Membership of accreditation schemes is voluntary. They enable landlords to demonstrate that their properties comply with legal standards and good management practice through the accreditation status.
Local and central government, professional housing organisations and landlord associations recommend membership.
Accreditation schemes operate across two thirds of the geographical areas covered by the 350 local authorities in England and Wales. Most schemes are operated by local authorities with some student based schemes operated by educational establishments or related agencies.
Schemes may be locally or regionally operated e.g. Wales has its own national scheme.
The Accreditation Network UK (ANUK) is the national body that publicises, promotes and shares good practice in accreditation. Detailed information about accreditation is available from ANUK.
How Schemes Operate
Schemes accredit either the landlord or the property. They require compliance with a set of reasonable physical and management standards.
Operational details vary according to, and to suit, a range of regional or local factors.
Property inspections prior to, or after accreditation, may be carried out to check scheme compliance.
Some landlord accreditation schemes are education based and require attendance at a classroom based landlord foundation course, or the undertaking of an equivalent on-line course. Such schemes do not require properties to be inspected e.g. the London Landlord Accreditation Scheme.
Schemes have complaint investigation systems. Persistent failure to comply with a scheme will result in the loss of the accreditation status.
Membership Benefits
The accreditation status provides landlords with a market advantage.
In addition to this, scheme operators may provide a range of further benefits to encourage membership, the numbers and extent of which may be determined by available resources.
Benefits can be categorised into information provision, financial e.g. discounted products and services, and a supportive approach and ‘light touch’ regulation by local authorities.
Access to some property letting services by local authorities, educational establishments and related agencies may be conditional on membership of an accreditation scheme.
ANUK/Unipol Codes of Standards for Larger Student Developments
These two government approved national schemes are administered by Unipol Student Homes.
One scheme is for student developments that are operated and managed by educational establishments and the second is for private sector developments.
Licensable HMOs that are owned by educational establishments and are members of the Educational Establishment Code are exempt from HMO licensing. Licensable HMOs that are members of the private sector Code are not exempt from HMO licensing but the government’s department of Communities and Local Government advise local authorities to discount their HMO licence fee for Code members.
Further details are available from The National Code of Standards.
UUK Code of Practice
Universities UK (UUK) administers one Government approved national scheme for buildings controlled and managed by educational establishments. This Code has the same purpose as the Codes mentioned above.
Quick Links:
Exclusive Services for Accredited Landlords
Working with Local Authorities
Find Your Local Council