The Background
Since opening in Nottingham in 2007, Unipol Student Homes has worked with the Council, the Universities and the Students’ Unions to improve housing standards by running two landlord accreditation schemes in the city.
- The Unipol Code covers smaller houses and flats
- The National Code covers larger purpose built accommodation
Why is the Code such a postive thing for students and landlords?
Both schemes improve housing standards by asking landlords to commit to higher levels in areas from fire safety to garden maintenance and repairs, resulting in a better experience for tenants.
For landlords you get an excellent market advantage and can use your membership of one of the Codes as marketing tool when advertising your properties to students and their parents.
Members also become part of the Nottingham Standard for Landlord Accreditation, a new accreditation mark, unique to Nottingham, which establishes an overarching minimum standard for privately rented accommodation across the city.
Landlords can apply to join the Code on the website, or can email Faye Swanwick directly or call on 0115 9345023.
Do landlords have to join?
Joining the Code is voluntary and there are currently 377 members, showing that there are plenty of landlords who realise that running their property well is good for business. There are tough entry requirements to join the Code. Unipol will carry out a property inspection and accredit the landlord once any required works to bring their property up to the standard have been completed. Membership is a serious commitment and there is a complaints process if landlords do not comply with their obligations.
However, in Unipol’s experience the majority of landlords are happy to make improvements to their properties or management if shortcomings are identified.
So what do students say?
James Ali, a student who lives in the house of a Unipol Code landlord, commented “I have lived in a house covered by the Unipol Code for the past 9 months and I can honestly say it has been a great experience in comparison with the unaccredited properties I have previously lived in. My landlord is always on hand if needed and carries out repairs really quickly. I would recommend that all students rent from Unipol Code landlords or agents.”
And Unipol?
Faye Swanwick, the Accreditation Officer of Unipol Student Homes agrees, “There has been such an improvement in student accommodation over the last few years. Students no longer need to live in sub-standard properties or have unscrupulous landlords who do not carry out repairs. Having so many houses belonging to accredited landlords is a great benefit to students in Nottingham who have the choice to live in safe, secure and well-presented houses, which are far away from the stereotypical idea of student housing.”
Checking to see if a landlord is accredited is easy
Students can check if a landlord is accredited and search for their accommodation on the Unipol website which is the largest database of accredited properties in Nottingham.