Separate TV License Question

mulliga8

Hi,
Apologies for another question on a TV license but this one is a bit
different from the ones asked before.

I am sharing a house with three others and a couple of weeks ago, a license inspector called in to check up for a license. We didn't have one and once he saw a TV, he was straight off, having seen what he needed.
I had said before to the landlord that it didn't bother me that he didn't
have a license but if it came to it that an inspector called in, then this
would be for him to resolve- the reason being that when replying to the
ad on moving in TV & Internet were mentioned along with washing mach., dryer and others etc as the 'mod cons' in the house.

Since then, and having got the follow-up letter from An Post saying to pay up within a week, the landlord has said that he it's not for him to pay,
saying that this would end up for him having to pay for multiple licenses
since we four are separate tenancies and there are 2/3 TVs in the house.
This may be just a convenient excuse but I wanted to ask how simple would it be to present ourselves or something similar so that it could be said it is a joint occupancy arrangement so as that one license would do to cover the house, which ideally the landlord will pay, or if it really comes to it, that we could split the cost of a single E160 license between the four in the house, rather than having to fork out separately.

Many thanks for any help or advice and I appreciate it's quite a particular question/ situation. Regards

watty

It's based on kitchens.

If you share a kitchen and it's not a hotel or guest house then one licence covers any number of Tvs.

If someone has their own kettle & microwave (or toaster) then they have a "bedsit", it has its own kitchen, it's separate accommodation. It needs its own licence. Shared toilet or ensuite bathroom is irrelevant. It's by Kitchen.


The landlord has no obligation. Even if he supplied FIVE TVs and still owned them. It's the occupier that is liable (and will be fined). If you share a kitchen you can do a whip around and one TV licence will do you all.

A Guest house or Hotel I believe has different rules. Having a TV licence at "home" is no use either.

At my last (shared) apartment when we moved out there was 9 months left on TV licence. I transferred the licence (as it was in my name) to my home address shortly later when the other TV licence at home expired.

mulliga8

That's great- thanks for the speedy reply and info

Mike 1972

watty wrote: »

It's the occupier that is liable (and will be fined). If you share a kitchen you can do a whip around and one TV licence will do you all.
.

Does the legislation/wording of the licence itself not refer to "possession" ?

While the occupier of a house can normally be deemed to be the individual in possession of a TV set is it always this clear cut.

Who is deemed to be the "occupier" in cases of multiple/shared tenancy ?

Does the location of the TV set come into it ? If three people are sharing a house and two of them have TV's in their bedrooms (with no other sets in shared parts of the house) could the third person be done when they didnt have access to the TV sets in question and might not even have been aware of their existence ?

As for Kitchens cooking arrangements etc what about a shared kitchen where one person owns the kettle (but makes it available to others) another owns the toaster etc. ? If theres an old TV and an old kettle out in the garage (both unused) does the Garage need a licence too ? What of kettles which are used exclusively for heating water for purposes other than human consumption.................

watty

One, kitchen, one licence needed.

You can share the fine or the licence cost. Simples.

Sponge Bob

watty wrote: »

One, kitchen, one licence needed.

You can share the fine or the licence cost. Simples.

Is it having ones own kitchen or having ones own electricity meter Watty???

For statistical purposes like a census a premises is deemed 'separate' once they have their own meter. If they share a meter then no.

Because you can only have one active electrical shower _per_ meter even small flats/bedsits tend to have their own meter nowadays.

watty

The explanatory document I read specifically examined bedsits, it said nothing about a meter. If it's got no meal making/kitchen, just a bedsit, then the licence of the premises covers it. If it's self contained in sense of kitchenette or other meal making feature then it needs a licence. I guess they don't count toilets, bathrooms or showers as self-contained as these exist en-suite in non-bedsits and a shared indoor or outdoor toilet used to be common.

A single premises can have multiple meters. So it's my belief that if there is a dispute on a house with rooms sublet to students (owner occupied or entirely rented), then they will count rooms that look like they can be used as kitchens.