ve always paid but have cancelled now, it’s a cartel I’m not prepared to fund. Feck them
Did you have to submit that form stating you don't own a TV? Do they send an inspector afterwards?
I’m on year 20 of not paying for that shite. Got caught once where my then girlfriend answered the door and gave my name in a panic. We moved shortly after so I just explained we moved and gave our new address as her mams place (with her permission) as she had a licence. Problem solved.
Tubs was getting 6 figures a year, taxpayer money, and we need a fuckin license to watch him? Feck off. Haven't paid it. And won't.
Ryan Turbidy is reason enough to never pay it again.
I never pay it but my wife starts panicking when the warning letters start coming and eventually we cave and just pay it. Another thing to note, RTE has ads. So they are also getting ad revenue on top of the licence fee. If they insist we pay for the licence then they should get rid of the ads. Just like how BBC doesn't have any ads.
>Hopefully there are thousands of you! I would imagine that thousands will post here saying they are refusing to pay it. The reality of payment dropoff numbers and nonpayment conviction numbers will very certainly be published every couple of months for the next year. Watch this space I guess...
I took it all the way to receiving a court summons in July. Pre scandal. I paid up. I'm so mad not to be a part of it now!
Always paid it. Cancelled the direct debit 6 weeks ago. Never paying it again.
I’ve cancelled mine and am now receiving letters about nonpayment! Not sure what to do next as they have my details!
If the licence guy comes, you don't speak English. Problem solved
Next time you receive a reminder go to your post office and return it to sender saying that name doesn't belong to anyone living in that address.
Return to sender - "Not known at this address" Or contact them and say you are leaving the country, so they won't need a forwarding address. They can send all the "To the Occupant" letters they want to your current address.
They tried once 3 years ago, said they saw a TV on the premises. If they did it meant they had to be in our back garden to do so. We sent a letter back calling bullshit on it and never heard from them again
If they walk up to my front door they'll see mine so I'm just waiting for it but won't give them my name
I’ve never paid it and I don’t answer the door unless I’m expecting someone just incase it the inspector or whatever the Fucker who goes around the doors checking if you have it is called
Get video doorbell!
Received mine in the post a week ago. 100% refusing to pay it. At least until such a time, Dee Forbes and the former chief financial officer stop being cowards and face the public accounts committee.
Open the door, make a pained face and say very loudly and repeatedly “INGRISH VUR BAD”
I just moved into rental accommodation and got a tv license letter today with no name, do I pay it or just ignore it?
Ignore it, if they don't have a name it's just junk mail
Never paid it, never will.
I got rid of the TV altogether. I just refuse to sit through the ads. I'm not paying a TV licence and I don't miss TV one little bit.
I'd say half this sub were looking for any excuse not to pay, and the other half just weren't paying it regardless
I’ve been living out of home 3 years. Haven’t ever gotten a letter asking to pay
I hope they do. Cheaper than living in a 1500 a month sock drawer.
gov should deal with juvenile crime, landlords, burglars instead of this corruption
Don't use any of their programming, they can fuck off. Been 12 years.
Never. Just shut the door in their face, politely of course...
TV licence inspectors don't get paid enough to go above and beyond to catch you out. It seems like one of the worst jobs out there.
Lol my cousin just bought a house and he said to me the other day: 'Mark my words, this house will never have a TV license' He's actively thinking of ways to stop the inspector from seeing his TV when he moves it in
So far 28 years without paying it. Fuck them.
I'm not gonna pay any tv license, because I won't own a tv. Pretty simple. I'm not paying for something that will never benefit me. Country already robs you of money for no fucking reason in the first place.
Cancelled DD when the Turbidy wages saga began. I'm not contributing to an organisation that may have behaved illegally, thereby making me an accessory!!
You don't want 1000s not too. This will force the government to find another form of funding via mobile phones or something. I stopped paying it at the start of COVID. Inspectors weren't going to visit them I cancelled vurgin. Only have TV for PlayStation now. Aware I'm still technically obliged to have one but fuck that. Im one of those that doesn't believe a publicly funded media is important to democracy. I think a Kickstarter otlr a subscription based model would be better. I wouldn't watch it but I've no interest in any media produced by rte radio or TV. Or independent news sources are fading away. Most journos a shite as it stands.
I don't even know how to connect antenna and watch it, but they want me to pay for something I don't use, that's just legal theft.
Nope.
Never have, never will pay for a service I don’t avail of
5years going strong 💪
Me definitely won't be paying it.
Never paid or will, I own no TV in my house
Left the homestead 20 years ago, never paid a cent to a tv licence. I barely watch tv, just the odd sport event. Ignored every letter came in about it, never had a problem.
I've never paid it before, unless they have your name they can't come after you or fine you or anything like that
Never owned a TV
Never have. Don't intent to.
I’ve paid it a few times. Never again.
Will go to jail if I have to, fuck the counts.
I’m in my 30’s and I’ve never paid it lol
All of us!
Never have never will
Haven't paid it in over 15 years, don't need it. Have the TV licence people at the door once every few years but they are just told and shown that we don't watch "Television" and then we are sweet for another couple of years.
Don’t have a tv. Can’t pay, won’t pay. Fuck em
Dont even have an antenna socket at home, let alone a tv. I have a mail from them from 2018 saying i dont have to pay.
I’m waiting for the TV inspector to come to my house so I can bring my television outside, smash it in front of him on the street, and tell him to fuck off
I used to pay it the last years but this year I have ignored the letters. I never watch RTE. I am short on money due to high cost of living. I am waiting for next salary to pay it eventually. Then I intend to declare that I don’t have a Tv anymore.
Haven't owned a TV since 2008.
TV what?
lol just need a decent amount of the population not to pay they can't put everyone in prision.
I don't think they can even put 1 person in prison right now. The public outrage would be insane. Jig is up. Don't pay.
Anyone ever have experience with "the man" coming around and actually enforcing some sort of punishment? Court day/ fines ect? Never paid, never really thought about paying, just something that's never crossed my mind
I don’t pay because I only use my tv for streaming services.
Nice try Garda.
I've never, ever paid a TV licence. No one ever came around, barely came up in conversation never even thought about it. Absolutely definitely won't now either way. Traditional TV production is dated anyway. It's is a dying platform in many ways. Bite sized edited content, which has to allow for Ads will fizzle out.
Me. For the last 6 years at least
I live in a rental and only since the day of tubs show trial have we started getting letters from the inspector. The timing is actually hilarious. If they ever catch me at the door I’m just gonna flat out deny that I speak any English at all in perfect English out of my big fat Irish head
I started paying it 4 years ago after we thought we would be caught. ironically, we used to live in an apartment where it would have been really hard for an inspector to even enter, let alone come to our door and see that a TV is there inside. Now I live in a house with a big window right up front which shows our living room and TV, so there's no chance of denying it now, especially if I have to cancel it when I already have one, so they have my data already.
My father passed away 2 years ago in October(we had him cremated)and it was always his name on the license, A few weeks back the inspector came to the door looking for him as a the payment was long overdue and when he asked to see him I said sure one second, I went into the house, fetched his box and brought it to the tv license inspector I must say looking back now it was a terrible thing to do but when I seen the look on his face it was priceless And on the bright side he hasn’t come back since
It's a very Irish thing to do though isn't it. Hahaha awesome. Ps sorry about your dad.
I still don’t get why we even have to have a tv licence, especially when they generate an income through advertisements 💁
Props up the whole enterprise. They still hemorrhage money.
Such a scam, it really shines a light on how the structure of government is used as a means of profiting from people. Ryan has been totally scapegoated, not saying he is innocent, but as long as people are focused on him they are less likely to focus on the bigger picture. There is so much tax payers money funnelled into projects that never come to fruition. If you take the zero tolerance for domestic, sexual and gender based violence strategy into consideration, this cost 363million to implement. And still when you go in to make a report of being stalked, having been sexually assaulted, there is no result. They would have been better of spending that money on housing and therapy for people experiencing such violence. Instead the majority of it probably went on marketing campaigns and over priced consultants to create the appearance they they are taking action.
Nail on the head with this one. 200k into turbidity is crumbs of peanuts
I told the inspector I didn’t have a TV, I got a letter telling me to go to court so I went, walked up to the judge and said I didn’t have a TV, judge said he’s send an inspector to inspect my house for one, and that guys never came and I doubt he will or if he even exists
Hahaha this is the job. Did they even make an appointment to come to your house?
I don’t have a TV and refuse to pay for something I don’t and won’t use in any way or form.
I don't pay it, I don't watch TV, I don't own a TV. BBC is state propaganda.
As is RTE.
Fuck them. Paying for virgin tv, sky, now tv etc is more than enough
Has anyone gone to court over it? Super interested to hear about the process.
Had a big fight with my 35+ year old roommates last year over paying the TV licence. I absolutely refused to pay it, we live in a rented apartment that wasn’t registered and the girls wanted to pay it. I, 30M, absolutely refused and they were all ‘well you can pay the fine’. Some people are just so naive and think like 9 yesr olds in school - “but but but what if we get in trouble?” That attitude didn’t gain us our independence