Serafe debt enforcement: understanding it and responding
Updated on 5 August 2026
In brief
Serafe AG collects the radio and television fee on behalf of the Confederation. This is a public law claim: Serafe issues administrative rulings, and a ruling that has become final entitles it to definitive setting aside of your objection (Art. 80 SchKG). Filing an objection therefore does not make the problem go away — you have to challenge the ruling itself within its appeal deadline, or claim an exemption if you qualify. Once the fee is paid, the entry stays visible until withdrawn or for five years (Art. 8a para. 4 SchKG).
The radio and TV fee is owed per household, whether or not you own a television — and Serafe is among the largest initiators of enforcement proceedings in Switzerland. Here is why the usual reflex works badly in this case, and what actually works.
A public law claim, not an ordinary invoice
The fee is levied under the Federal Act on Radio and Television. It is owed per household regardless of the equipment you have, and its amount is set by the Federal Council. Serafe is not a private creditor: it issues administrative rulings that can be appealed to the Federal Office of Communications. It is precisely that status which changes everything at the enforcement stage.
Why an objection alone is the wrong reflex
Faced with an ordinary payment order, an objection halts the proceeding and forces the creditor before a judge. Here, Serafe already holds — or can obtain — an administrative ruling that has become final, which serves as a title for definitive setting aside (Art. 80 SchKG). Your objection will therefore be set aside without any real hearing on the merits. The moment that matters is not the payment order but Serafe's ruling itself, within the appeal deadline stated on it. Once that deadline passes, the debate over whether the fee is owed is closed.
Exemptions and reductions
Some households are exempt on request, notably those where a member receives supplementary benefits to the old-age or disability insurance; the exemption is not automatic and must be requested from Serafe with the corresponding certificate. Other situations are worth checking: a move abroad, the merging of two households, or an unoccupied dwelling. Also check that the fee is not being billed twice where several people share a flat: it is owed once per household, not per person.
After payment: cleaning up the extract
Once the fee is settled the proceeding closes — but the entry remains. Like any entry, it stays visible to third parties until the creditor withdraws it or five years after closure (Art. 8a para. 4 SchKG). You can ask Serafe to withdraw the paid entry (Art. 8a para. 3 let. c SchKG): it is a written request, free of charge, and institutional creditors often agree once the debt is fully settled. If you had filed an objection and Serafe took no action for three months, the non-disclosure route also remains open.
Do I have to pay if I own neither a TV nor a radio?
Yes. Since the move to a per-household fee, it is owed regardless of the devices you own. Only the statutory exemptions, such as receiving supplementary benefits, allow you to avoid it.
Is it worth objecting to a Serafe payment order?
On the merits, very little: holding an administrative ruling that has become final, Serafe will obtain definitive setting aside (Art. 80 SchKG). The real moment to challenge is the appeal deadline against the ruling, not the enforcement.
Does the entry disappear once the fee is paid?
No. It stays visible until Serafe withdraws it or five years after closure (Art. 8a para. 4 SchKG). Request the withdrawal in writing once the balance is fully paid.