TV LICENCE FEE - 116 euro - I dont have a TV in France

[harry in St Cyprien Plage]

We have a holiday home in France. There is no TV in this home, no video & no PC. We pride ourselves that our children cant watch TV for 3 or 4 weeks of the year. But the French Taxman has sent me a demand for 116 euro ( and a further demand for 116 euro plus 10 % surcharge). I have written (in French) to the Tresor & explained I dont have a TV.

How can I not pay this tax ? Any suggestions would be very gratefully received

[Nick Trollope]

Your best bet is to visit the Tresor. Unfortunately, letters often (ha!) go astray. Difficult, I know if you are not here...

You are not obliged to pay the licence. However, if they have billed you, it is up to you to prove this. If you don't pay/sort it out, they will charge your bank for the money - which will cost you another 60-100€. Believe me, that is what happens.

Try a telephone call to your local Tresor - number in Pages Jaunes.

[Teamedup]

I would recommend that you send any letters like this by lettre recommande avec accuse de reception.  In fact I would not dream of sending anything official in any other way.  Letters seem to go missing rather easily or just get ignored by normal post.

[Clair]

[quote user="harry in St Cyprien Plage"]We have a holiday home in France. There is no TV in this home, no video & no PC. We pride ourselves that our children cant watch TV for 3 or 4 weeks of the year. But the French Taxman has sent me a demand for 116 euro ( and a further demand for 116 euro plus 10 % surcharge). I have written (in French) to the Tresor & explained I dont have a TV.

How can I not pay this tax ? Any suggestions would be very gratefully received[/quote]

From http://www.impots.gouv.fr/portal/dgi/public/professionnels.impot?pageId=prof_rtv&espId=2&impot=RTV&sfid=50

Si, au 1er janvier 2005, aucune de vos résidences (ou celles d’une personne rattachée à votre foyer fiscal) n’était équipée d’un téléviseur ou dispositif assimilé, vous deviez le signaler sur votre déclaration de revenus en cochant la case prévue à cet effet (case RA, en première page).

Si vous ne l’avez pas cochée, vous êtes automatiquement imposé à la

redevance (sauf si vous remplissez les conditions pour être exonéré).

Vous devez donc déposer une réclamation dans

laquelle vous déclarez ne pas détenir de téléviseur (dans aucune de vos

résidences). Vous devez également indiquer si les personnes habitant

avec vous possèdent ou non un téléviseur (conjoint, enfants,

colocataires…).