PPL PRS Ltd Reviews 

Extremely concerning experience with PPL PRS – serious legal and ethical concerns.

An account and invoice were created in our name without our knowledge, consent, or any signed agreement. To our knowledge, no lawful contract was ever formed. We do not play or stream live or recorded licensed music within our business premises and therefore do not require a licence.

Despite this, we were repeatedly contacted by telephone and letter, even after we had explicitly requested that all communication be in writing. One letter from PPL PRS, dated 13th May 2025, warned that surcharges would be applied if payment wasn’t received within 3 days — yet it wasn’t delivered until 20th May 2025. Shockingly, the additional charges were applied on the same day the letter finally arrived, to an invoice we never agreed to and do not believe we are liable for. This felt both unreasonable and coercive.

Even more concerning, none of the letters included any direct contact information. We had to find contact details via other Trustpilot reviews, where we were alarmed to discover numerous similar complaints from other businesses.

After submitting a formal complaint, we were notified today that it has been closed — without fair investigation or resolution. Despite multiple written requests, PPL PRS has failed to provide any verifiable, time-stamped, or meta-dated evidence to justify the charges or the creation of the account.

We also recently received another letter (only just opened today, after returning from annual leave) requesting an email address so they could send us audio clips and recordings — despite already having our email on record. Then, to add insult to injury, we were told today via email that the complaint was closed due to “no contact within 10 days.” This clearly demonstrates that PPL PRS had our contact details and simply chose not to send the requested information.

This felt like a deliberate communication failure, and the closing of our complaint appears obstructive, dismissive, and unjustified.

Our most serious concern: PPL PRS confirmed that audio recordings and filming took place inside our premises without our consent or prior knowledge. They have not provided any meta-dated evidence to demonstrate this was lawful, nor have they shared any time-stamped data to support their claims. This raises serious concerns under:
• UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018
• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA)

We were also informed that our personal and business details may be shared with third-party debt collectors, despite there being no confirmed obligation or valid agreement in place. This raises further questions around data protection compliance and the lawful basis for processing.

We have reported these matters to:
• Trading Standards
• The Telephone Preference Service (TPS)
• Our Member of Parliament

We are also preparing to escalate the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), our legal team and will pursue further action if necessary.

We respectfully request that PPL PRS immediately close all accounts associated with our business and cease all further communication unless in writing.

Based on our experience — including unwanted contact, ignored communication preferences, lack of evidence, and non-consensual filming and audio recording — we cannot recommend PPL PRS. We strongly urge other businesses to proceed with extreme caution and to demand full documentation before acknowledging or responding to any claims.

EDITED * After attempting to contact the complaints department via the email supplied by the complaint department AGAIN today regarding the request for our complaint to be escalated , we have received the following:

ACTION REQUIRED: Please contact us online
Thank you for your email to PPL PRS. This email address is no longer in use.

We have received automated emails from PPL/PRS stating the above as a response from both the Complaints Team email we have on file and the email consistently posted as a contact here on all Trustpilot replies! Utterly ridiculous!

Quite honestly, the level of mis communication from PPL/PRS is not only unprofessional, it’s DISGRACEFUL!

Had a telephone call with Isobel of Customer Services this morning renewing our licence. Found her pleasant helpful and very patient with me. Sorted out my queries to my satisfaction. Well done.

My company has been bombarded with letters,at least 2 per week

All very strange that they cant provide a time that they visited our shop. not only that but it was suggested by email that we didnt need the license as long as music wasnt being played then all of a sudden bill arrives for £650

Not only that but using a voiceclip as evidence of an artist that never would have been playing.

i rang today to say its now in hands of our legal team. Companies trying to get on with there day to day business having to deal with this harassment is crazy

I was forwarded a letter in my name for an address that I have not lived at for many years threatening legal action for non payment of account for years 2024/25 and 2025/24. Rang this company to explain I did not own the business and have my name removed from the account but every time I explained I was just put back on hold and then explained to the next person and so on and so on. How are you supposed to sort their mistake when they are only interested in speaking with people that they can con out of money. Guess they will have to keep sending their aggressive letters which I may or may not receive as I do not own the business in question. In the meantime I will report them the Trading Standards.

Very aggressive company. Imposed additional surcharges one day after notifying us of our bill for this year. Horrible company to deal with. Gave one star as zero, or minus stars, were not an option

Seems many have had the same issues. Ive been emailed and phoned constantly, with each time i tell them my business ceased trading on christmas day last year, haven't even been back in the building since, so we didnt require a licence this year, but they dont listen! Just keep saying we owe fees for this year, the business is closed! How clearer can that be made?

never requsted any qoute as i was playing religious royalty free music. they sent me qoute for over £1000 with legal action. They r ripping off small businesses and threatning of legal actions total harrasmet.They don't listen to you when they rang its looks like its AI generated wants u to agree their statement. pls avoid speaking to them over the phone.

A lady called me is name Mandi and asked if I played music on my phone. Of course I said yes. I bought a phone and couldn’t use it myself. Then she asked how many tables and chairs I had in my shop. They didn’t care if I had signed up for their service. They signed me up even though I said I wouldn’t sign up and wouldn’t play music for customers, I didn’t need it because my company was going to close. But they signed me up and billed me for almost £500. I’m shocked at how these bastards work. I have emailed them many times but they ignore all. Just call and send bill attachment. Really a shitty company. I wonder when the government will investigate them.

Awful people. Awful business. Bunch of crooks.

We are a bathroom retailer with a showroom and were accused of playing music without a license!
REASON: Because we have a bluetooth mirrored cabinet that we demonstrate for sale!!!
It was unbelievable the arrogance of this "company"!
We had a big arguement with them (after an unsolicited call), stating that NO license was needed (see Section 72 of the Copyright, Designs & Patent Act 1988. paragraph iii)
It clearly stated we were exempt and a license is not needed!
However, they did not listen!
They raised an account for us (without our permission)
calculated an invoice! (god knows how!!!)
Then started to demand money!!
You cannot email these people, no emails on the "invoices", no email on the website, even on the demands for payment... no email
and when you phone, they just tow the company line and demand you pay!
We escalated the dispute and it eventually was cancelled, but not before 3 invoices, 3 demands for payment, 2 letters indicated surcharges were being applied and then 2 final demands!
Talk about harrassment!!!
There was also no apology either when the invoice was cancelled!!!
They are all a bunch of arrogant con artists who think they can get away with bully boy tactics and threatening letters!
If I had the time and inclination, I would sue them for the stress and harrassment caused!
If you believe you don't need a license then STAND YOUR GROUND!. Escalate the dispute through their escalation team and try and ignore all the threatening behaviour!

Receive regular harassment calls from PPL PRS Ltd who request data protected information over the phone. Claim to be raising income for performers (which I have no objection to) but in fact pay vast salaries to their directors. I would not use music on this basis alone.

Some constructive suggestions.
While the company and it's parents may be legitimate and operate within the law, scrolling through the reviews on Trustpilot makes it clear there is a very real issue with their customer relationships. When small businesses get multiple calls from scammers every day, PPL PRS Ltd approach comes across as no different and naturally potential clients are suspicious.

Pay the CEOs and directors of PRS and PPL a more reasonable salary, say £80,000 pa max, and invest the millions saved in customer relations and better incomes for genuine performers and writers.

Absolute harassment from this company! I never signed up for their services, yet they sent me an invoice out of nowhere, demanding over £600 for a music license I do not need. After doing my research, I found out they use intimidation tactics on small businesses to force them into paying.

I immediately disputed their invoice in writing, making it clear that I do not play music and do not require a license. Instead of responding, they completely ignored my letter and continued bombarding me with threats of legal action. This is bullying, plain and simple!

Their aggressive letters caused unnecessary stress and wasted my time. No legitimate company should operate like this. If you are a business owner, do NOT be intimidated by their tactics. Demand proof and stand your ground. I have reported them to Trading Standards and will be escalating further if their harassment continues!!

Due to business closure we had to cancel our music licence.
Neil at ppl prs was a great help, he dealt with it all within a day, including starting the process for a small refund as we close the business a few weeks before we had paid up to.
Great service, thank you Neil for making that process straight forward :-)

If I could do minus Stars I would.
I have nothing at all to do with the Company I am an employee and yet they continue to send me emails at stupid o clock in the morning about an outstanding amount due for the business. I have called them and told them I have nothing to do with the business and they continue to use my private email address with another persons name demanding a payment for a licence. What a Chef has to do with a music licence is beyond me. Absolute disgrace cannot get through to them I have nothing to do with the running of the business or music. I only work there. Maybe they will start harassing the Bar staff next!

continual harassment, invoices then surcharges and more threats, despite writing back to this company by recorded delivery to explain we have music from AKM which is royalty free and does not require a licence they continue to ignore this and continue to harrass me.

A horrible company!
Tried to charge me far more than the exact same bed and breakfast layout as next door, sent me a £100 "surcharge" when I wanted to speak to them about a reduction of rooms and open season, only to change me the exact same amount for 30% fewer rooms.
They said they would waive the surcharge if I payed my account in full then sent me emails threatening legal action .
They are the worst company I have ever dealt with, and I've been self employed for over 25years.
Not promoting music, just fu@%ing greedy, threatening pirates!

Brought a music license for my hairdressers. Very helpful and knowledgeable. The reviews slating the music license don’t understand where the money goes. My partner is in a band and is very grateful for the royalties that he receives! Keep up the good work!

The worst legitimate organisation I've ever had to deal with. PPL PRS insist on creating invoices and accounts without permission in order to extort money without good reason. Their approach is sneaky and they phone out of the blue and try and trap you into agreeing to a contract.

If you are thinking of playing music at your business AVOID paying these people and choose a ROYALTY FREE music service instead. (In contrast Background Sounds are excellent by the way.)

These people are awful.

Edit (after their response below): So PPL PRS think the issue 'seems to have been resolved'? If by that they mean they have successfully bullied an underfunded local playgroup into overpaying for a service that we neither need or want with the threat of debt enforcement/legal action, then sure, it's been resolved. Well done PPL PRS, you must be really proud of your work.

------------------

My friend and I started a small local children's event thing based around car toys - Hot Wheel, Scalextric, that sort of thing - really just as a bit of fun for our own kids. Unexpectedly it became moderately popular, particularly with SEN kids who didn't enjoy traditional children's activities like soft play and the like, but for some reason felt very at home with us, SO we kept it up, even though we didn't really make any money from it.

As we would have music playing in the background (the kids seemed to like that) I got in touch with PPLPRS of my own accord to check we didn't need anything from them, as we would happily play royalty free music. However, I was told that as we had played non-royalty-free music at one of our events already, we would need to buy a licence for a whole year, at a cost of £250ish, or they would take us to court.

It gets better. At no point was it mentioned that this was in fact a rolling yearly contract (I guess it's buried in the T&C's somewhere). So a year os so later they sent us another invoice, demanding the same amount, even though I had made it clear that we would use royalty free music going forward. I got in touch to say we do not need the Music Licence, however they said that I had missed the notice period for informing them. In fact, they sent their invoice after the notice period had expired. When i queried this, they said (this is a quote) - 'Unfortunately as a business we don't send renewal invoices out as a reminder that the licence is coming up for renewal.'

Nice.

I was told that there was a minimum fee attached to their tariffs (again, this was news to me) of approximately half the yearly cost. For a service I had made clear I did not need or want a year previously. I pointed out the unfairness of this repeatedly, but was just told to pay or get taken to court.

If you can, avoid contact with these people at all costs. If you need background music, use Pixabay or some equivalent to get it royalty free.

I’m on bereavement leave and this company sends emails adding on surcharges as the payment hasn’t been made . Money grabbing company only think of themselves