Frequently Asked Questions

Membership of the Code is for whichever party is undertaking the day-to-day management of the accommodation. What constitutes day-to-day management is covered through the 9 sections of the Code, and also within the Management Test under Annex 1. This may be a managing agent rather than the owner of a building. To determine whether it should be yourself or another party registering the building, please use Annex 1 Management Test in the National Code document.

Owners of buildings who do not do the day-to-day management of the site should make sure it is the management company that registers for Code membership. 

To apply for membership applicants must have operational control of the whole residential building under management which must be solely or principally occupied by students; (principally relates to where there is a residential staff presence e.g. warden)

• Overall control means you should have management control of both the common parts/areas and all of the flats/studios/bedrooms.

• Joint applications are currently not accepted

No - to be eligible for Code membership a building must be solely or principally occupied by students; (principally only relates to where there is a residential staff presence e.g. warden)

No - membership can only be awarded to those who have applied via the membership application process or the tracked record process.

The National Code complaints process can handle complaints about breaches of the National Code. For more information you can read What We Can & Can't Help With

No - traditional off-street student housing (e.g. small HMO houses) are not eligible for membership of the National Code.

Tenancy contracts are legally binding agreements. It is likely that your tenancy is a common law tenancy (if signed after 1 May 2026) which will set a minimum contractual term for you to rent a room.

If your contract was signed before 1 May 2026 it may well, after the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, be an assured tenancy, in which case you can give two months’ notice to move out.

Exceptions

• Leaving university: Common law tenants can give four weeks notice if they have withdrawn from, been excluded from, or refused admission to their institution of study or if they have been absent from their course for more than 60 days due to illness and their higher education (HE) provider has agreed to suspend their studies. (Clause 4.6 (Non-Ed Code))

• Death of a tenant: Dealing with the death of a tenant will also bring any occupancy agreement to an end. (Clause 4.7 (Non-Ed Code))

• T&Cs of any offers: Accommodation providers should honour the terms and conditions of any offers (for example “no visa/ no pay”), providing you meet their criteria.

• Replacement tenant: Most providers will allow a occupant to leave if they find a replacement tenant, though this is at their discretion and you you check with your provider to see if there are any requirements for this. You may want to ask the provider if they can help you advertise your room online.

• Exceptional Circumstance: Your accommodation provider will have a policy for tenancy release in exceptional circumstances, and this is at their discretion. The National Code cannot compel an accommodation provider to release a tenant from their contractual obligations.

Many contracts are now completed online. There's no need to physically sign a contract, or make a payment, to enter into a legally binding agreement.

If there is any confusion as to whether you are bound to a contract, the accommodation provider should be able to provide you with a copy of the contract.

If, for any reason, a room was uninhabitable, then the National Code would expect alternative accommodation to be offered.

We recommend you obtain legal advice to fully understand your rights and obligations. Your students’ union advice team or the Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to provide free legal advice and support.

Complaints must be received within 6 months of the end of the tenancy.

Before making a complaint to the National Code, you should raise the complaint directly with your accommodation provider. We may ask to see evidence you have done this.

Your accommodation provider will have their own procedure for handling complaints. You should find this on their website, along with contact details and timescales for responding.

Your accommodation provider's complaints procedure must be clear and accessible, if you cannot access their complaints procedure you can submit a complaint to us. (Clause 9.2 (Non-Ed Code), 9.01 (Ed Code))

Yes, you are welcome to get in touch with us for general advice on any issues you may be having with your accommodation provider and we will do our best to help.

There is no average/set time period for the application process - the time taken to become accredited is individualised to each applicants own ability to complete the required administrative tasks, organise the visit date and complete any actions resulting from the visit. Previous applicants to the Code have gained membership within 3-12 months since their initial application. 

We are happy to have an informal chat and pass feedback on anonymously - just get in touch.

Unfortunately we’re unable to escalate anonymous complaints through the formal complaints process because this would require investigating the specific details of the case and sharing information with our members.

No - Neither the complaints process nor the independent complaints tribunal can award compensation to you. As a voluntary code of practice, the National Codes has no authority to determine claims for or compel members to provide compensation, with the exception of some prescribed payments in relation to new or refurbished buildings and late construction.

Claims for compensation are legal matters which are typically resolved through court action or by negotiation between the landlord and tenant, and the National Codes cannot be involved in this process. If you feel you should be paid compensation you should put your reasons and specific claims into a letter to the provider.

Compensation is a payment that covers any loss you have suffered and puts you in the same position had that loss not occurred (in so far as a monetary payment can do that). Compensation rarely covers inconvenience where no actual loss has occurred.

If you are considering court action because you have suffered financial loss or inconvenience, we recommend contacting your Students’ Union advice team or Citizens Advice Bureau for some legal advice.

No - applicants do not get the exemption until membership is formally granted. Applicants should abide and meet all requirements of the Renters Rights Act legislation until membership is granted. 

Most Members of the Code* are required to protect deposits taken with a Government approved Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) scheme. Those schemes have specific complaints and adjudication systems which must be used to challenge any refusal to return a deposit of where there is a dispute about the type or level of any deduction made.

In England and Wales, your deposit will be protected under one of the following schemes:

• Deposit Protection Scheme

• MyDeposits

• Tenancy Deposit Scheme

There are separate TDP schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

If you think your deposit has not been protected then that this is in breach of the Code and a complaint can be made about that. You can also complain if your deposit has not been returned within 28 days after the end of your tenancy.

If the Code Member is not required to protect your deposit under the Code or legislation then you can use the Code complaints process but, remember, you must complain first to your provider.

*covered in Clause 8.1 (Non-Ed Code)

Student accommodation should be an inclusive and safe environment for all tenants and staff.

Section 2 of the National Code refers to Equality and Diversity and the unlawful treatment in accordance with characteristics protected under the Equality Act of 2010. Our complaints process is able to handle complaints about alleged breaches of this section of the Code.

The National Code would expect accommodation providers to demonstrate commitment to tackling any intimidating, hostile, or offensive behaviour.

Any complaints about staff members should be taken seriously and handled with professionalism. The National Code requires of our members:

• 1.1 Their business is pursued in a professional, courteous and diligent manner at all times

• 9.2 They provide occupants with a way(s) to raise matters of concern in confidence

If you’ve raised a complaint about a staff member but have concerns about the way your complaint is being handled then we’d be happy to discuss this and explore the best way forward.

Behaviour of other tenants:

When it comes to controlling the behaviour of other tenants, Accommodation providers may offer support through mediation, or by sending 'warning letters', but they are often limited in what practical action they can take. It’s rarely possible to remove the perpetrator, and the eviction process can take a prohibitively long time. One option is to try and find alternative accommodation for the person affected by the behaviour.

Universities and Colleges are usually better placed to deal with the behaviour of students under their Code of Conduct or Disciplinary Procedures, and able to investigate complaints and impose effective sanctions.

If you’ve raised the complaint with your academic institution but aren’t satisfied with how your complaint has been handled, you can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for an independent review

Your Student’s Union or Student Support Services may also be able to provide (or signpost to) appropriate support.

It is important to stress that Illegal, abusive or threatening behaviour is best reported to the Police. Your institution may have a dedicated Police-Student Liaison Officer who can support you with this.

Unacceptable behaviour can cause great a great deal of distress and can have a significant negative impact, but there is often a reluctance to report it formally, and there can be many reasons for this. The National Code is interested to hear about your experiences and we’re happy to have an informal chat, in confidence, to gain an understanding how we can help.

Other external sources of advice and support:

• Your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) can provide free and impartial advice

• The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is a statutory body charged with enforcing anti-discrimination legislation

• Liberty is a national organisation which campaigns for human rights and equal treatment

• The Disability Law Service provides advice and support specifically on disability discrimination:

• Student Space, run by Student Minds has tailor-made resources for and by Black students:

Yes, you can download a copy here.

Yes - We want our service to be accessible to everyone who needs to use it. A tenant (or their representative) can contact us by email or phone to discuss adjustments they would like us to consider making to our process or to how we communicate.