General Chat

Just wondered if anyone had the problem I have in my flat re. the TV license at uni. We have five rooms but the kitchen is classed as a separate address. Everyone has a TV in their room but because they get it through the internet they don't have to pay for the license. My halls, in their wisdom, put a TV with Sky in the kitchen which we are all responsible for paying the license for. Problem is, my flatmates won't contribute towards one but neither are they keen on removing the TV. I'm getting fed up of the reminders coming through the door and I refuse to pay for a second one for the kitchen on my own. I can't take the TV out of the flat unless everyone agrees to it and they won't. Sorry for the rant but has anyone got any ideas? I'm graduating in two months and I will be so glad to leave uni because of this.

Just to clarify... .. Is this a university hall of residence...or a private flat which uni. have used? When my daughter was at uni. in a hall of residence all the students had to have their own licence. My daughter managed to get a refund for the time that she had moved out at the end of her studies. My friend's son was in private student accommodation in a shared house and each person had to have their own licence because each student room could be locked and was therefore viewed as a separate dwelling, although the address was the same. Gwyn

It's in halls of residence - sorry, forgot to mention that. I'm not sure what my sister does because she's renting a house with people - sometimes I wish I was. Also, it's not a hall owned by the university - it's a private one.

Kate - write to the landlord & ask him to remove the TV or check your inital agreement which you should have signed at the start of your tenancy. Everyone should have signed the same thing. Ails x

Thanks Ails I will see if I can find it. It's so stupid because the people who own the hall of residence put the TV in the kitchen knowing that the tenants are responsible for buying the license. But of course my flatmates just see it as a TV there for their use and don't see why they should pay. I'm thinking of taking it up with the housing office at uni because I just don't think it's right that the hall can do this. My parents have threatened me that I am not to buy a second license (I'm only here till the end of June and will probably go home for at least a week between now and then), but it just doesn't seem right that the TV licensing people can get away with it. If anyone else sent you letters like they did, you could probably get them done for harrassment.

Kate - good idea about goind to the Housing Office at your Uni!! Why didn't I think of that?!!! Ails x

surely if you didnt put it in and it isnt your tv then the landlords who put it in are responsible, Does your room have a different address to the kitchen like 1a if so your have a licence for your room which is your address so thought you would be ok. but then I always see things simply and not the legal way lol

You would think that, wouldn't you, Dawn? The papers we got in September say that it is the tenant's responsibility to buy the license for the kitchen, although the property company put the TV there. Our flat in number 128 - each room is a single address but according to the TV license people, because there are locks on the doors a sixth address exists (this comprises the kitchen, corridor and utilities cupboard). If they come round, I have no intention of letting them in but that doesn't solve the problem. My flatmates (the same ones who, as I mentioned a few months back, think it's OK to spray air freshener around after I've been cooking) just aren't bothered - it's like the poll cards, it's not a matter of concern to them which worries me even more because I am bothered by it - but they don't want the TV taken out of the kitchen.

Kate - it's not a matter of what THEY want - if they aren't contributing towards the license then it should be removed - end of!! Don't get into an argument with them - quietly go to the Housing Office at Uni & ask them to help you sort it. Take care, Ails x

Just to update, have been to the housing office at uni, they got in touch with my halls manager and what do you know, the TV is being removed! I'm sure my name is going to be mud in this flat but I do not care.

When do you need a TV Licence? Equipment A valid TV Licence is required if you use a television receiving equipment such as video recorders, set top boxes or PC’s with broadcast cards. Accommodation If you live in halls of residence and use a TV in your own room, you need your own separate TV Licence. You also need your own licence if you are sharing a house with other students and use a TV in your room, and your room is a separately occupied place (a separate tenancy agreement would normally indicate that this is the case). If you have a separate tenancy agreement but a television is only being used in a communal area, then only one licence is required. If you are sharing a house with other students and you use a TV in your own room, but the house can be treated as one place shared by all, then only one TV Licence is required (a joint tenancy agreement would usually be evidence that the house is a single licensable place for this purpose). When you are covered by your parents’ TV Licence Providing that you have a TV Licence for your main address, then you will be covered for any television-receiving equipment that is powered by its own internal battery such as a pocket-sized TV. Costs A colour TV licence currently costs £135.50 for a year. Refunds If students are not staying at university over the summer, and do not need their TV licence again before it expires, they are entitled to a refund of any unused quarters (three full calendar months). So long as you purchased your TV licence in October 2006, and don’t need it for July, August and September 2007, you could be eligible for a refund Most students would need to buy a TV licence at the beginning of term in October in order to allow enough time at the end of the year to qualify for a refund. Assuming that a TV licence is purchased in the month it is needed, it will expire 12 months from the first of that month. You can only claim a refund if you will not need the TV licence again before it expires. Refunds are only available on unused quarters (three calendar months). So, for example, if you bought your licence in November, it would not normally expire until the end of October the following year. A student would typically need the licence to cover October, November and December even if they were away from their term time address in July, August and September for the summer holidays. A refund would, therefore, not be possible because the licence would be needed again before it expired. If you use television-receiving equipment without a valid TV licence, you risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1000. We always prefer people to buy a licence rather than be prosecuted. Our database lists addresses that don't have a TV Licence, including university accommodation, and we do visit unlicensed properties. Students requiring further information should please contact TV Licensing on 0870 242 1417. To find out about the many ways you can pay for your TV Licence, including the ease of paying by Direct Debit, please visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk This page last updated 05 April 2007 Hope this helps Marion

Try this. http://www*tvlicensing*co*uk/information/students*jsp Marion

Just to update, I have just been asked why I had the TV removed and didn't I think I should have asked them first? So I said if they want to go and get the telly back tomorrow they can do but that I wanted to make a point. Don't know if they will or not - I imagine so, but at least I tried. And thanks to Marion for the above. The housing office were astonished that our halls have put us in this situation - they said they'd never heard of any others supplying TVs.