Immediate fine for those who forget to pay the broadcasting fee
The monthly Rundfunk fee in Germany is currently €18.36 per household, and everyone is required to pay it regardless of whether they use public broadcasting services or not. However, some retirees are allowed to be exempt from this obligation.
These fees have long been criticized, but they are now about to become more sensitive to citizens due to a new change in the payment method. According to the authority responsible for collecting the Rundfunkbeitrag, the system of repeated reminders for users who do not pay via direct debit (Lastschriftverfahren) will be abolished.
In the past, those who paid fees through individual transfers received regular invoices reminding them of payment dates. Now, subscribers will receive only one annual notification, known as Einmalzahlungsaufforderung, which includes all four payment dates for the year.
No further reminders will be sent. Those who ignore these deadlines will be subject to a late fee of 1% of the amount due, with a minimum of 8 euros. This system has already been implemented for a group of subscribers and will be gradually extended to all those who do not use direct debit.
The responsible authority states that the aim of this step is to reduce postal and administrative costs, and to achieve sustainability by reducing paper consumption, which also contributes to increasing the efficiency of collection operations. The obligation to pay the Rundfunkbeitrag in Germany begins on the first day a person becomes an owner or tenant of a residence. The fees are paid quarterly in one lump sum, in the middle of each period. They can also be paid in advance for several months if the person wishes to do so.