TV License - who should pay?

double GG

Okay so we moved into a house in September, which already had a couple of Tv's in it.

We have a 9 month lease till June, and a few days ago the Tv license inspector came around and we said we hadn't got one as there was a TV already on the premises before we moved in, we have tried contacting our landlord but got no reply.

Who should be responsible for paying this?

Techno_Toaster

the tenant is so you are. The tvs may have been there before you but if you don't want or use them ask the landlord to remove them. Otherwise its up to the tenant

SteoL

The person who will be viewing the TV pays for it, i.e. the tenant.

shangri la

If you dont want to pay then take the tvs out of the house.

OS119

double GG wrote: »

Okay so we moved into a house in September, which already had a couple of Tv's in it.

We have a 9 month lease till June, and a few days ago the Tv license inspector came around and we said we hadn't got one as there was a TV already on the premises before we moved in, we have tried contacting our landlord but got no reply.

Who should be responsible for paying this?

i have a contrary view - i think the LL should buy the TV licence, and just add the pro-rata cost into each months rent.

it means there's never a question for the LL/tenant as to whether there is a current TVL, and it means that when a tenant has a non-12 month lease there's no issue with 'i've paid for a 12 month licence, but i'm only using it for 9 months'.

consider a house share: the house has three bedrooms and all are let seperately, the house has a lounge with a LL supplied TV. tenant A, B and C all moved into the house at different times, will all stay for different lengths of time, and will find tenants D, E and F moving in and replacing them at different times - it is going to be an absolute pig to get agreement on who should pay what, especially since houseshares usually have a 'come and go' lease, people who had thought they might be there for a year move out at 6 months with a months warning., and people who thought they'd only be there 6 months stay for 18.

it is far easier (on the LL, no concerns over legal issues, and not having to get involved in tenant squabbles over who paid what, when, who doesn't watch TV so doesn't think they should have to pay) for the LL to pay the TVL on a rolling, 12 month basis and incorporate the cost, pro-rata into the rent than it could possibly be to try and sort out the tenants paying it.

its a fixed facilty, just treat it like the roof - its far easier on all concerned.

Ray Palmer

OS119 wrote: »

i have a contrary view - i think the LL should buy the TV licence, and just add the pro-rata cost into each months rent.

Well other people have this view too but they are still wrong too. There are laws in place which clearly state that it is the residents responsibility. I actually agree with you on a individual rented room basis with shared living space but that assume nobody else has a TV which is very rarely the case.

Licences can be paid for monthy and it is simply a shared bill like electricity. The LL won't be fined. I always make a tenant sign a letter and be aware the licence is their responsibility.

s_carnage

OS119 wrote: »

its a fixed facilty, just treat it like the roof - its far easier on all concerned.

Thing is its not a fixed facility as if you move out in 9 months you can transfer the licence to wherever your moving. You can't do that with the roof!!

OS119

s_carnage wrote: »

Thing is its not a fixed facility as if you move out in 9 months you can transfer the licence to wherever your moving. You can't do that with the roof!!

thats true - where you have one tenant.

what about where you have three? what happens when the one moves out?

is it not just easier for the LL to buy the licence annually and market the property as having a TV licence, in the way same what that it has a roof, central heating, and a dishwasher/washing machine/tumble-dryer/garden and charge a rent based on the marketable value of the whole package?

they don't care who buys it, or who pays for it - all that matters is that the address has a licence.

Ray Palmer

OS119 wrote: »

they don't care who buys it, or who pays for it - all that matters is that the address has a licence.

THey do care who buys it as they fine the person who is meant to pay it. It really doesn't matter what you think the rules have been set. It is not who owns the TV but those who watch it

petethebrick

OS119 wrote: »

thats true - where you have one tenant.

what about where you have three? what happens when the one moves out?

is it not just easier for the LL to buy the licence annually and market the property as having a TV licence, in the way same what that it has a roof, central heating, and a dishwasher/washing machine/tumble-dryer/garden and charge a rent based on the marketable value of the whole package?

they don't care who buys it, or who pays for it - all that matters is that the address has a licence.

It's the tenants problem. The OP asked who is responsible for the TV licence and the legal answer is the tenant. It's not up for debate and doesnt' matter what way you think it should be

double GG

Well anyhow we got around to it and the Landlord said for us to buy it and then deduct it from our rent so it's sorted. Thanks Everybody!

BostonB

don't let him read this thread. Lol.

The_Honeybadger

If you are using the TV pay for the licence, if not remove it from the property.

tfitzgerald

Who ever owns the t v

Giblet

double GG wrote: »

Well anyhow we got around to it and the Landlord said for us to buy it and then deduct it from our rent so it's sorted. Thanks Everybody!

Hold onto that landlord and never ever let him go :pac:

petecork

s_carnage wrote: »

Thing is its not a fixed facility as if you move out in 9 months you can transfer the licence to wherever your moving. You can't do that with the roof!!

but transferring it doesn't always work, the house you're moving to may already have a TV license, you can't tell your new housemates you're not paying your share as you have you 'own' tv license.

Rachiee

sound of the landlord really is op's responsibility to pay it

The_Conductor

That was decent of the landlord.
Thread closed.