TV switchover could catch out landlords

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Less than a third of landlords are aware of a legal requirement that many of them must provide their tenants with digital television in the next few years, according to a new survey.

The study, undertaken by the National Landlords Association (NLA), revealed that fewer than one in three of landlords knew that if they have residential lettings in a block of flats with a communal TV system, they must implement the switchover to digital.

Of those who were aware of the need to make the change to digital on behalf of their tenants, only 52 per cent were already doing so.

David Salusbury, chairman of the NLA, said: "We are concerned how few landlords appear to be aware of their responsibilities relating to digital TV switchover. Any landlord who rents out a property which relies on a communal television system must ensure that the necessary steps are taken to make the switch to digital.

"Landlords have a legal responsibility to provide basic services to their tenants, and digital television capability comes under this remit," he added.

Earlier this year the NLA also revealed that more than three in four landlords had yet to register with a government-approved Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme.

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