[Chrisruptor]

Ok, so I was originally under the impression that in our halls the TV license would be provided for all communal areas including the communal kitchen, but that we'd all have to buy our own tv licenses for our individual rooms if we wanted to watch TV in it.

However, after reading carefully the documents from my halls, a TV license is in fact NOT provided for the communal kitchen areas.

All my flatmates got a letter about the TV license (addressed to "The Present Occupier" of Room *) stating under "Halls of Residence": "You need your own TV License to watch or record live TV in your room. Your hall's TV License will only cover TVs in communal areas."

Does this mean that we have to all chip in and buy a TV license for the kitchen, and then each buy an additional license for our own rooms if we wish to watch TV in our rooms? Or will the one license we chip in for cover all of our rooms?

I ask this cause one of my flatmates went ahead and bought one for the flat leaving a note for each of us to give him money for it. Which I don't have a problem with, but surely that's going to cover him for his room and none of us, no?

It's the fact that the communal kitchen area isn't covered which is confusing me with it all...

[Rainbows!]

(Original post by Chrisruptor)
Ok, so I was originally under the impression that in our halls the TV license would be provided for all communal areas including the communal kitchen, but that we'd all have to buy our own tv licenses for our individual rooms if we wanted to watch TV in it.

However, after reading carefully the documents from my halls, a TV license is in fact NOT provided for the communal kitchen areas.

All my flatmates got a letter about the TV license (addressed to "The Present Occupier" of Room *) stating under "Halls of Residence": "You need your own TV License to watch or record live TV in your room. Your hall's TV License will only cover TVs in communal areas."

Does this mean that we have to all chip in and buy a TV license for the kitchen, and then each buy an additional license for our own rooms if we wish to watch TV in our rooms? Or will the one license we chip in for cover all of our rooms?

I ask this cause one of my flatmates went ahead and bought one for the flat leaving a note for each of us to give him money for it. Which I don't have a problem with, but surely that's going to cover him for his room and none of us, no?

It's the fact that the communal kitchen area isn't covered which is confusing me with it all...

Well the communal Tv license will be in the kitchen area, and it will cover the TV in there As for the TV license for your bedroom, some people say that you rarely ever get 'caught' because they is no way to check exactly where the non-tv license user is situated and they have no right to walk in your flat and raid through your things anyway...

Personally, am a bit of a girl lol so i'd probably buy one just in case lol!

[omi_naomi]

you do need an individual T.V license for each room but tbh last year i never bothered and if you are only planning on watching iplayer or itv player then a TV license isn't necessary. All last year we received red letter from TV licensing people about not having a TV License but i think they are just sent automatically. There is no way they can know whether you are watching TV or not so i wouldn't bother wasting money on one

[didgeridoo12uk]

there is a very simple way to get around tv-licenses...

DO NOT WATCH LIVE TV.

with all the catch up services these days there's really no need, just wait till the programs finished airing and watch it then. OR get a netflix/lovefilm account

[Rubgish]

It is also worth noting if you have a laptop and the laptop is unplugged, its classed as a portable media device and so is covered under you parents home licence (assuming they have one). Thus you can watch live TV if you really want to, so long as you unplug the laptop.

[planetearth]

If you're poor watch everything on your PC (like me). Although you can't watch anything live if you do.

If you're rich/reasonably well off, see if others are willing to chip in and pay.

[Horatio-]

(Original post by didgeridoo12uk)
there is a very simple way to get around tv-licenses...

DO NOT WATCH LIVE TV.

with all the catch up services these days there's really no need, just wait till the programs finished airing and watch it then. OR get a netflix/lovefilm account

I would do this tbh. Plus will you all really be watching a lot of TV anyways? If there is something you want to see live surely just watch it in the communal areas? Save yourself some money and join the gym or something?

Also I wouldn't buy a TV License for the Uni communal areas tbh. If the Uni provided the TV they should provide the license unless they notified you before hand that you would all need to pay for it. It just doesn't sound right tbh

Either way the license company can't do anything. They won't be let on campus or allowed into your halls/flat by security. There is really not much they can and will do as they would need proof that you're watching live TV

[madders94]

We've got a TV in the communal area of our flat in halls and it's covered by the university, I'm guessing yours is the same - the kitchen is a "communal area" and as such it's covered by the halls' TV licence. Your flatmate is probably trying to pull a fast one on you, tell him to do one - he can't not let you watch TV

[TheEssence]

Don't be a mug, you don't need one

[JKGB]

IIRC if you can lock your room then you need a separate TV license, but I'd do as others have suggested and just watch the catch-up services online, be prepared for the usual threatening letters but don't worry about them and just bin them, chances are they won't even check.

[loyaltyisroyalty]

If you want a Netflix subscription go on ebay and type in: Netflix Subscription (12 Months) you can find an annual subscription for a tenner! as opposed to paying the RRP £6.99 per month