PPL PRS Ltd Bewertungen 

Lack of Transparency and Confusing Billing

Quite simply, the whole process does not appear to be transparent. The billing categories are confusing and unclear, and they require much better explanation.

When you query anything, the responses feel scripted and generic. Rather than properly addressing concerns, it often seems like descriptions are rewritten or repeated instead of clarified.

I’m also confused as to why PPL is collecting fees for PRS when, if asked, they state they are completely separate organisations. That contradiction raises further questions about transparency.

Publicans regularly complain about these issues in social media chatrooms, so this does not appear to be an isolated experience.

This is a most
harassing company, never take No for an answer.
Most disgusting company in the world. The opportunists leeching an excuse for protecting the artists? Yet their disgusting behaviour that harming the public.Pounding us with phone calls, letters and email, looking for easy money. Even after informing
them that we have contacted the ombudsman. It was confirming that we do not need to pay their so call music licence if we do not have music played in the public places.
I have ask them for if they have "communication licence" in order to contact anybody by phones, emails or letters. They asked what. My answer is exactly what they are asking people to pay the "music licence". Not as if one has to buy a "sitting licence" after buying a chair?These licience can go on and on for all walk of life. We have 2 lots of TV licences in place for our small guesthouse!
We all hope the Government can do somethings about these opportunists. They should be brought down by Harrassment Act 1997.
May be these guys should learn how to be kind and lead a normal life by earning their own living. Otherwise they have to buy themselve a loo licience for using it!
Worst of all, they play god, insisting our LTD co is trading but actually is staying dormant since 2022. I contacted the Company House and request to display our company as Dormant. Unfortunately, it can either show active even is dormant or disolve. Their answer is simply just to ignore these guys.

02/03/26 to PPL PRS
Hello, Thanks for your response.
Yes, we have visited the Gov. uk. Website many times:
It clearly stated: Business requires the Music licence to play live or recorded music in public. In another word Not require if no music play in public.

We are small guest house without live music or background music.
Your staff had phoned and wrote to us about “The Licence”. None of them want to understand we do not have the music play in public places. Their only language or monologue is to pay “the Music Licence”!

Our guests are here to enjoy the city. The cost in transport, accommodation and efforts would explain to you very clearly that nobody is interested to hang around in the guesthouse listening to music. While they can to do so at the comfort of their own home and with their choice of entertainments. Therefore there is no need to provide such service in our guesthouse.

For you guys’ information, we used to enjoy listen to music while driving or traveling, now we don’t. As you guys put us totally off music. Congratulation you guys have destroy people interest in music. There are lots of our friends or people we known saying just that.

Why there is a need for you guys to bully small business like us for paying licences when there is NO music or live music plays in the public place. If you guys are interested about the welfares for the artists or musicians what about us and many others? Is it no best to lobby the government to pass the right to issue licence like BBC television licence to the public? Or request the well known musicians or artists taking turn to organise concerts and donate to their young talents? Their money will be well spent or invested.

Please do not harass us also by targeting our dormant LTD Co, which has stay dormant since 2022. Don’t try to sell Music Licence to a non functioning company. Just like selling music licence to the DEAF

I therefore formally request that you update your records immediately and cease further contact regarding licensing for us. Continue to send letters or email after receipt of this notice may constitute as unwarranted harassment.
Please confirm this matter is now closed.

We applied for the discount on PPL/PRS charges as we were collecting during a Tuneless Choir Flash Mob. We were very happy that a 100% discount on those charges. We didn't actually receive this information until 2 days after the Flash Mob, which obvioulsy left us dangling somewhat, hence 4 rather than 5 stars.

***REVIEW ON FEEFO***

I have been escalated twice because I cancelled my licences (proven with emails and via their representative) but they "forgot" to actually cancel it there end. So because I didn't remind them AGAIN that I'd closed my business and bank account, IT'S MY FAULT! They assume a simple "well, we sorted it quickly when you highlighted it again" is sufficient....even after falsely sending debt collectors after me! They made over £300 million last year and think financially compensating us, the people who make that figure for them, when they mess up is inappropriate or not good use of funds. Supporting the theory they think it is OK to get it wrong and have zero consequences. It is genuinely like dealing with a toddler who say sorry then go on to make the same mistake over and over again!

They have hidden behind Feefo reviews (a score of 4.1/5) saying these are 'verified reviews'. Now strangely....I have never been invited to leave a review - but as long as you can prove you were a customer you CAN leave one without an invitation. So go on guys.....get reviewing on FEEFO as well!

I have started my complaint to the ombudsman, even if to just highlight the serious faults in this company and make them stand up and address the bullying and harassment then have as a baseline company standard. I'd advise anyone else do the same.

Waiting for the generic....we're sorry our service didn't live up to our high standards blah blah blah....

SIDE NOTE, you can leave a review EVERY TIME you have correspondence with them. So if you have 10 emails, you can leave 10 reviews ;-)

We had a query which was amicably and professionally resolved by Loren. It's a shame that we had to escalate it a few times before reaching this point.

What a joke these clowns are. Their website is obscure to the point of idiocy. They email you when you complain and say: 'Hey, give us a call'. After half and hour of them never answering their phone (my best guess is that they only own one bakelite telephone between them!) and listening to their annoying playlist you literally lose the will to live. They collected over £300 million in 2025 but can't afford to build a decent website or employ any meaningful numbers of staff. Actually, I'm wrong. I admit it. PPL are not a joke. They are a disgrace.

I have had a horrible experience like many others. Paid for a music licence in 2023 (at the time not knowing it was needed til I received an underhanded call from them. That expired and I ceased playing music in the shop. 2 years later I receive communication saying I owe for 2 years as I did not notify of cancellation. £1200 for a small business in crippling times!!?? Many many calls/emails etc, them adding surcharges and debt collector letters, I write to the ombudsmen and infom PPL PRS of this. Eventually get to speak to a manager and they have finally written it off after 3 months of fighting it because they did not send a reminder invoice in 2024. They use bully tactics and underhand methods to try and catch you out, do not respond to emails and online contact forms until you take it further.

Was approached via email and telephone on a fishing expedition with a scripted bunch of presumptuous questions. I thought the aim of the conversation was to get a quote to play music and be compliant. It turns out the quote came with a bill for 2025 plus 2026. I have tried by email and telephone to resolve this situation. However the call handler Gemma will not help and has told me if I do not pay 2025 and 2026 Quote/retrospective Bill they will start proceeding against me. I am so upset and beside myself. Even when I said I can’t afford a licence for 2026 so please don’t bill me as I’m NOT playing music. She responded the bill is for 12 months and this stands. My business can not afford this.
** Update Thanks for your below response but this proves my point! How can I have an account with you? I’m not playing music to the public**
*** Update Reference Tai from Customer Services has arranged a call. Hopefully this review will be reversed ***

Truly the most disgusting company I have ever seen, I will never understand how you can still exist and government is not doing anything to dissolve you. I guess money talks! And no, I will not contact via email to discuss the issues because for what? Tried many times! and you don't care. I will try to sort out your nonsense through ombudsman.

Oscar was absolutely amazing, probably the best customer service call I have ever had. He took time to thoroughly explain to me what I did not understand and was happy to repeat himself if necessary. He had so much patience and passion for his job role it was so lovely to experience. Especially after some call handlers not giving you time of day or patience to help you, Oscar was a breath of fresh air and made me feel very comfortable and heard. He couldn’t have done enough for me. I wanted to write this review to praise Oscar as he deserves the recognition of being such a lovely person :)

Wish I could give them 0 star. When starting my business I made it clear I wanted a quote but I felt like they tricked me into a contract. I explained my business didn't start for another 2 months but they wanted their payment there and then. I explained this is a misunderstanding but still no sympathy to working with me. I asked for the recordings of our phone call they said they would send it. I asked 3 times and still nothing.

Just a money grabbing business.

I made the mistake of making a casual enquiry to PPL PRS regarding a business my wife was opening in our village the second week in January.

The first thing you notice , with this organisation is they don't advertise pricing. Even though they give links online for pricing, there is no pricing. Also, many of the links lead you back to the page you are on, or they simply don't work. The only way you can get pricing is to provide them with all your details. It became abundantly clear that the reason for this approach is so that they can aggressively bully and harass you into buying a license. Multiple calls and emails made on assumption that you are already publicly playing music and in breach of copyright.

My wife's business premises are approximately 20 square metres, she is a sole trader with no employees. We were quoted £541 per year to play streamed music from her phone to a portable speaker! It seems they are purposely and aggressively targeting small businesses with bullying and harassment tactics. emails titled "ACTION REQUIRED" (yes, in capitals). Another shady practice they employ is that you cant reply to their emails. so you have to either go online and pay, or speak to one of their agents.

My wife has now invested in a nice pair of Sony wireless headphones to listen to her music.

There are a huge amounts of complaints online about this organisation, not just on Trustpilot. Surely there needs to be some kind of investigation into their dubious practices. I cant wait for the stock standard PPL PRS response to this review telling me how sorry they are about my experience, and to let them investigate further.....Begone!!

I'm sorry to read all the dreadful comments about this company from the point of view of those wishing to licence music - but my problem is trying to register new music in their system. The website barely functions at all and any support tickets raised are never answered. Something is seriously wrong with this company.

I recently spoke with a representative over the phone to clarify the size of our eatery and our limited operating hours, which are only 24 hours a week. During the conversation, I expressed my concern about being overcharged over the years and questioned the current invoice, which appears extraordinarily and unjustifiably expensive.

Despite my attempts to seek clarity, the representative was unhelpful and rather bossy. According to their website, there should be options for royalty discounts or weekly usage payments, but none of these were mentioned during our call.

As loyal customers since 2018, we have never received any discounts or payment suggestions. Currently, we are being asked to pay £547 just for playing background music for a few hours each day. This seems like a total scam, with the company leveraging their legal rights to threaten customers instead of providing the support that small businesses desperately need in these times.

Considering this, I believe the best course of action is to cease playing any type of music and to protest against those who are exploiting businesses in this manner.

Call from a very rude lady regarding music licensing from O1164289830
Would not answer a simple question. Absolutely shocking to be honest. Totally unprofessional.

I have an account with this company going back over 8 years.
I received a telephone call from a debt collection agency informing me that I had an outstanding invoice from PPL PRS Ltd plus a surcharge fee which came a shock as I have never been contacted or received an invoice for the outstanding amount either by e-mail, post or telephone contact.
The bill plus the surcharge was paid immediately.
After the Christmas period was over, I telephoned PPL PRS Ltd to find out as to why no invoice was sent to me.
I checked my contact details with them, and they had an e-mail address that is no longer in use, but my address and telephone number were still the same and told me that I should have contacted them to update my e-mail address. (That’s great if you can remember who you gave your e-mail address to over the last 20 years)
So, before they send your details to a debt collection agency you would think they could have posted an invoice or telephoned to ask for payment.
This business uses unethical and unprofessional business practices.
Trustpilot reviews of 97% 1 star says it all.
And please don’t send a generic response.

£831 for this first year for a seven table cafe, seating 14 people. Despite efforts to impress how unreasonably expensive this fee is, and the impact it will have on my business, the robotic 'manager' - Marianne- was steadfast. £831.96 for my 5m x 3.5m shop floor. Marianne 'could guarantee that I might get up to 50% off next year'. No consideration, no flexibility, no support.

I run a small hotel and do not play any background music. The only audio in the building is from Freeview TVs in guest bedrooms. Despite this, PPL PRS issued invoices of more than £2,000, going back five years, all sent at the end of May 2025.
Not only were the invoices completely unexpected, but during part of this period our business was closed due to COVID lockdowns and also due to serious illness in the family, as my wife was undergoing treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Even while we were closed and not using any music whatsoever, PPL PRS continued to charge as if we were fully operational.
We immediately questioned the amounts because they made no sense for a small hotel with no background music. Unfortunately, one of their emails went into our junk folder and, instead of attempting to contact us properly, they sent the account straight to a debt collection company.
Later, PPL PRS admitted the invoices were wrong — the number of bedrooms and the type of licence they charged us for were incorrect. After their own corrections, the true amount should have been under £500, not over £2,000.
Despite acknowledging their errors, they are still demanding late payment fees and nearly £200 in legal costs, even though the delay was minimal and the dispute exists solely because they issued incorrect invoices. Meanwhile, they took over four years to produce the original wrong invoices.
As a small business, especially one that has already struggled through COVID closures and personal hardship, this treatment has been incredibly upsetting. It feels like harassment, and it raises serious concerns about how PPL PRS operates and whether small businesses have any real protection.
The complaints department has offered no meaningful help, and we are left dealing with the consequences of their mistakes.
In my view, this company’s behaviour is unethical, unfair, and deeply damaging to small businesses simply trying to survive.

I work for a charity, a community centre, and many of our activities would be greatly improved with music. However, we cannot have music now, because of the unfair pricing system of PPL PRS ltd.

They demanded 2% of our income as their price for 1 year's subscription. That amounted to £2000, way out of our budget. Why isn't it 2% of our profit? Most years we don't have any surplus (especially since Covid) so this price is outrageous. If it was £200 we could manage it, but £2000? No way!

Had an invoice for £542.97 and it should be £373.94. When questioned they said it’s because they had to come to me ??? The letter just says license invoice. Surely you have to state the payments. When is someone going to stop these bandits wow !!!!!!!!!!