News
TV Licensing Letters
Date: Jan 31, 2013
Several students in University property have reported receiving letters this morning from the TV Licensing Authorities, referring to a possible hearing in your local court.
The Licensing Authority has been writing to households where:
• They have no record of a current TV Licence
• They had not received notification that a licence is not required at that address
The Authority is entitled to take the householder to court where they can prove that you have been watching live TV broadcasts without having a TV Licence. If found guilty you may be required to pay a fine of up to £1000, plus legal costs.
You will need to buy a licence if you watch or record live TV programmes on any device - including a PC, laptop or mobile phone.
However, you do not require a license in order to watch 'on demand' services (such as BBC iPlayer) after they have been shown on TV. So you need a licence to receive a live television broadcast, but not to catch up on shows you have missed, to play video games or to watch a DVD.
Students in Accommodation
You will need a licence in your student accommodation even if there is a licence at your permanent family address. If you live in a shared house or flat, but you have a private door with a lock, you will probably be considered an individual householder. If you live in a hall of residence then you will need to buy your own licence, even if your landlord or the University holds a licence for a TV in a common area.
What to Do if You Receive a Letter
If you have received a letter from TV Licensing, please do not ignore it. It is against the law to watch TV programmes without a TV Licence.
If you never watch TV programmes in your home, (for example your room does not receive a TV signal) you can inform the Authority of this by visiting www.tvlicensing.co.uk/noTV or by telephoning 0300 790 6097, and they should stop writing to you.
If you intend to watch television then you should purchase a licence as soon as possible.
Other important points to know:
• If you move, you can arrange to transfer your licence to your new address
• If you no longer need a licence, you may be entitled to a refund
Click here to check whether you require a TV Licence.
For more information on who needs a licence, purchasing a licence, refunds, and transfers, see www.tvlicensing.co.uk