Since the introduction of The Housing Act 2004, shared houses are now classified as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).  This means that they are subject to more scrutiny and more vigorous enforcement action in cases of breaches in regulations. 

Students

First year students start the hunt for their accommodation for the following academic year early and quite often rush into signing a tenancy agreement which they later come to regret.

A quick look around an already occupied property will often not reveal hidden problems and dangers.  Great care, time and consideration should be taken when choosing a property to rent. 

In Nottingham we have the benefit of a charitable organisation called Unipol with an office on site at the University of Nottingham.  Their aim is to improve standards, training and professionalism in student housing. 

If you are a student, the advantage of using Unipol is knowing that basic standards of fire safety and welfare have been achieved.  For more information please visit the Unipol Student Homes website.

However you acquire your rented property, if you then discover problems, please contact Environmental Health.  In most cases we can resolve issues if the landlord is not listening to you.

Landlords

If you are a landlord in the Greater Nottingham Area you may also be interested in the Unipol Scheme.

The scheme is designed to enable landlords/ladies:

• To have a clearly defined set of standards to meet
• To recognise those landlords/ladies whose properties meet the required standards
• To give confidence to occupiers of properties knowing that basic standards of fire safety and welfare have been achieved.

The scheme is entirely voluntary but those landlords who choose to participate will receive a certificate of accreditation and continue to have their properties advertised by the participating universities and colleges. Over 1000 properties have so far been accredited.

For more information please visit the Unipol Student Homes website.

Useful Information Links for Tenants and Landlords.

In addition to the information you will find on the Unipol website, the DASH (East Midlands Decent and Safe Homes) website is also a valuable source of information.  It gives guidance from choosing a property to rent to the requirements of fire, gas, electrical and furnishings safety.  For access to various pages and external websites, please go to the links on the right hand side.

There are other useful links to pages on our website which you may find useful.

• Finding Student Accommodation in Nottingham
• Useful Information and Advice for Students in Nottingham
• Student Living
• Nottingham Student Arrow
• Students and Parties
• Information for Student Landlords

If you need any further information please contact Environmental Health