With the summer sporting season in full swing and England still in the World Cup, are you an employer that wants to extend access to viewing events on TV? Perhaps during lunchtime or after work or in public areas like reception? Did you realise this means that you may possibly need a TV licence in your business premises if you don’t currently have one?
Now, the rules on this are a bit complicated, but don’t tune out, bear with us for a moment!
You will need a TV licence for your business premises if staff, customers or visitors watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer:
- on any device provided by or belonging to your business
- on their own devices that are plugged into your mains electricity
- on their own devices that are not plugged into your mains electricity if they are not covered by a licence at their home address.
One of our clients has recently received a letter warning that unlicensed premises are being checked and that the fine PER INCIDENT of illegal activity is £1,000 so this isn’t something to ignore.Consider setting out and communicating the viewing you can and will permit in your workplace both from a productivity point of view and to ensure you don’t fall foul of these rules.
For more information about whether your business and its premises needs a TV Licence, visit the advisory pages on the TV Licence website.