Student accommodation

The Housing Act 2004 introduced licensing for houses in multiple occupation in England and Wales.

Higher education institutions may be exempt from licensing provisions providing they meet the required criteria:

1. They are specified for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 14 to the Housing Act 2004, The Houses in Multiple Occupation (Specified Educational Establishments) (England) Regulations 2019; and 
2. They sign up to a code of practice that has been approved by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Three codes of practice for the higher education sector were approved by Parliament in April 2006. These are:

• The Universities UK Code of Practice for University Managed Student Accommodation
• The Accreditation Network UK Code of Practice for Student Accommodation managed by higher education institutions
• The Accreditation Network UK Code of Practice for Student Accommodation managed by undertaking subject to houses in multiple occupation licensing (in effect this means private suppliers of student accommodation)

View the Houses in Multiple Occupation (Specified Educational Establishments) (England) Regulations 2019

In addition to universities and higher education colleges, the codes are also open to further education colleges with residential accommodation and to private higher education providers, providing these institutions have the necessary mechanisms in place to fall within the code.

To join, visit the Universities UK code.