Thousands can now reclaim their fees paid to the broadcasting and television authority (ORF).
Thousands of residents in Austria may now be able to reclaim what they paid in contributions to the Austrian ORF channel. People who work at the same official residence address have so far been forced to pay the ORF fee twice, once for housing and once for work.
One of the lawyers, who is also affected by this rule, challenged the matter and succeeded in obtaining an official decision that confirms that this dual payment is illegal. This decision could be crucial for thousands of viewers and citizens, as it opens the door for requesting refunds for payments made since the beginning of 2024. As of January 1, 2024, the new contribution law came into effect, which requires every citizen in Austria to pay €15.30 per month, with some limited exceptions. In addition, local fees vary from state to state. For example, in the state of Steiermark, the monthly cost reaches about €20 per household, regardless of the number of devices in the home.
The problem arose for individuals who live and work at the same address, such as freelancers, small business owners, doctors, lawyers, tax consultants, civil engineers, as well as farmers and sole proprietorships. The lawyer from Graz, Andreas Kaufmann, president of the European Consumer Protection Association (EKV), considered it illegal to be required to pay the fees twice and filed a complaint with the ORF contribution collection service. After reviewing the complaint, an official decision was issued confirming that the double payment requirement was indeed unlawful.
According to Kaufmann, it is clear that thousands of people are in the same situation and can claim a refund of the fees they paid starting from 1.1.2024. The ORF channel confirmed to the 'Krone' newspaper that there are already exceptions to double payment since the introduction of the so-called 'Haushaltsabgabe' (household fee). The exception applies when the following conditions are met together: The main residence of the business owner is at the same address. The business or company is subject to contribution at the same address. The person themselves uses the residence for private use.
For those who wish to reclaim what they have overpaid in the past, they must submit a separate request for a refund. To assist those affected, Andreas Kaufmann is working with the EKV association to prepare standardized forms for requests and refunds, for a small fee, to facilitate the process for everyone. These forms will soon be available on the website: www.ekv-europe.com