20 February 2006

Universities UK/SCOPCode of Practice for the Management ofStudent Housing

CONTENTS

Paras

Introduction,

purpose and scope

Introduction

i – iii

Purpose

iv – ix

Scope

x – xxi

Code of practice

1. General

1.1 - 1.3

2. Health and safety standards and procedures

2.1 -

2. 38

3. Maintenance and repair regimes

3.1 -

3.7

4. Environmental quality

4.1 -

4.5

5. Landlord and tenant relationship

5.1 – 5.11

6. Student welfare

6.1 – 6.3

7. Anti social behaviour and disciplinary

7.1 -

7.4

procedures8. Administration of, and compliance with,

8.1 - 8.7

the CodeAnnex A What is “managed and controlled”?Annex B Outline of principal relevant provisions in the HousingAct 2004Annex C Complaints procedureAnnex D Audit and compliance processSchedule of Buildings to which this Code applies

Introduction, Purpose and Scope

Introduction

i) This Code has been prepared primarily to assist managers, and anyoneinvolved in the management, of student accommodation by setting out the mainelements of good management practice. It covers, among other matters, healthand safety, maintenance and repair, and relationships between managers andstudent tenants. It also should assist students in understanding both thestandards and procedures applying to their accommodation and their obligationsas tenants or licensees.ii) The Standing Conference of Principals (SCOP), the Association of UniversityDirectors of Estates (AUDE), the Association for Student ResidentialAccommodation (ASRA), the Conference of University Business Officers(CUBO), the University Safety and Health Association (USHA), the Association of University Heads of Administration (AUHA), the Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO) and the Association of Managers of Student Services(AMOSSHE) have cooperated in the preparation of the Code. The Office of theDeputy Prime Minister, the National Union of Students (NUS) and theAccreditation Network UK (ANUK) have been consulted during its preparation.iii) This Code has been designed having regard to the particular characteristicsof student housing, and to management practice, in the higher education sector.Where appropriate it may serve also as the code for further educationestablishments (FEEs). In considering signing up to this Code FEEs, like higher education establishments (HEEs), will need to ensure that their managementpractice (for example with respect to complaints procedures) is compatible withthe Code. All the provisions of this Code will apply to FE accommodation exceptinsofar as other legislation, notably with regard to students aged under 18,specifically applies.iv) Administration arrangements for this Code are set out in Section 8. These areintended to serve the overall purposes of the Code – helping to maintain andenhance standards and to set out clearly what students may expect of their accommodation and its management. They also provide mechanisms for identifying, and helping remedy, any shortcomings in management of studentaccommodation. Where audit and/or complaints indicate a persistentmanagement failure an HEE (or FEE) may be deemed to be no longer compliantwith the Code.

Purpose

v) Arrangements for the management of student accommodation varyconsiderably between HEEs and a range of professional HE bodies is involved ingiving information and advice on one or other aspect of housing provision and3