CUBO administers the UUK/GuildHE Accommodation Code of Practice for University Managed Student Accommodation (ACoP).
This is one of three codes of practice for the higher education sector that were approved by Parliament in April 2006 and has over 140 university members. The information below is for universities that are, or wish to become, ACoP members. Information for students can be found on the Student Accommodation Code website.
There are two requirements to join the Code:
This letter should include details of the establishment's key contact for the purposes of the Code.
Upon receipt of the application the Compliance, Assurance & Scrutiny Board will review and make a recommendation to the Governance Board. The key contact will then receive a confirmation letter from the board of its decision.
A revised Code of Practice was laid before parliament on 4 November 2010. This was approved and came into force on the 25 November.
The Housing Act 2004 introduced licensing for houses of multiple occupations in England and Wales. Higher education institutions are exempted from licensing providing 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:
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 (eg on complaints) to fall within the code.
All the codes are designed as statements of good practice which are subject to change and refinement in the light of experience. They should serve to reinforce and, where necessary, encourage better management of accommodation provided by higher education institutions and major private suppliers. Together with licensing requirements for HMOs for privately rented property, they should help to effect a sustained improvement in the management of all forms of student housing.
The responsibilities of the governance board are:
having regard to audit reports and reports of complaints submitted to it, to consider cases of alleged non-compliance and if necessary undertake further investigation
The board may make proposals to help remedy any identified defects in an HEE's management of its student accommodation. In cases of serious or persistent management failure the Board may declare that an HEE is no longer compliant with the Code in respect of some or all of its student accommodation.
The role of the Compliance, Assurance & Scrutiny Board (CAS) is to:
The CAS meets quarterly.
The reports are broken down into relevant sections and cover summary feedback from the audit processes undertaken by establishments in each year. A review of the activities undertaken by the groups is covered and future planned developments arising out of the audit process and student complaints received are presented.
Drafted by the Compliance, Assurance & Scrutiny Board, the National Administrator and Universities UK, the report is submitted to the Governance Board for approval in September each year. Following this, the report is submitted by Universities UK to the Department for Communities and Local Government. Universities UK receives written confirmation from DCLG.
2 zip files of promotional material including logos, posters and leaflets to promote the code and here.
These are tools for members to use in the promotion of the Universities UK/GuildHE Accommodation Code of Practice (ACoP).
The copyright to these materials belongs to Universities UK and they must not be altered without the permission of the UUK ACoP Compliance, Assurance & Scrutiny Board. Members should send queries to the National administrator.
We are in the process of moving to a new e-learning provider. If you have any queries about e-learning during this short transition period, please do get in touch.
For any queries please contact the National Code Manager:
Trudy Williams
Email: info@acop.ac.uk
Telephone: 07958 599 947
