Agreement on TV tariffs to be paid by hotels

An agreement has been reached regarding the fees that should be paid by hotels for copyright material appearing on televisions in bedrooms.

As a result of a decision in the European Court in 2009 that hotels should pay the fees, the British Hospitality Association (BHA) and the Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL), have now agreed that hotels will pay a tariff of £46.92 per 15 bedrooms.

This follows on from an agreement between the BHA and the Performing Right Society (PRS), who collect fees for composers, to advise members to pay PRS at their tariff rate, currently £46.92 plus VAT per 15 bedrooms.

Martin Couchman, BHA's deputy chief executive, said: "The PPL fee, although not a welcome additional cost, is a good deal for the hotel industry as PPL has settled at the PRS rate and indeed, unlike PRS, is not charging extra where the bedrooms have CD or tape players,".

"This was an agreement that EU regulations have forced upon us."

If a hotel is already a PPL licensee, its 2013 renewal will include a charge for bedroom TVs, backdated to 1 January 2013. If it is not a PPL licensee and has TVs, it will need to contact them at www.ppluk.com and pay with effect from 1 January 2013.

The new tariff does not apply to small residential hotels and guest houses with no more than 25 bedrooms and where a Residential Licence has been granted, as these already pay a set fee of £54.98 for all PPL music, including background music played in public areas.

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By Janet Harmer

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