TV Licensing
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Advice and guidance for residential landlords
As a landlord, whether you are responsible for the TV Licence depends on the terms of the tenancy agreement.
If the agreement specifies that the landlord will cover the cost of the licence, then it is your responsibility. Otherwise, it’s the tenants’ responsibility to pay.
Your property needs to be covered by a TV Licence if you supply a means for tenants to watch TV channels on any TV service, watch live TV on streaming services, and use BBC iPlayer*. This includes recording and downloading on any device you have provided.
This only applies for tenants and not lodgers (see Tenants and lodgers page for more information).
A TV Licence costs £169.50
If you’re sure you don’t need a licence, please let us know.
*A licence is not needed to watch S4C programmes on demand.
You're a landlord - are you responsible for providing a TV Licence?
The responsibility for the TV Licence should be specified in the tenancy agreement. If the agreement states that the landlord will provide the licence, then it is your responsibility.
In a shared house with a joint tenancy, one TV Licence will cover the whole house.
In shared houses with multiple tenancies (HMO - houses of multiple occupancy) tenants with their own tenancy agreement will need a TV Licence for their room. Each licence will also cover the tenant watching TV in communal areas. Tenants not covered by a licence in their room will not be covered in communal areas.
There may be other reasons why your tenant needs a separate licence, such as whether or not they have exclusive access to cooking or washing facilities.
If you are unsure whether this applies to you please contact us to find out more information.
If the property becomes empty, you can let us know and we’ll stop sending letters to the address for up to six months.
What are your landlord responsibilities?
As a landlord, you are responsible for:
- Ensuring your property is free from health hazards and safe for habitation
- Providing an Energy Performance Certificate for your property
- Paying for the property's TV Licence if you installed the device (unless otherwise stated in the tenancy agreement)
- Checking your tenant has the right to rent your property (in England)
- Using a government-approved scheme to protect your tenant's deposit
- Ensuring all gas and electrical equipment in your property is safely installed and maintained
- Providing your tenant with a copy of the How to rent checklist
If you still have questions take a look at TV Licensing FAQs where you can find all the answers in one place.