TV Licence - Hotel and Mobile Unit Licence

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Nemo
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TV Licence - Hotel and Mobile Unit Licence

Post by Nemo »

Most of you individual property owners no doubt have a standard domestic licence, but I've just had cause to learn a little more about the system.

I was previously covered by our park having a multi user licence that covered all the park properties. The park has now decided that it doesn't cover individual owners on the park. TV licence people say that the park could cover us if they wished. That is a battle for me yet to have so I did some research in the meantime.

Having two properties I thought I would have to get a licence to cover each. It appears that I can get a Hotel and Mobile Unit Licence for the same price as one domestic licence.

I pulled this from their site. "Holiday accommodation providers which offer rooms, caravans and chalets as short stay accommodation can apply for a Hotel and Mobile Unit Licence. This means that they buy one licence for the first 15 units of accommodation, then a further licence for each subsequent five units. Holiday parks with fewer than 15 units of accommodation still need to apply for the Hotel and Mobile Unit Licence, but just pay the equivalent of one TV Licence - £145.50 as of April 1st 2010."

So if you have more than one unit of accommodation on a site, this would appear to be the licence you need.

Other owners out there that who have got this?
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

We've got this for our three properties (barn conversion), and because the barn is in the grounds of our house, the same licence covers us as well. That's not the case if there's a public road (something like that - can't remember the details) between your house and the rental property.

It took some doing to convince the BBC (disguised as the TVLO, disguised as whoever it is, but it's still the BBC) that those were the terms of the licence, but we got there in the end. One of the few useful facts I picked up from the AKH website.
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

I had a quick look at the form and it asks for the property name/number. What are you supposed to put if it's more than one as in my case?! I also wasn't clear whether I came under the mobile unit or the hotel bit?

AKH - I know I should know what you mean but.....? :?
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

A mobile unit is a room, caravan, tent, or moveable dwelling which is used for overnight accommodation
Nemo would this apply to a chalet?
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....

The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

Chalets etc are covered by the licence as it says so in the piece I quoted earlier, but by which part of the licence I'm not sure? A chalet is not a room after all?
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Hi Nemo

AKH = Accommodation KnowHow (aka the Pink Booklet online). Their forum gets the odd mention on LMH :roll: (don't mention it when Windy's listening :twisted: )

There's a link to the info on TV licensing here If you're not a member of VE, or haven't signed up for membership of AKH, you might not be able to access it; if that's the case, send me a PM.
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

A PS to my last post: if the link works for you and you don't need a member login, you'll also find a load of information on PRS, PPL and DVD licensing. I suggest you don't read it unless you have someone nearby who doesn't mind you strangling them. :evil:
b&b farmer
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Post by b&b farmer »

We run a bed and breakfast and when we opened, TV licensing told us we needed two licenses and so we've been buying two for the last 8 years. After reading this thread, I rang them up and they agree we only need one license and they will refund us the last two years. This gives them a healthy £6-700.00 extra for the years they won't refund. I haven't given up and am trying to find out if they really can only go back two years or if they are just fobbing me off in the hopes of getting away with it.
Jenny C
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Post by Jenny C »

This is very interesting. We have a licence for our own home, and a licence for the holiday cottage. Both properties are in the same grounds, with no roadway between them. From what others have said, it sounds like we may be entitled to buy just one licence to cover both properties (the one we own and live in, and the one we let out) therefore saving us £145ish per year. And perhaps we may even be entitled to a refund for the extra licence that should not have been needed last year. Does that sound right? I have not yet found the exact wording of the licence terms that I will need to quote when I ring up to try and get my refund!
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Post by Jenny C »

Well I just phoned TV Licensing (0300 790 6016 if anyone needs the number for the "hotels" section) and they agreed immediately that I only need one license, and can apply for a refund for the past year when I have been buying two.

The form to apply for the "hotels and mobile units" licence is at https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/hotel-mob ... index.aspx and the fee needs to be paid in full. The licence covers accommodation on the same site (no public roads between properties) and also covers owners / staff accommodation on the same site.

This forum is wonderful!
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Well done Jenny!

A cautionary tale: when we got our "Hotel" licence, and a refund for our domestic licence, we then hit the classic left and right hand situation.

Get a stiff drink and have a look at my post in this thread :
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Windy
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Post by Windy »

Blimey !

So Nemo with four lodges I can just pay for one licence? I've been paying for multiple licences for 5 years!

Thank you for pointing this out!
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Nemo
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Post by Nemo »

Windy wrote:Blimey !

So Nemo with four lodges I can just pay for one licence? I've been paying for multiple licences for 5 years!

Thank you for pointing this out!
Oh Windy, sorry it took 5 months for you to see this thread. :( Glad to see it's of help though. I must now get one myself, as the park issue was not resolved in my favour, unsurprisingly. :roll:
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Windy
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Post by Windy »

Hey Nemo - so do I :-) but I'm going to be £450 a year better off now so i am still smiling (lots and lots).

In fact my day has been made :-)

Just a couple of points - the number given above tends to ring out after 5 minutes but keep trying. Using the number visible on the web site just gets an infernal call management system and then "we can't deal with that here"

When you get to fill the form in leave the telephone number blank rather that putting a mobile in as a mobile isn't a phone apparently.

When asked about other buildings says no as on the printed form it then changes it to "permanent structures".

It is a really cr@p process but worth persevering with. They told me that they would only refund the unexpired portion of existing licences - as I have overpaid between £140 and £450 a year over the last 4 years that is pants, but I'm not sure I have the will to do battle with an organisation that is so life-sappingly inefficient.

Anyway - thanks again! Better late than never!
b&b farmer
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Post by b&b farmer »

Hello Windy,
The TV licensing lot told me that if I send them the licenses for the last two years, to prove I had two, and a letter explaining the situation they would refund the cost of the domestic license for the last two years. It might be worth you going back to them and asking for more.
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