How to Complain
If you are living in purpose built student accommodation and wish to complain under the National Code click here
If you live in a Unipol Code accredited property, and you are having problems with your property and or landlord we can help. Before reading the information below please check the status of your landlord at the link below.
Check if your landlord is a Unipol Code accredited landlord here
If your landlord is NOT a member of the Unipol Code we may still be able to give you advice on what to do next. You can use the link below for useful support contacts or email us for advice (if we can't help directly we can often put you in touch with someone who can.
Sources of Support for Students
Choose your city for local contact information for support at both Unipol and other organisations
If you are a Member of the Community and would like to find out more about how to make a complaint please use the link below.
Complain as a Member of the Community
Code Complaint Process for Students Explained
If you haven’t contacted your landlord about the issue, then do that straight away. Follow the steps below.
1. Write to your landlord explaining the issue and mentioning the Unipol Code. When writing the email:
The Code has priority timescales for different types of repair:
- Priority One – Emergency Repairs: Any repairs required in order to avoid a danger to health, risk to the safety and security of residents or serious damage to buildings or residents’ belongings. Within 24 hours of report of the defect/s.
- Priority Two – Urgent Repairs: Repairs to defects which materially affect the comfort or convenience of the residents. Within five working days of report of the defect/s.
- Priority Three – Non Urgent day-to-day repairs: Reactive repairs not falling within the above categories. Within 28 days of report of the defect/s or by arrangements with the occupiers after that time. Decorative finishes to be made good within reasonable timescales if damaged or disturbed during repairs
2. Not fixed within the above timeframe? Write to your landlord reminding them about the issue and state that you will make a Code complaint if it is not resolved.
3. If you’re not happy with the response, or you don’t receive one - let Unipol know. Don’t forget to provide supporting evidence (emails / photographs).
If you are not sure if you are ready to make a complaint and would just like some informal advice please get in touch with our Code Complaints Investigator, Victoria Peckitt with your name, property address and a brief outline of the problem.
4. We will review your complaint and get in touch to let you know what we can do to help. We can with your permission contact the landlord on your behalf and ask for a response / repairs to be completed. When we write to the landlord we give them seven working days to respond. If we’re concerned about the standards of the property itself, we’ll carry out an inspection.
5. We will work with you and your landlord to resolve the complaint, and any breaches of the Code. If this is not possible, your complaint may be referred to a Code Tribunal.
Who Can Complain?
The complaints procedure is not just for current tenants; you can submit a complaint if you fit into any of these categories:
- A tenant of the property concerned (or a representative with written authority from the tenant)
- An ex-tenant of that property(or a representative with written authority from the tenant)
- A member of the community with access to the Code
- A member representing the Local Authority in which the landlord or property is based
- A member representing the University or Students’ Union, sitting as a stakeholder within the relevant Unipol Sub-Committee
- The Company Secretary of Unipol Student Homes
If you would like to check if you are able to make a complaint please get in touch.
Code Complaint FAQs
Have another question? Take a look at our