including all of its TV and radio channels( as well as, strangely perhaps, its websites an other“ free” services). The standard TV Licence that families pay covers a home, but does not cover the use of TVs by paying guests. Once you start your B & B, you are should apply for a ' Hotel and Mobile Units Television Licence '( hotel licence). Despite its name, the " hotel " licence covers accommodation including guesthouses and B & Bs( and even campsites) as well as hotels.
The TV Licensing Authority says that you should always take out a hotel licence if you are providing televisions for the use of paying guests. While staying on your property, guests are not covered by their home licence. There is one exception, long-term hotel residents( ie those staying over 28 days) are not covered by a hotel licence, they must have an ordinary television licence.
The TV Licensing website states:“ Hotels, hostels, campsites and mobile units must be covered by a valid TV Licence if staff or customers watch or record television programmes as they ' re being shown on TV. This includes the use of devices such as a TV, computer, mobile phone, games console, digital box or DVD / VHS recorder.”
A single TV Licence costing( in August 2010) £ 145.50 will cover up to 15 accommodation units on a single site.
For further information, go to www. tvlicensing. co. uk
2) PRS for Music
In November 2009, the British Hospitality Association( BHA) and PRS for Music( previously the Performing Rights Society) reached an agreement over music played in hotel bedrooms, ending a long running dispute.
The BHA, the trade association for hotels, restaurants and caterers, agreed to advise their members, and indeed all hotels, Guest Houses and B & Bs, to pay licence fees going forward for music played in hotel and B & B bedrooms, via TV, radio or any other device. A settlement has also been reached with respect to licence fees disputed in previous years.
PRS for Music, the organisation representing songwriters, composers and music publishers, had been in discussion with the BHA( who were acting in this matter on behalf of all hotels, guest houses and B & Bs, as the legal issues are identical for all) for many years about whether music played in a hotel bedroom requires a licence from the copyright owners( represented by PRS for Music). The agreement follows several months of discussions after a European Court of Justice opinion confirmed that certain uses of music in hotel bedrooms do require a licence from the copyright holders of that music.
Debbie Mulloy, Commercial Director for PRS for Music ' s public performance team, said: ' We are delighted that we have been able to work with the BHA to reach a
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