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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