Penalty fees for broadcasting fees: An important change could be expensive for GEZ payers
Created: 05/23/2022, 09:56
By: Laura May
Almost everyone in Germany transfers the broadcasting fee every quarter - a change could now be expensive for GEZ payers if they miss the four-week deadline.
Munich – ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandfunk.
In Germany, public broadcasters are financed by fees.
Broadcasting fees (also called broadcasting contribution or broadcasting fee) have to be paid by all households, except for people who receive social benefits.
Unlike in other countries, the fee in the Federal Republic does not depend on whether you have a receiving device such as a radio or television.
Broadcasting fees: If you miss the payment deadline, you have to pay the “default surcharge”.
The radio fee is currently EUR 18.36 per month.
As a rule, people pay 55.08 euros per quarter by SEPA direct debit or transfer to the contribution service.
If the so-called GEZ fee is automatically debited, nothing will change in the future.
But if you forget to make the transfer, you will face penalties in the future.
The contribution service has not sent reminder letters with payment requests since May 15, as
reported by
chip.de.
According to morgenpost.de
, anyone who misses the four-week payment deadline must
pay a “default surcharge” of one percent of the amount or at least eight euros.
If a reminder follows, the bank's return debit fees will also be due.
Forgotten broadcasting fees can become expensive in the future./Iconic image © Marius Becker
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Broadcasting fees: That is why there will no longer be a payment request in the future
The reason for the decision of the contribution service should primarily be cost-cutting measures.
If not so many letters with payment requests have to be sent, the postage costs are lower and the administration has less work.
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Media users, on the other hand, must be careful and should not miss the payment deadlines of February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 annually if they do not want to pay extra fees.
