Redevance Audiovisuelle Tax

[Henry]

I have just received my Tax D'habitation bill for my hoouse in the Deux Sevres dept.and on it is the TV licence request for 116€ I do not have a TV at the house. What is the correct way of not paying this part of the bill. Any help would greatly apreciated.

Henry

[Dick Smith]

You should also have received a letter (I had mine here, but I seem to have lost it) allowing you to claim it back if you have no TV or any appliance capable of being a TV - any nationality.

I would ask at the mairie.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]You should also have received a letter (I had

mine here, but I seem to have lost it) allowing you to claim it back if

you have no TV or any appliance capable of being a TV - any nationality.

I would ask at the mairie.

[/quote]

Or even, it would seem,  an ariel connection into which a TV

receiver could potentially be plugged, as a friend of mine found out to

his dismay, chagrin and, indeed, cost. They really want to you to pay

this one.

[Mel]

I agree with Dick that the Mairie is a good place to start: they should be able to direct you to the local Tresorerie (smaller & probably more local than a Centre d'Impots). Ours have always been very helpful. My understanding was that a TV would be charged for UNLESS you ask (in writing) to be excused.  By the way, the people that used to do the TV licences, at Rennes, now do speed camera fines!

[nimportequoi]

[quote user="Mel"]I agree with Dick that the Mairie is a good place to start: they should be able to direct you to the local Tresorerie (smaller & probably more local than a Centre d'Impots). Ours have always been very helpful. My understanding was that a TV would be charged for UNLESS you ask (in writing) to be excused.  By the way, the people that used to do the TV licences, at Rennes, now do speed camera fines![/quote]

Yep, the Administration have to find jobs for the deplaced fonctionnaires and increasing the number of speed cameras is one way to do it!

[Fay]

I asked about this at my tresorerie last week and yes, you do have to write to the address on the bill. I've just signed up to pay by virement so I assume they will credit my bank account. But I do have an aerial... Funniest was that way the nice lady at the counter looked at me as if I was bonkers when I said I didn't have a telly. Only when I explained 'maison secondaire' did it seem conceivable to her.

[Chancer]

I reclaimed it last year without problem, sadly if my french comprehension had been better at the time I would have realised that I did not need to pay the taxe habitation either but never mind.

I have yet to get this years bill (they still keep sending it to England and I still keep reinforming them that I live here) but it will be interesting to see if it has been left off this year.

[verviale]

When it was first introduced we had to sign a declaration that we did not have any way of receiving french television, ie no television set in the house, although we only have sky and no french T.V. ariel we still have to pay for having a television in our house.So unless you are without any television you will have to pay up.There is a declaration form available from the mairie.

[Coco]

I always thought that pensioners didn't have to pay either but my mum (76) has been told she has to.  Is it to do with income as well as age?

[Dick Smith]

I think it's just age, and may well be 80. I've lost the letter, so can't check.

[Coco]

If it's age then it's definitely 65 or 70 because our neighbours parents got it and we were told it was because they were "old enough" (their words not mine [;-)]) and I know that madame is only about 66 and the old boy was 72 when he died earlier this year.

Another English lady my mum knows of, who is 74, also gets hers free but mum didn't like to ask if it was down to age or financial situation!