Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) regulations and (b) enforcement mechanisms to hold landlords accountable for non-compliance with housing standards in the student sector.

The government is committed to improving housing quality for students and will apply a Decent Homes Standard (DHS) to the private rented sector (PRS) for the first time to ensure homes are safe, secure and hazard free. This will include homes let to students on assured tenancies. The Renters’ Rights Bill is the means by which this will be done.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will also provide local authorities with effective enforcement powers for the DHS. Where a local authority serves a notice and the landlord fails to make the necessary improvements to meet the DHS, the local authority will be able to prosecute the landlord or alternatively impose on them a financial penalty of up to £40,000 – the proceeds of which it must use for future PRS enforcement action. Tenants (and local authorities, where any rent has been paid via Universal Credit) will also be able to take direct action in such instances by pursuing a rent repayment order, meaning the responsible landlord will need to pay the tenant (or local authority) up to two years’ rent.

The Bill will exempt Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) from the assured tenancy system if the landlord is signed up to a government approved code of management practice. Such accommodation will therefore not be subject to the DHS, but landlords will need to meet rigorous standards set by the codes which are tailored to the needs of PBSA. This includes maintaining the safety of the accommodation, ensuring the property is well-managed and making sure there is an effective working relationship between tenants and managers. Members of the codes must also have robust procedures in place for handling complaints and remedying issues raised by students. Failure to meet these standards will result in membership being terminated, meaning the property will then be subject to the DHS.