TV licence and second home 12 May 2016 at 11:33AM edited 12 May 2016 at 11:37AM in TV MoneySaving 16 replies 7.3K views

Cardew

I have a TV licence.


I stay sometimes at a relative's holiday cottage in the Scottish highlands which has a TV but no aerial and is genuinely only used for watching DVDs and they have no licence for their second home.


When I visit I watch TV via the internet on my laptop/IPad(BBC/Sky Go/BT Sport). When logging in to BBC, I am asked if I have a licence and I answer truthfully - 'yes'.


I could connect my Laptop to the TV and watch my programmes with no difference to watching TV normally.


Reading the TV licencing website I am quite clear that as long as I personally have a TV licence I am OK.


The same website makes it quite clear that those owning a second home must get a TV licence if they watch TV.


So what is the position if my relatives(who have a TV licence at their main house) also do the same as myself - i.e. watch TV on the internet at their holiday home?

Kurtis_Blue

If the device is self powered it is covered by main licence. Plugged in requires separate licence.

almillar

^ That's what I thought. The 'household' (that's the house) needs a licence as soon as you plug your iPad/tablet/laptop/phone into the mains, or by extension, as soon as you plug any of those into the TV.
YOUR licence covers you on your mobile devices, but they stop being 'mobile devices' once they're plugged in. Same goes for your relatives.

Kurtis_Blue

Bare in mind everything may be changing today.

Cardew

almillar wrote: »

^ That's what I thought. The 'household' (that's the house) needs a licence as soon as you plug your iPad/tablet/laptop/phone into the mains, or by extension, as soon as you plug any of those into the TV.
YOUR licence covers you on your mobile devices, but they stop being 'mobile devices' once they're plugged in. Same goes for your relatives.

Thanks.


A rather silly regulation, and unenforceable IMO. An Apple laptop runs for about 8 hours on a battery. So I can recharge it next door or in my car. Or have a spare battery and be charging it ready to swop as soon as the one fitted to the laptop is low.

Kurtis_Blue

Most regulations are difficult to enforce. If people are inclined to cheat and steal probably get away with most things.
Have to go with your own moral code.

HappyMJ

Cardew wrote: »

Thanks.


A rather silly regulation, and unenforceable IMO. An Apple laptop runs for about 8 hours on a battery. So I can recharge it next door or in my car. Or have a spare battery and be charging it ready to swop as soon as the one fitted to the laptop is low.

You can recharge it in the property. You just can't watch TV as it is broadcast whilst it's plugged in.

Cardew

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Most regulations are difficult to enforce. If people are inclined to cheat and steal probably get away with most things.
Have to go with your own moral code.

I am not sure what you are implying by cheat and steal in this situation.


My moral code finds it quite acceptable to use a laptop when I have a TV license, and apparently I am perfectly legal in watching TV as long as my laptop is not connected to the mains.


It is so very easy to ensure that my laptop is never connected to the mains while viewing TV. i.e. charged overnight with laptop off, watch TV with laptop powered by battery.


So while I am there I can conform to the regulations with a clear conscious.

Kurtis_Blue

Genuinely not implying anything.

As I said most things are difficult to enforce and rely on the majority of people being morally decent.

Plugged in or not clearly makes no difference.

teddysmum

I believe your licence is valid on holiday provided there is no one still at home and using the service there.

HappyMJ

teddysmum wrote: »

I believe your licence is valid on holiday provided their is no one at still at home and using the service there.

It is as long as you don't plug the TV into the mains.

It's got to be a battery powered TV. Plug the TV in...TV licence needed.