TV Licensing is the name of the companies contracted by the BBC to run the system of TV licence administration and enforcement here in the UK. On a day to day basis it is run as a sales operation and TV Licensing employees are incentivised to sell TV licences, which sometimes skews their interpretation of the facts. As far as the law is concerned, a TV licence is only required for those properties (or lockable student rooms) where equipment is installed to receive TV programmes. A TV programme, in the eyes of the law, is a programme broadcast on a normal TV channel, which is simultaneously available to other ordinary viewers.

Anyone who does not receive TV programmes does not legally require a TV licence – FACT. Anyone in this situation should not be bullied into buying a TV licence by TV Licensing’s menacing correspondence.

An even better money-saver is the abandon the TV licence altogether, which is perfectly legal if you “view” programmes in the right way. No licence is needed at all to watch only previously-broadcast catch-up TV programmes, like those on the BBC iPlayer of ITV Player.

Furthermore, most students will already be covered to watch “live” TV programmes on an unplugged device like a laptop or tablet. Anyone whose normal home address (e.g. non-term-time address) is covered by a valid TV licence, is covered to receive TV programmes anywhere else on an unplugged device.

Much further information for students available on our blog: http://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=students