Whats up if you dont pay it?

They write to you, apologising for the fact Swiss TV is crap, and that they hope you will consider paying it in future once the programming improves. They then divide your bill and proportion it out over everyone else who lives in your canton.

Yes.

Tom

...

I still haven't received my apology letter. Should I stop watching TV until it arrives?

They are saying that if you have a TV you must according to the law pay tax

So that means seeing I don't have a TV I should be exempt from paying any tax?

I must write a letter to the tax office asking for a full refund.

We have three TVs

I'm getting conflicting information about how much billag costs - on the website it says 73 ch for 3 months (TV only). However my office colleagues (Swiss and Italian) say it's about 100 per month. Anyone know the "real" answer and maybe why the discrepancy? I just moved here, would really like a TV but do not want to pay as much as 100 per month! 73 for 3 months is a bit more manageable.
Thanks!

I should have added I'm in Lugano - don't know if region makes a difference.

Here are the unavoidable costs:-

http://www.billag.ch/web/de/gebuehre...en_privat.html

Three months / 1 year - If you have a radio in your car or means to receive radio, then you have to pay both the radio and TV part.

What I know is that as long as you have a t.v or radio in the house or car you need to pay taxes for billag

So even a smartphone with built-in radio in theory makes you have to pay? Can they discover it somehow? Perhaps through the mobile carrier?

Yes, even without a built-in radio.

Tom

No, and if you have a computer, that also does not count as TV or radio... They wanted to make Billag flat rate for everyone as most everyone has a TV and radio, computer, mobile device, etc. but it was turned down

At least you still only have to pay one tax.

Billag is not a tax it's the way we finance TV/radio in Switzerland. Fee is always for the whole household. And if you use a computer with internet you have to pay the full 462 CHF for a household. Because it allows you to watch TV and listen to the radio. Doesn't matter how many people live there, how many TVs you use and so on. The fee is always for one household.

So, to answer the question in general: If you rent a house or an apartment in Switzerland and if you have a TV, a radio or a device that allows you to watch TV you have to pay. Doesn't matter whether you actually watch Swiss TV.

If you just share an apartment for example the fee is probably included within your rent, so you don't have to pay anything.

And if you don't have any of these, Billag will ring your doorbell forever until you agree to pay their Danegeld. I was visited on Thursday, again on Friday and again on Saturday. By the same guy!! Talk about optimism.

So, what? This guy doesn't have any legal rights to enter your apartment.

On the other side, you are posting here which means you have to pay. Because you have internet access....

... at work