The Housing (Codes of Management Practice) (Student Accommodation) (England) Order 2010

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order applies in relation to premises in England only. Article 2 of this Order approves a code of practice (the Universities UK/Guild HE Code of Practice for the Management of Student Housing, dated 17th August 2010) laying down standards of conduct and practice to be followed with regard to the management of living accommodation comprised in buildings that fall within paragraph 4 of Schedule 14 to the Housing Act 2004 (“the 2004 Act”).

Schedule 14 lists buildings which are not Houses in Multiple Occupation (“HMOs”) for the purposes of the 2004 Act (apart from Part 1, which deals with housing conditions). HMOs are defined in section 254 of the 2004 Act. Paragraph 4 of Schedule 14 refers to any building occupied by persons for the purpose of undertaking full-time further or higher education courses at specified educational establishments, where the person managing or having control of that building is the educational establishment in question or a specified person or a person of a specified description. The Houses in Multiple Occupation (Specified Educational Establishments) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2616)specify certain educational establishments for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 14.

Article 3 of this Order withdraws approval for one of the codes approved by the Housing (Approval of Codes of Management Practice) (Student Accommodation) (England) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/646) (“the 2006 Order”), namely the Universities UK/Standing Conference of Principals Code of Practice for the Management of Student Housing dated 20th February 2006.

Article 4 of this Order revokes the 2006 Order and the Housing (Approval of a Code of Management Practice) (Student Accommodation) (England) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2345) (“the 2008 Order”), which approved earlier codes of practice, and saves the approvals in those Orders which have not been withdrawn. The purpose of these revocations is to make the legislation more accessible by reducing the number of pieces of relevant legislation. By virtue of this Order, there are now 3 codes of practice which are currently approved under section 233 of the Housing Act 2004 in relation to the management of student living accommodation. These are:

• The Accreditation Network UK/Unipol Code of Standards for Larger Developments for Student Accommodation Not Managed and Controlled by Educational Establishments, dated 20th February 2006 and approved by the 2006 Order (with the approval saved by this Order);

• The ANUK/Unipol Code of Standards for Larger Developments for Student Accommodation Managed and Controlled by Educational Establishments, dated 28th August 2008 and approved by the 2008 Order (with the approval saved by this Order); and

• The Universities UK/Guild HE Code of Practice for the Management of Student Housing, dated 17th August 2010 and approved by this Order.

An impact assessment has not been provided for this Order as no impact upon the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.