You all know it, the incessant, merciless stream of letters sent to your house reminding you that you owe 20 euros a month to Big TV/Radio whether or not you even watch a single TV program or listen to a single radio station. Even those without a TV (such as I) still get harassed by them. The reasoning is as ridiculous as the amount.I’ve have no problem in paying my taxes, medical insurance and any other legitimate Steuer, but this is definitely one I cannot abide. But I’ve heard many times that it’s 1) inevitable and 2) inescapable. If you don’t pay it for a long time they will eventually come knocking on your door. Is this true? If so how long until they do? And is there seriously not a single way around this asinine policy? I understand the point, but live in a 14 sq m dorm and haven’t used it. I will be here just a total of 9 months, so maybe I *can* get away with not paying, or just paying for 6/9. This is an update to a question asked 8 years ago. here’s an interesting article: [https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/rundfunkgebuehren-auswandern-ist-nicht-genug-1.2130600](https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/rundfunkgebuehren-auswandern-ist-nicht-genug-1.2130600)
I would legit pay germay 40k for taxes or fees with regards to roads or transport, but not a dime to them, as I don’t like watching or supporting the news. Plus, I don’t even know how to watch it on my laptop to take advantage, if I do pay. One plus is that I can improve my german. Zusammenfassend: I am frugal and would rather invest the money or spend it on travel related things. I understand that it is required. If they come knocking on my door, I will pay RIGHT AWAY if they request, but I sure hope there are no fees attached.
14 comments
“Rundfunkbeitrag”?
what’s that 😕
If you don’t pay you may ultimately end up in jail (happened to one guy, but he didn’t pay for a very long time)
What you ha e to keep in mind is, that I think there might be a record about your unpaid debts so that you might get in trouble when you try to go to Germany later.
There are certain conditions that can make you eligible for “Gebührenbefreihung” so that you don’t have to pay. I think it’s for students or people who get Hartz IV and some other cases. I think you could Google it and see, if you can meet one requirement.
Would people complain so much about this if public broadcasting money were a federal budget item paid for by other normal taxes? Many countries have public broadcasting but as far as I know only Germany charges separately for it.
I always pay my Rundfunkbeitrag because I genuinely enjoy the öffentlich-rechtlichen Medien and think that they are an important public good.
It is mandatory and if u dont pay it the Tax office can freeze your Bank account, impound your salary or send someone to your flat
If your only here for 9 months nothing might happen, but it could be that you will be unable to reenter Germany a second time.
>Plus, I don’t even know how to watch it on my laptop to take advantage, if I do pay.
The public TV and radio stations stream live from their websites. They have archives where you can access old materials. And they publish news articles. You can literally just go to their website and check, it’s not exactly an impenetrable difficulty.
ETA: As for practicing the language: [The news in easy German](https://www.google.com/search?hl=de&q=nachrichten%20einfacher%20sprache). At least in my Google results, every site on the first page except that of the BPB is a public broadcaster (and the BPB is a public agency as well). Private media companies are less likely to offer that kind of thing… because it doesn’t make them money. Public broadcasters can “afford” it, and might even be expected/required.
Sure go to another country and piss all over rules and customs. Sounds like a great idea.
> And is there seriously not a single way around this asinine policy?
There are about as many ways around not paying the Rundfunkbeitrag as there are for not paying taxes. You may get away with it for a while, but when the hammer comes down (and it *will* come down – remember, the German state knows where everyone lives) then it will come down *hard*. And this kind of thing can follow you abroad (depending on the treaties between Germany and your home country).
> If they come knocking on my door, I will pay RIGHT AWAY if they request, but I sure hope there are no fees attached.
If it gets to that point, then you’re one step away from jail, and the late fees will be an order of magnitude higher than what you should have paid in the first place. Don’t let it get to that point. Just sign up and pay like every other adult in the country. Trying to screw the German state over a few dozen Euros simply isn’t worth it.
> I understand the point, but live in a 14 sq m dorm and haven’t used it.
Of course you’ve used it – just not directly. The Rundfunkbeitrag (and the publicly funded media it pays for) is a vital ingredient in making sure Germany’s democractic system runs well, which you’re obviously benefiting from. You get to live in a stable country with a rule of law (which let you in in the first place).
It’s not like Netflix where you only pay if you use it – it’s more like a tax (where everyone pays in order for everyone to get a benefit, more or less indirectly). Not paying for the Rundfunkbeitrag “because you don’t watch German TV” makes about as much sense as paying less taxes “because you’ll never drive from Pritzwald to Chemnitz on the B107 road”. And the other comments have already explained why it’s specifically *not* paid for through taxes.
[See our wiki for a longer explanation](https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/rundfunkbeitrag).
If you want to see how well democracy works in countries without publicly funded and independent media, then just take a look at Russia, Hungary, or Saudi Arabia. Those aren’t necessarily countries you want to live in.
Look, I know that money is tight – but if you need to skimp, then the *last* thing you should do is skimp on your taxes and on the Rundfunkbeitrag. I understand the frustration of getting *yet another* bill, but this is one you really have to pay. See it as your contribution to the high standard of living you get to enjoy here.
GEZ is one of the institutions that collect the money extremely rigorously.
They will come to your door, it won’t take 9 months. You will have to pay backwards to the day you moved in. Plus a fee for late payment and a hefty fee for the in person collection service.
I think it’s important, but I just wish it was paid federally. I hate the feeling I’m paying for a service I’m not using.
Look at it this way: Public broadcast contributes to creating a common mainstream. By that I mean a rough agreement of what constitutes “current events”. This mainstream forms the baseline for democratic debate and is an important foundation for a stable democracy.
You can disagree with how events are reported or think some events should be much more prominent in public broadcast. I do and I’m actually quite critical of the program of public broadcast in general. Nonetheless, the fact this broadcast _exists_ and hence we still have a relatively stable common mainstream is extremely important for keeping our Zivilgesellschaft stable. I believe that if you lack that you get much bigger problems with polarization – the USA is the case in point here.
So sure you can come to Germany, enjoy all the benefits of a stable, functioning open democracy and then refuse to do your part to keep its institutions running. But don’t be surprised if you meet some resistance and irritation along the way.
I think the amount is fine. I would prefer though to have it part of taxes and no extra transaction though i get why they do it separately
It’s almost 2022 and you’re still finding a way not to pay the fee? Lol.