TV Licensing

TV Licensing reminds hotel owners to ‘Make sure you're licensed for 2017’

With 2017 set to be another busy year for the UK tourism industry, TV Licensing is appealing to hotels and guest houses across the UK to make the sure they are correctly licensed.

According to the latest industry figures¹, the UK tourism industry is set to grow further after a bumper year of visits. In 2015/16, tourism brought in £22billion to the UK economy, with 36.1 million overseas visitors to the UK – up 5% on 2014.

Budget hotels, boutique B&Bs, luxury spa resorts or serviced apartments must all be covered by a valid TV Licence if guests or staff are watching TV as it’s broadcast. All viewers who use the iPlayer to watch any BBC programmes must also now be covered by a TV licence after new rules came into force in September.

Hotels, hostels, mobile units and campsites need to be covered by a valid TV Licence. For many smaller hotels and guesthouses, the cost of a TV Licence is £154.50 a year, the same amount as a private house. Hotels with more than 15 rooms are covered by one licence for the first 15 units, but will need an additional licence for every five thereafter.

Jason Hill, spokesperson for TV Licensing said:

As these figures show, the UK’s growing tourism business becoming more competitive, with hoteliers vying to provide ever greater guest satisfaction. Whether hotels are providing extras such as Smart TVs or TVs in the bathroom, they all need to be correctly licenced.

Peter Ducker, Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality, added:

In-room entertainment is a vital part of the customer experience and any offering that is below-par can lead to unfavourable user reviews. Having a valid TV licence is obviously a necessity too. Making sure your business is fully compliant with the law is a mark of your professionalism.

Buying a TV Licence is easy, and hoteliers can pay using BACS or electronic transfer. Find out more information about TV Licensing requirements for hotels and accommodation providers, or if you still have any further questions please call the TV Licensing businesses team on 0300 790 6124.

1. Visit Britain Annual Review 2015/16 - Inbound tourism performance