Is landlord responsible for aeriel?

gabyjane

This is on behalf of my sister as she is unable to get a signal where she lives and can only get 1,2,3,and 4, the freeview box she has doesn't work and it is due to the aeriel not being good enough. Where does she stand with this, is it up to her or him to sort?
Thanks

Doozergirl

It's her problem to sort. She can ask, but if they don't upgrade the aerial she'll have to sort it herself.

gabyjane

Ah ok thanks..i have just told her and she has said if she pays someone to come out and fit an aeriel she has bought surely that benefits everyone else as it is flats? how would that work as she shouldn't have to pay for it all should she?
Thanks

top_drawer_2

hi,

I'm afraids its tenant liability as I found out in the past when I couldnt get any sort of picture in my room .....

In the end I bought a aerial from Maplins which although supposed to be an outdoor one I have put down the side of my bed and produces a reasonable picture for some/the majority of channels via my freeview box.

I tried all sorts in the meantime including boosters.

There were a number of excellent website around but I have to have my laptop re-formatted a few weeks ago and lost all my links.

This is the link to my threads from a few weeks/months ago...

No 1
No2

Jen

sharpe106

If you rent it unfurnished then it is your responsibitly

m_13

Freeview recommend an interior aerial if your building does not have a digital aerial. They recommend this review site: http://www.ricability-digitaltv.org.uk/pages/test-reports/indoor-aerials.htm

However Digital UK who are managing the switch to digital have a page for property managers and landlords here: http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/propertymanagers. It includes a Good Practice guide for Landlords all about replacing communal aerials to ensure tenants continue to receive TV signals once the switchover happens in their area.

poppysarah

Check with other residents in the block.
Communal areas are a nightmare sometimes.

tbs624

sharpe106 wrote: »

If you rent it unfurnished then it is your responsibitly

?????? Whether or not the property is furnished is irrelevant here.

tbs624

m_13 wrote: »

Freeview recommend an interior aerial if your building does not have a digital aerial. They recommend this review site: http://www.ricability-digitaltv.org.uk/pages/test-reports/indoor-aerials.htm

However Digital UK who are managing the switch to digital have a page for property managers and landlords here: http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/propertymanagers. It includes a Good Practice guide for Landlords all about replacing communal aerials to ensure tenants continue to receive TV signals once the switchover happens in their area.

,,,,and it also includes the paragraph:

"Most upgrades will involve costs and many social,public and private sector landlords, property managers and factors will be looking to recover these from their tenants and residents"

Digital UK is "owned by the UK’s public service broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext), and multiplex operators SDN and Arquiva" - who clearly have their own reason to be pushing for everyone to be tuned in. Most LLs will accordingly view their suggestion of what might form "good practice" for property managers/Lls as a bit of a joke. There is no legal requirement for a LL to install, or upgrade a TV aerial, except where the LL has obliged himself under the terms of his own contract, or say in the case of flats where a service charge clearly includes aerial services.

Being linked to an upgraded aerial may or may not mean that a property is more or less attractive to potential Ts, in a similar way to the provision or lack of broadband services etc, but it isn't a T's right to demand that they have a TV aerial to suit them & their specific viewing preferences. The OP has mentioned that the property can receive Ch 1-4 at the moment. Perhaps the OP's sister could get together with the other Ts in the block and then try to negotiate with the LL.

m_13

Whilst I'd agree that Digital UK have some self interest in people being able to watch their programmes, it doesn't change the fact that the terrestrial signal is being switched off!

Our service charge does mention a TV signal and last year we were upgraded from a single socket on the wall for terrestrial to a shiny new system where we have access to satellite, DAB digital radio and freeview via the same socket. We can only receive one channel at a time on satellite so can't have Sky+ (or at least use the watch one, record one facility). However, it's a great improvement.

Most new blocks I've seen recently have similar or in the case of some, two satellite connections so you can have Sky+.

However, when we rented last year the block had no freeview aerial, allowed no dishes so in the end we paid for cable to be put in even though we had to take out a 12 month contract but had a 6 month AST :rolleyes:

Some blocks specifically prohibit residents from putting up their own aerials or dishes - our does - so the OP needs to ensure her sister doesn't fall foul of this. Can she get cable instead? Suggestions that she speaks to neighbours and makes a joint approach are probably the right way to do it.

tbs624

m_13 wrote: »

Whilst I'd agree that Digital UK have some self interest in people being able to watch their programmes, it doesn't change the fact that the terrestrial signal is being switched off!

?? No-one has said that it does -and in some areas the switch off will not be happening for another couple of years. The point I was making was that Dig.UK telling LLs how to manage their properties, via their definition of what constitutes "good practice", will be viewed with disdain by most LLs.

m_13 wrote: »

....However, when we rented last year the block had no freeview aerial, allowed no dishes so in the end we paid for cable to be put in even though we had to take out a 12 month contract but had a 6 month AST :rolleyes:

Maybe the LL associations should draw up a "code of good practice" for Digital UK /individual TV service providers, (& broadband providers), suggesting that they reduce their minimum contracts to 6 months, in recognition of the fact that most standard ASTs are for that period?;)

m_13 wrote: »

...Suggestions that she speaks to neighbours and makes a joint approach are probably the right way to do it.

Yes, but preferably not with an "I have a right to an aerial that provides x channels at your expense" attitude.