TV Licensing Reminds UK Hotels and Guest Houses to Get Covered Before the First Major Holiday Break of the Year

TV Licensing Reminds UK Hotels and Guest Houses to Get Covered Before the First Major Holiday Break of the Year

LONDON, February 8, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

With the upcoming school half-term holidays and Valentine's Day providing Brits with
the first big opportunity of the year to 'get away from it all', TV Licensing and the
British Hospitality Association are urging hotels and guest houses across the UK to make
sure they are correctly licensed.

As with other businesses, all hotels and guest houses where customers or staff are
watching or recording TV programmes as they are broadcast, must be covered by a valid TV
Licence.

The good news for managers and owners is that a single licence covers the first 15
rooms on any one site. For the vast majority this means they only need to pay GBP145.50
for a year, the same amount as a private house. For those hotels and guesthouses that have
more than 15 accommodation units, there is an additional fee for every five extra units.

TV Licensing enquiry officers will be out visiting unlicensed premises throughout
February, and anyone found watching TV illegally risks a court prosecution and fine of up
to GBP1,000 per offence, plus costs. Officers use a database of almost 30 million UK
addresses to identify premises where they suspect people are using TV illegally. During
the past two years TV Licensing caught more than 2,700 businesses not covered by a valid
licence.

Martin Couchman, deputy chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, said:

"With families making the most of the half term holiday, and couples booking romantic
weekend breaks away, February is a busy time for hotel and guest house owners. That's why
it is really important to get organised as soon as possible, and make sure you are
correctly licensed, rather than risk a fine of up to GBP1,000. We know that most people
want to stay within the law, and it is important to ensure you are covered for the coming
weeks and months ahead."

Pauline Gillingham, TV Licensing spokesperson, said:

"As well as the usual busy holiday periods, the London Olympics and the Diamond
Jubilee celebrations are taking place this year, meaning 2012 is likely to be an
especially busy year for hotels and guesthouses. By making sure they are correctly
licensed now, owners and managers will give themselves piece of mind for the year ahead
and avoid the risk of a visit from an enquiry officer.

"We would always rather people pay for their TV Licence than risk a prosecution and a
fine of up to GBP1,000. Managers can get in touch with our hotels team if they have any
questions by calling 0300 790 6124 or find out more at
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/hotels."

This licence covers all equipment provided by the hotel/accommodation owner. It does
not cover the use of any TV set or other device which is not provided by the proprietor of
the accommodation, such as a tablet or laptop, which would need to be covered by a
separate TV Licence.

Notes to editors

A colour TV Licence [http://twitter.com/tvl_info ] costs GBP145.50 and a black and
white licence is GBP49

If you use or install television equipment to receive or record television programmes
at the same time as they are being shown on TV, you need to be covered by a valid TV
Licence. Watching TV illegally risks prosecution and a fine of up to GBP1,000.

As with any other business, all hotels, inns or guest houses where people are watching
or recording TV programmes as they are broadcast must be properly licensed. The fee for
hotels and other guest accommodation is based on the number of units of overnight
accommodation available to let and is calculated as follows for colour TVs:

- GBP145.50 for the first 15 rooms where a TV is installed
- A further GBP145.50 for each subsequent set of five rooms where a TV is
installed

This licence covers all equipment provided by the hotel/accommodation owner. It does
not cover the use of any TV set or other device which is not provided by the proprietor of
the accommodation, which would need to be covered by a separate TV Licence.

When is a licence not needed?

Your hotel or guest house doesn't need a licence if the TV set is never used to
receive or record television programmes, but is only used:

- For closed circuit monitoring
- For watching pre-recorded videos/DVDs

Paying for a hotel licence

Hotel/Guest House licences can only be purchased directly from TV Licensing. To apply
for a TV Licence for your B&B or Guest House, please fill in the online form at
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/hotels and return it to us, together with your payment at
TV Licensing, Bristol, BS1 3ZZ, or call us on 0300 790 6124.

B&B owners can also pay by BACS electronic transfer. Please phone 0300-790-6016

for more information.

The British Hospitality Association is the leading representative organisation in the
hospitality industry, representing hotels, restaurants and food service providers. We aim
to deliver real returns for our members, positively championing the industry's priorities
through partnerships with government and with other associations and organisations. Its
website is at: http://www.bha.org.uk

For further information, please contact the TV Licensing press office on
+44(0)207-544-3144.

Source: TV Licensing

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