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Higher education

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Original poster

TV licence in uni halls

25 replies

Lasteleven · 19/08/2019 15:51

This is what the tv licensing website says:

‘A halls communal licence won’t cover your room. But you may be covered by your parents’ licence. If you think you are, please check that all of the following are true before telling us you don’t need one:
Your out-of-term address (parents’ address) is covered by a TV Licence
AND you only use TV receiving equipment that is powered solely by its own internal batteries
AND you have not connected it to an aerial or plugged it into the mains’

Does that mean the device has to be battery powered only, or just not plugged in while being used for tv? I’m wondering if dd could watch I player on her laptop if unplugged, or does she need a licence?

Sorry, I’m probably being stupid, but it seems a bit unclear.

OP posts:
Dunlurking · 19/08/2019 17:05

Lasteleven it just needs to be unplugged. Also they can't watch iplayer live - i.e must be on delay. Parents of the one owning the laptop in use must have a licence at the address that is her address outside termtime.

Marmie4 · 19/08/2019 17:37

It seems ok if its unplugged! Please be aware though that they do check, my DS's flat which was uni accommodation had them all checked at the beginning of the year.

ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave · 19/08/2019 17:53

Basically means a laptop rather than a desktop. It can be plugged in to watch, as long as it has batteries as it's main power source.

DOLLYDAYDREAMER · 19/08/2019 20:19

Sorry thats not as i understand it - only some type of equipment that is battery only is exempt. Not something that can be plugged in. Yes as above cannot watch any live tv regardless of if its battery or not. Makes me mad because they are saying each room is a home but it isnt. The whole flat/house is your home But at home your bedroom doesnt need its own licence, its one per household which could be 10 people - 6 tv's. Its a rip-off

MrKlaw · 20/08/2019 09:05

surely even 'live' is really catch up because its delayed from the freeview broadcast.

Can you watch if you do 'live' and then press 'play from start'?

All seems a bit hoop jumping and silly. Agree its dumb if the communal areas have TV licenses but not your rooms. I guess they're considering rooms as indidivual flats but if you only have a bed and shared bath/kitchen thats stupid.

MuttsNutts · 20/08/2019 09:14

As long as the laptop isn’t plugged in to the mains at the time they are watching (and they aren’t watching live tv, only catch-up) students are covered in halls by parents’ licence at home address.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/08/2019 09:48

As long as the laptop isn’t plugged in to the mains at the time they are watching (and they aren’t watching live tv, only catch-up) students are covered in halls by parents’ licence at home address.

I think live TV is ok for an unplugged device. It's iPlayer I'm not sure about...

The background to this apparently rather odd rule on power is that it's basically using the allowance made for people who had portable TVs in caravans etc, which were covered by their home licence. When the rules were made there was only live TV.

Original poster
Lasteleven · 20/08/2019 12:09

Thanks for all the replies. It still seems a bit confusing. I think I'll try emailing the TV licence people for clarification. This is the bit that I don't understand: "powered solely by its own internal batteries
AND you have not...plugged it into the mains". Surely if a device is powered SOLELY by battery you couldn't plug it in?

OP posts:
MuttsNutts · 20/08/2019 12:19

It means powered solely by its own internal batteries whilst watching.

MSE’s Martin Lewis did a feature on it on his TV programme a while ago.

MuttsNutts · 20/08/2019 12:23

This lifted from MSE website:

“However, a quirk in TV Licensing rules means students can get away without one if watching on a mobile, tablet or laptop. The loophole does not apply to watching on a desktop computer, console or TV/digital box, for which you do need a licence.”

FairyDust92 · 20/08/2019 12:28

When I was in uni halls a few years back I didn't need a tv license as it was covered by them 🤨. I don't really understand what that means but surely they can't stop you plugging something in! Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought you could watch Netflix and all other on demand and catch up programmes without a tv license except BBC iPlayer

FairyDust92 · 20/08/2019 12:30

Surely if you have a smart tv and only watching the on demands and Netflix etc you wouldn't need a license. It's all so confusing

MyDcAreMarvel · 20/08/2019 12:30

You can watch live tv and iplayer on an unplugged in laptop, iPad, tablet phone etc.
There is no way in knowing if the laptop is plugged in either!

MyDcAreMarvel · 20/08/2019 12:30

No you wouldn’t fairy dust. This loophole allows iplayer and live tv to be watched.

NotWavingButMNing · 20/08/2019 12:57

They do not need a TV license to watch on an unplugged laptop.
Most 18 year olds only watch streaming in my experience. My DC watched Netflix and sky go on laptops.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/08/2019 13:28

AND you have not...plugged it into the mains". Surely if a device is powered SOLELY by battery you couldn't plug it in?

Rechargeable battery.

MyDcAreMarvel · 20/08/2019 13:47

It means solely by Battery at that moment in time.

Original poster
Lasteleven · 20/08/2019 16:11

Makes more sense now - thanks. I think ds mostly uses Netflix, but she occasionally watches iplayer, never live tv, so no point in a tv licence if she can just watch on battery power on the rare occasions she uses iplayer. Maybe I’ll email her a copy of our home tv licence so she can prove she is covered for battery laptop.

OP posts:
MrKlaw · 20/08/2019 16:16

nobody is ever going to prove you were watching it plugged in. Even if the license people turn up and see it plugged in, you can say you paused it and plugged it in before answering the door to save the battery.

Not getting a license for year one - probably not even for year 2 unless everyone chips in if there is a communal telly

MrKlaw · 20/08/2019 16:16

argh can't edit. 3 years of TV license buys him a nice new ipad air which will be his telly :)

verystressedmum · 20/08/2019 20:32

The bit from the MSE website doesn't say that you can't watch it on a laptop if it's plugged in to charge it just says you watch on a desktop, a console or a digi box.
So seems that the laptop or tablet if it's charging is ok.

MyDcAreMarvel · 20/08/2019 22:46

It’s not legally ok. Martin Kewis is just pointing out that a desktop, console etc could never be used via battery. Not that you can use a plugged in laptop.

MyDcAreMarvel · 20/08/2019 22:46

Basically saying not all non tv’s are ok.

PantsyMcPantsface · 21/08/2019 08:17

Basically assume that if it's a mobile device it's OK (don't overthink the "is it plugged in at the precise moment I'm watching Eastenders" aspect of it). So tablets, phones, laptops = fine... actual tellys, desktop PCs etc = not fine. With the way batteries are on mobile devices these days - the odds of it actually being connected to the charger while watching are minimal anyway really - I can get most of the day flicking on and off Netflix and the like on my iPad.

verystressedmum · 21/08/2019 20:29

I think it's fine for laptops and tablets to be plugged into mains if it's for charging.
If the laptop has the battery removed and is only able to be powered by mains plug then it's not allowed.

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