Providing subtitles in hotel rooms

Following the digital switch over in 2010, some hotel TV services provided through an interactive distribution may have lost access to subtitle and audio description features.

Many guests who are deaf or hard of hearing use subtitles to make full use of the television in their room.  Around one in seven of the UK population have a hearing loss.  Deaf people may well take into account the availability of subtitles when choosing somewhere to stay.

The Equality Act (2010) says that it’s unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably for a reason related to their disability.  The Act also requires you to think in advance about ways to make your services and facilities accessible to deaf and other disabled people through reasonable adjustments.  A reasonable adjustment could be ensuring that subtitles are available on the televisions in guest bedrooms. 

Subtitles are also useful for people who don’t speak English as their first language, or people who need to watch the television with the sound switched off, such as parents with a baby sleeping in the room. 

Ensure that the installer upgrading your TV distribution system is aware that you need to provide subtitles for your guests.   Ask what options are available for your system.

Further information is available on the Equality and Human Rights website (external link)