TV licenses for rented homes
AFS Team·1 February 2013·3 min read
Our TV licence FAQ should help to make things clear, but if you are still not sure it is better to get expert advice than risk a fine:
What does the TV licensing site say about licenses for shared houses?
The website states that:
• Only one licence is needed where tenants rent on a ‘joint and several’ basis ie they all sign the same tenancy agreement
• Separate licences need to be obtained where tenants have separate tenancy agreements for their own room and shared use of the common parts.
So for some shared student houses where each occupant is named on a single agreement, one TV licence will cover the whole property and as many TVs as the tenants would like.
But if tenants have an agreement that covers them as an individual for sole use of one room, which communal areas shared by all, they will each need a TV licence if they have a TV in their room.
What about blocks of flats?
Anyone living in self-contained accommodation must have their own TV licence.
What about lodgers?
This is where it gets a bit more complicated. Lodgers who have a relationship with the homeowner, like family or a partner, do not need their own licence, but those simply renting a room with their own TV do.
Which regulations are applicable?
The Communications Act 2003 part 4 and The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 deal with TV licensing rules.
Do I need a TV licence for other equipment?
These days you don’t need a TV just to watch television – laptops, PCs, tablets and even smartphones can all be used for some channels and programmes.
The law states that a licence is only required for equipment if it is installed or used for watching TV programmes as they are broadcast. So if you never use your gadgets to watch telly and you don’t have a TV set you will not need a licence.
If you have done away with the telly and just use your laptop for catch-up TV you won’t need a licence, but if you watch TV in real time, you will.
