The Unipol Code is a scheme which student landlords in Nottingham can voluntarily join, and by doing so they agree to meet a set of standards regarding the physical condition and management of their rental properties.

This means Code landlords are committing to offer a professional service, complete repairs within set timeframes, and in turn, the scheme hopes to drive up standards of student housing in the city.

To ensure the Unipol Code remains compliant with changes to legislation, local authority standards and best practice, it is reviewed every three years. This cycle’s review has just taken place and a number of changes and additions to the Code have been agreed; here’s a summary of the changes which may affect students:

• Some wording and language used in the document has been updated to improve clarity and reduce ambiguity. This includes sections containing information on deposits and complaints.
• 1 out of every 4 properties in each landlord’s portfolio will now be inspected. This is an increase from 1 in 5.
• Where Wifi is referred to in a tenancy agreement, it must be made clear as to whether it is included in the rent or comes at an additional cost.
• Landlords must provide a “How to Rent Checklist”. This is a government guide for landlords and tenants to help you to understand your rights and responsibilities.
• If a sole bathroom in a property is unusable when a tenancy commences, no rent is payable until the works are completed and the room is useable. This is an increase from a 50% rent reduction for unusable bathrooms in the previous cycle. A kitchen that is unusable would still count as a 50% rent reduction.

You can find out more about the consultation and revisions to the Code document here.

You can check if your landlord is a member of the Code by using the Code lookup tool on the Unipol website.

If they are a member and you believe they are breaching terms of the Code, you have the right to raise a complaint and should follow the steps described here.