Does this TV licence rule cover my son in halls?

[hihosilverlinings]

I want to check my understanding is correct (as it seems a bit of a niche rule). Hoping someone will read and let me know if I’m right it wrong.

The following is taken from TV Licence website. I screen shot them last night (it’s down this morning)

DS just moved into halls. Wants to watch Celebrity Traitors. Won’t watch anything else on the BBC nor any other live or iplayer shows. He’s not a sports fan so won’t watch any sport.

Will watch Netflix, Disney and Prime. As I understand it, providing no live shows does not need a licence for these.

I read this rule to mean that providing he is watching via a laptop that isn’t plugged in at the time, he can watch Traitors (either live or on catch-up). As doing that he is covered by our licence at home.

Am I right or am I missing something? It seems strange that it’s ok for him to watch on a laptop but only if it’s using its own battery and not whilst plugged into the mains.

If I need to buy him a licence I will. But I wanted to check as it seems a waste of this rule will cover him.

Yes
The home address TV licence would cover them for this.

In effect by not plugging in their laptop they are watching on a temporary / mobile basis remotely
If they were to use a TV then they would need a licence

The point that you find odd with a plugged in vs unplugged laptop is part of the explicit definitions of what mobile use is exempt

In the past there was a trend of fitting TV cards to computers which when in use turned the computer into an TV, which is similar to the plugged in / unplugged element as the definition needed to cover using “receiver equipment”
Technology has moved on to apps and streaming

Your DS can watch all their non-BBC streaming apps for on demand content, unless they stream a “broadcast programme”
iPlayer comes into scope of licensing, and by not plugging in whilst watching they are covered (which also means that if/when Disney, AmazonPrime, Netflix conduct a broadcast then DS would be able to watch under the home licence whilst unplugged

The second paragraph states it’s covered under your home licence but not to watch on a plugged in device.
Is there not a common room? I was at university pre devices (even laptops!) and have fun memories of watching Twin Peaks and totp communally.

Great, thanks both. I’ll tell him to make sure it’s charged up.

Re common room - there is one but they are fixing it up following a flood so no where at present. (That said, assume they’d still need a licence to watch in unless following the same rules as above.)

For in a common room the situation is similar

If it was a “household”, such as family home or a house share then one licence could cover the whole property
But if they have their own lockable rooms in a shared house, or each individual has a contract then each room with TV access would need its own licence

In halls it’s pretty much the same, each resident watching in their rooms needs their own licence, or to watch under the terms of their home licence
For a communal room the landlord may provide a TV & licence, but an occupant could take their laptop down etc