EVERYONE HAS TO PAY BILLAG... !!
its just another bill, like water gas or electric... so pay up and smile..

yes but your forgetting the taxation is much cheaper here. approx 7% as opposed to around 40% in the UK...

Everyone has to pay it? Even the Queen?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-sto...5875-22696189/

ok.. I own only a laptop and cablecom hispeed internet.. so I ll just register for the radio reception one (42.xx CHF/Quarter) .. hope that should suffice.. thanks !

Someone from my office contacted Billag (I don't speak German) and explained I don't have a TV. The changed my bill and now I pay for radio only. You might want to actually get rid of the TV in case of inspection.

Hello,

I have selected to pay by my Billag by direct debit, but after more than three months I still have not seen anything being debited from my account...

looks like Diret Debit works differently here...

Can anyone who is on direct debit with Billag, explain how it works and when do I get charge?

thanks
Motus

Hi

I opted to pay Billag by direct debit and like you didn't see any payments go from our account. I went on their website which stated that if you pay by direct debit you get a yearly bill. Then last month I got a letter saying that they had been unable to take the payments so I had to pay the bill via an orange deposit slip.
I know this doesn't really answer your question but it might give you an insight on what to expect.

We registered\signed up via the website over 1 month ago after a visit from the Billag man, but haven't heard anything from them since either, quite the opposite of the threatening stance UK tv licensing takes.

I registered on the website last month, received an acknowledgment email about 10 days later, and eventually a bill about 10 days after that, i.e. c.3 weeks from registering.

I also contacted them to see if they had any info in English as I couldn't follow the website, so you may want to contact them directly if you have questions:

Regarding your inquiry:
You can reach us at the phone number: 0844 834 834.
We are on hand to take your calls in English from 7.30 a.m. to 17.30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Instructions:
Press 1 for German, Press 2 for French or Press 3 for Italian.
Then Press 3 to speak with one of our agents.

Edit: should add that I didn't try calling them as the bill turned up, so I can't confirm that all of their operators do in fact speak English!

They really are a pain in the backside. Normally you get a payment slip every 3 months, and I decided to pay them each month one third of the bill by standing order, there were problems but basically if you update the long number every 3 months it keeps them happy.

However the problem, as with all of Switzerland, is they might not send the bill for 6 months and then expect you to pay up immediately. I opened a PostFinance account and pay into that every month a share of Billag, electricity, insurances, taxes etc. It really gave me peace of mind after starting this; it might seem obvious and easy, but if you are constantly worrying if Billag are going to hit you for 400 and at the same time the electricity for 700, it just adds unecessary stress.

PS. I had some very good news in September, as I am very poor I am let off the Billag payments, that was the best year's news!

Thanks.
I find it extremelly difficult to plan outgoings! cant ask for monthly bills like in england, and each time they send you a bill its minimum for 500 swissies, payable within a month...

I dread January as I think our friends from Strassenverkehrsamt are going to hit me with another 500-1000 swissies invoice to pay kind of right now...

Ittingen, what's the story about the "PostFinance account and pay into that every month" - How does that work?

thanks
motus

I just called Billag, because since reading the forum recently I realised I should be paying this!! Anyway, they were helpful, called the number as above, and someone did speak in English.

I was told that there would be a Bill in January with the option of paying every three months. CHF 38.50 per month.

Ciao,
C

Dear everyone,
If you have an internet connection, they will charge you both for the TV and radio, because basically "you can watch the TV and listen to the radio from the internet". So please be careful, or you can end up paying fines up to as high as 5000 CHF.

Billag... you have got to be kidding me. I work from home and have just received a bill for my GmbH. I can't seem to find a way online to tell them that I already pay this blood money under my personal name. I am pretty sure that one is not required to pay TWICE!

fduvall

I appreciate what everyone says here.. but this is getting self-righteous and a bit ridiculous. What exactly should I be careful of? I believe noone here yet has ever mentioned that they even know someone who has been fined at all.. Who on earth are they to assume I watch their TV that I cant understand on my internet connection. I would get internet because I want to work, or read the newspaper, or download movies in my language, not to watch Swiss TV or listen to Guggemusik on the internet radio. (And please, hold back on the "you should be paying anyway" stuff... I pay for everything I use in my life, and I sleep well at night. I don't need to be paying for something I didn't order, don't want, and don't need. Please tell me anything else in your life that you do that for? - other than taxes, which admittedly, even I can see the services I get for it).

If you would like to groan, go ahead. But a forum is to speak what we think right? Hopefully not just to follow like sheep...

But Billag is a barely disguised form of tax .

When we moved here our relocation agent was complaining about a gentleman she was dealing with 2 1/2 years after moving him in as they'd discovered that he'd never paid his billag. He had to back-pay the entire amount and they fined him the same amount again for their trouble (Billag not the relocation agency )

We've been informed that if your not paying Billag, they do physical inspections of your property to see if you have a radio, tv, computer or car (with radio). One thing the Swiss are great at is collecting taxes. You might think your saving money... But in the long run it probably will cost you double.

That's incorrect. To my knowledge, Billag doesn't have anything to do with a credit score....I don't own a tv nor do I have internet etc. thus I don't pay Billag. I do however have cell phones as well as credit cards.

A person's Billag payment is an additional address/identity verifier and does impact the score. A Billag payment history is a big plus on your credit score.

I guess so is any payment history, like electricity, water, rent. Doesn't convince me about Billag though. I, like the person above, have a mobile phone, credit card.

Im not provoking - its a serious question, and I cant get my head around any of the answers so far.. I just want to know if there is anyone that never tunes into Swiss TV/radio, but still pays - why do you pay? Do you just do it, cause "everyone else does"?

All you guys who do watch Swiss TV or listen to radio, good on you for paying, I would too. But for those who dont watch or listen, I still ask, why do you pay it? Because it is like a tax? If that is your answer, think of it this way then... Just imagine if they made us all pay Church Tax, because we all have the "potential" to go to a Swiss church... Its just such crap. That would be forcing the funding of religion on people. Billag is forcing funding of TV onto you! Why is it ok for TV, and not for religion?