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A parent’s licence will not cover students living in halls.
On the other hand, there are some other options available to students looking to find a cheaper way to enjoy television. This article covers all the student TV licence loopholes so share it with others.
Does My Parents TV Licence Cover Me?
Unfortunately, a parent’s TV licence will not cover you during your time at university. Luckily for you, the rest of this guide will help you to understand what you need to do to watch television whilst staying within the law.
Student TV Licence in Halls
Picture the scene; you’ve spent all day journeying to your new university, unpacking, meeting your new housemates and – overall – feeling a little nervous, tired and excited all at the same time. At some point during the first day or the first week, you’re going to want to sit down and chill, and it’s at this point that you’re going to miss your parents’ TV licence.
Whether or not you can share a TV licence with your house mates depends on the placement of the television and your renting agreement. For example, TV Licensing states that if you have a separate tenancy agreement for your room, you’ll need your own TV licence to watch TV in your room.
On the other hand, if you’re living under a joint tenancy agreement for an entire house or flat, then you will only need one licence between you and your friends to cover the whole property. If you aren’t sure which category you fall under, try talking to your students’ union or your landlord.
Do Students Have to Buy a TV Licence?
No, you don’t have to buy a TV licence. There are some loopholes which will allow you to enjoy televisual entertainment without having to purchase a licence. If you want to watch BBC channels or similar on your television, however, you will need to sort a TV licence for your room or with your housemates.
TV Licence Discount for a Single Person
For some services, such as council tax, registering as a single person in the UK may allow you to receive a discount on the quoted price. For TV Licensing, however, this is not the case. A standard colour TV Licence will cost you £154.50 unless you are aged 75 and over, live in a care home, or are registered as blind (true on 09/2019).
Do You Need a TV Licence to Watch Netflix?
Netflix is a subscription-based service, so you do not need a TV Licence to enjoy this service. The same goes for services such as Amazon Prime TV and HULU but it does not apply to BBC iPlayer because it is part of the UK TV Licensing system.
Student TV Licence Loophole
You could avoid paying for a TV licence by changing your watching habits to subscription-based services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime TV and similar. These apps are now as equally accessible as your standard television channels when you own a cheap smart TV and a reliable internet connection.
If you want to continue enjoying BBC channels without paying for a TV licence, then there is another loophole. If you use a device that is powered solely by an internal battery, such as a laptop or mobile phone, then you will be covered by your parents’ TV licence. This clause stops applying if you plug your device into the mains for whatever reason – such as charging – so be careful.
If you have a laptop with a long battery life, you can cast your TV licenced shows onto your television legally. This means that you can continue to enjoy licenced entertainment on your big screen, away from home and in your halls – just don’t plug your laptop in while you’re casting!
Communal TV Licence
As discussed in previous sections, you can share a TV licence between your house mates if your tenancy agreement covers the entire house or flat, but not if you are each paying individual fees for your rooms. It’s worth checking with your students’ union if you are confused; some students’ unions or universities offer reductions for their members.
Saving Money on Your TV
There are other ways to save money on your television habits, such as by perusing our cheap TV deals for cheap 4K TVs and other TV accessories. If you are unsure about switching from a licence to a subscription service, then make sure to check for the student deals that exist on various platforms. Alternatively, you could switch to watching DVDs only and update yourself with the classics found in pound shops and charity shops across the country.
No matter who or where you are, we endeavour to help you enjoy television at the best price. Get in contact with us for more information about any of our products. If you want more information about TV licensing for students, you can check your facts on their official guide.
