The contribution service of the public service broadcaster, colloquially known as GEZ, is currently preparing letters to numerous German households. The letters are part of the comparison of registration data that the institution carries out every four years. Anyone who receives mail should respond in a timely manner.
Since 1976, people in Germany have had to pay a fee to receive radio and television. The GEZ, the fee collection center, used to collect the costs. Since 2013, the facility has been known as the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Contribution Service. Every year, it takes in billions of euros from the broadcasting fee, which every household in Germany has to pay, with a few exceptions. The money is primarily used to finance the expenses of the public broadcasters. The contribution is regulated by law and is currently 18.36 euros per household. To ensure that every household also pays the “GEZ fee”, the contribution service regularly compares the data by letter. So also currently.
The letter from the GEZ is used to compare the registration data
After 2013 and 2018, the comparison of the registration data is now taking place for the third time in 10 years. The registration offices in Germany already transmit the data of all adults in Germany to the contribution service. However, there can always be changes that are not correctly recorded in the multitude of data. The current comparison should therefore clarify the contribution obligation of all households. From January 10th, all adults who cannot be assigned to a registered apartment by the contribution service will be contacted.
For this reason, it is important that recipients respond to the letter accordingly. If they don’t, it can have financial consequences. If recipients are already paying the broadcasting license fee, they must provide their license fee number within a period of two weeks. You can do this either in writing using a letter enclosed with the GEZ letter, or online using the website. The license fee is only charged once per household. So if you live in a shared flat or with your partner in the same apartment, you must specify the person paying the contribution.
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After successful submission and verification, the contribution service deletes all unnecessary data that was collected as part of the registration query. However, if it turns out that the person addressed has not yet paid a broadcasting fee, the fee service will register.
The same applies if recipients do not respond to the letter from GEZ and the reminder sent as a result. The contribution service then assumes that the person is not registered and does so. In the worst case, those affected have to pay twice if there is no reaction and even get a visit from the bailiff via the second registration if there is no payment.
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Costs can also be calculated retrospectively
The contribution service collects the costs for one quarter at a time. At EUR 18.36 per month, the first bill is EUR 55.08. It can be expensive if the query reveals that a household has not been registered for a long time. The contribution service can then retrospectively demand the broadcasting contribution. The reference date for moving in, which is communicated by the residents’ registration office, applies. If this is a year and a half ago, for example, costs of 330.48 euros are due.