New petition - Rundfunkbeitrag, formerly known as GEZ

[TNSVR 0]

Ticky, why did you even interact with those bastards?

[Mr.Bear 1,039]

And I am in top 400 Mahnung (401 euro)

 

I have to pay up till 17.03.2015

[Biglaa 147]

Yep me too Mr.Bear. The gf saw the letter and went crazy. I have until the 13th I think it was, or they block my bank account.

[Arlanda 4]

Hello as many of the posters here , we are in the same situation , well since a few months we have a kid and now we decided to buy a TV so we will pay the damned bills , but my questions :

they are charging for me and my husband (we live together) and we cant find a way to tell them (online) that we will pay one fee and not 2 ..

 

does anyone know how can we input this information online?

I know is easier calling but they dont answer the phone or the emails we sent so we are quite desperate as we already got finanzamt letters but we dont want to pay twice as we probably will never see out money back and its quite a lot.

 

thank you!

a

[colincostello 194]

I am unemployed so do I have to pay?

 

I am also looking at moving my money out of Germany. How easy is it to open an account in another Euro zone country? Or even an offshore account?

 

Colin

[sneaker 871]

 

I am unemployed so do I have to pay?

Not if you receive Arbeitslosengeld II, Sozialgeld or Sozialhilfe or anything else listed here:

https://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/formulare/buergerinnen_und_buerger/antrag_auf_befreiung/index_ger.html (online form)

 

But it's not automatic, you have to apply for the exemption and provide the proof listed. And it's not 100% retroactive, you have a maximum of 2 months to apply after you have the Bescheid or you have to pay until the month following your application:

 

 

Wann beginnt Ihre Befreiung oder Ermäßigung?

Sie erhalten die Befreiung oder Ermäßigung ab dem auf dem Bewilligungsbescheid genannten Leistungsbeginn,

wenn Sie den Antrag binnen zwei Monaten einreichen, nachdem der Bescheid ausgestellt wurde. Es ist nicht

notwendig, den Antrag vorsorglich zu stellen.

Für die Antragsstellung haben Sie zwei Monate ab Erstellungsdatum des Bewilligungsbescheides Zeit.

Die Befreiung und/oder Ermäßigung beginnt dann mit dem auf dem Bescheid angegebenen Leistungsbeginn.

Geht der Antrag erst nach Ablauf der zwei Monate ein, erfolgt die Befreiung oder Ermäßigung ab dem Folge­

monat nach Eingang des Antrags.

http://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/e175/e218/Informationen_zur_Befreiung_von_der_Rundfunkbeitragspflicht_und_zur_Ermaessigung.pdf

[2B_orNot2B 8,451]

Well, Colin, if you're unemployed and in receipt of unemployment benefit under ALG I then you probably do have to pay.

 

OTOH if you're getting ALG II (aka Hartz IV) or, even if you're not but your confirmed* total nett monthly income does not exceed the equivalent amount, then you can apply for non-paying status (Befreiungsantrag). See the Beitragsservice PDF for details.

 

* By your local authority's Sozialhilfe department (unless you have an ALG II Bescheid from your JobCentre or local ArGe).

 

There are many topics dealing with your questions about bank accounts in the Finance forum.

 

2B

 

Snap!

[rodisi 657]

Is this article saying that GEZ will be scrapped?

 

http://mzw-widerstand.de/blog/MZWTV/ard__zdf_der_zwangs_rundfunkbeitrag_ist_am_ende-496484.html

[yourkeau 7,723]

no.

[Christian Dan 0]

So would one still be billed even given deregistration at the Bürgerbüro? I was on a student exchange last year and stayed for 5 months in a regular dorm. Before leaving I deregistered with the Buro but not with the GEZ. Now I might be returning on a scholarship but certainly not to the same place. Should I be worried?

[Darkknight 2,305]

 

So would one still be billed even given deregistration at the Bürgerbüro?

Yes, you must deregister separately with GEZ. Try reading the prev. 54 pages of posts, its

all been covered before.

[Cool_Hand_Luke 8]

What if you never registered with them willingly and never answered their letters, leave the country, then return 4 or 5 years later? I can see all kinds of problems that this will probably cause.

[sneaker 871]

Hard to tell. The new system is so new I don't think such cases have been decided in court already.

[Christian Dan 0]

And I suppose my having proof that I submitted the keys to my accommodation wouldn't change anything, right?

[yourkeau 7,723]

 

So would one still be billed even given deregistration at the Bürgerbüro? I was on a student exchange last year and stayed for 5 months in a regular dorm. Before leaving I deregistered with the Buro but not with the GEZ. Now I might be returning on a scholarship but certainly not to the same place. Should I be worried?

 

I dont think so. Just submit them proof of de-registration and that will be it.

 

 

Yes, you must deregister separately with GEZ. Try reading the prev. 54 pages of posts, its

all been covered before.

 

bullshit. While de-registering will help solve problems quicker that doesn't mean that the GEZ is authorized to charge TV tax from those who don't live there anymore.

[sneaker 871]

@yourkeau

 

 

§ 7

Beginn und Ende der Beitragspflicht,

Zahlungsweise, Verjährung

 

(1) Die Pflicht zur Entrichtung des Rundfunkbeitrags beginnt mit dem Ersten des Monats, in dem der Beitragsschuldner erstmals die Wohnung, die Betriebsstätte oder das Kraftfahrzeug innehat. Das Innehaben eines Kraftfahrzeugs beginnt mit dem Ersten des Monats, in dem es auf den Beitragsschuldner zugelassen wird.

 

(2) Die Beitragspflicht endet mit dem Ablauf des Monats, in dem das Innehaben der Wohnung, der Betriebsstätte oder des Kraftfahrzeugs durch den Beitragsschuldner endet, jedoch nicht vor dem Ablauf des Monats, in dem dies der zuständigen Landesrundfunkanstalt angezeigt worden ist. Das Innehaben eines Kraftfahrzeugs endet mit dem Ablauf des Monats, in dem die Zulassung auf den Beitragsschuldner endet.

https://recht.nrw.de/lmi/owa/br_bes_text?anw_nr=2&gld_nr=2&ugl_nr=2251&bes_id=19124&aufgehoben=N

 

Rough translation: Duty to pay does not end before Landesrundfunkanstalt has been notified of moving out.

 

An interesting formulation, btw. I can't see it saying the tenant has to make said notification. Maybe some good lawyer could argue that some time after de-registering the apartment at the Einwohnermeldeamt the Beitragsservice is being notified automatically since they sync their databases from time to time. Of course they only intent to catch people who haven't registered themselves but maybe it could be used as a weapon against them. In the old system such arguments were not successful but maybe it was different?

[Cool_Hand_Luke 8]

The point is that the letters were ignored, so one could argue that they never knew about the "debt" so there was no way that one could ever de-register in the first place. After a few years this "debt" could accrue to thousands of euros ...

 

I can think of no other "contract" that is allowed to work like this and why the issue has not be brought to the attention of the European court in Brussels. Or has this been done already? With the way that lawsuits are being dismissed of hand by the German courts it would appear that residents in Germany have no means of redress regarding this. Any attempts at arguing with the Beitragservice are used as a confirmation that the letters were received which only works out to the Beitragsserviceś advantage and used to exploit the public even further.

 

Immoral and unethical "laws" like these are what lead to contempt for all laws.

[sneaker 871]

 

The point is that the letters were ignored, so one could argue that they never knew about the "debt" so there was no way that one could ever de-register in the first place.

In the law registering and de-registering are totally separate duties. "De-registering" is actually more like "always inform Rundfunkanstalt when moving out of an apartment" without any mention of a prior "contract". I don't really see it working in your favor.

 

It's quite clear:

- Duty to pay starts when moving in. No "contract" or reminding letters are needed, you don't have any say in it. It's your duty to register and pay.

- Duty to pay ends when moving out but never before notifying them about the move. It's your duty to inform them when you leave an apartment, regardless of whether or not you flew under their radar or ignored their letters. The duty to inform them about leaving an apartment is unconditional.

 

Maybe some time in the future courts will end unfair parts like having to pay for years of not living in an apartment. It's not the first time some law got overthrown on account of other, higher laws or principles. At least under the old system such cases were upheld in court and people indeed had to pay large sums.

So for now don't be surprised when they start claiming money for times you didn't even live in Germany, ignoring their letters and not fulfilling your duties is your choice, your risk and your's alone. People should ask themselves how far they want to go. If they don't plan on fighting it in court it might be cheaper to just follow the rules. They work slow but eventually ignoring the letters does not work out.

[eileenro 139]

I have tried to google translate the page but still can't make heads or tails of it

I earn less the 500,- per month pension would this qualify me for not having to pay GEZ if i can prove this is all i earn?

[sneaker 871]

500 Euro is quite low - do you receive "Grundsicherung"? Grundsicherung qualifies for exemption.

 

https://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/formulare/buergerinnen_und_buerger/antrag_auf_befreiung/index_ger.html