Receiving television through a communal aerial

If you live in a block of flats or multi-household property, you may all be using the same television aerial. This is called a communal aerial and it is the landlord's, or property manager's, responsibility to deal with any faults.

 


If you have a problem first check whether it is with your own equipment or the local transmitter. If neighbours have the same problem, it may be with the communal aerial, or possible interference. In either case, you need to ask your landlord, or managing agent, to solve the problem.

Try our Problem Assistant to help you rule out any common problems or follow the advice below.

Rule out reception problems

To rule out any reception problems within your property see the BBC Reception Advice site to check for any installation faults.


Troubleshooting interference

Two examples of possible sources of interference in properties with a shared aerial are:

  • Central Heating: If the thermostat is faulty, it can sometimes interfere with your television or radio. To establish whether this is the problem, check whether it happens when the heating comes on. 
  • Faulty Lifts: Does the problem happen when a lift is in use? There could be a fault with the suppressor on the lift motor.

You can find other common sources of interference in our individual help guides.

If your problem is caused by interference, your landlord or property manager can contact the regulator, Ofcom, for help using the Ofcom contact web form.  Since it is a communal aerial, you cannot contact Ofcom directly.