This section of our Housing Hub aims to support your understanding of standards in the student housing market – what they should be, where you can go for help and how to have your say on them.

Rate Your Landlord

Durham Students' Union are working with Unipol, a not-for-profit student charity with a focus on making student renting safer, easier and more affordable.

Rate Your Landlord enables students at Durham University to rate 8 areas of their renting experience – from the signing and letting process all the way through to moving out. Any student, regardless of where they rented (with the University, or with another provider) can use the platform and there is also the option to add a short (140 character) review. Landlords can reply to reviews and the whole process is supported and moderated by Unipol.

We encourage all our students to consider using Rate Your Landlord as a way to champion good landlords and praise good practice, and to highlight any issues they experienced and how these were resolved. A good mixture of reviews will assist future students to make informed housing choices.

Students can access Rate Your Landlord here.

Student Housing Surveys

Although it may feel onerous to complete surveys about your student housing experience we encourage all our students to take time to complete them. The University, Durham Students' Union and Durham County Council need detailed information from student renters to effect meaningful change, and raise standards for future students.

Annually, you will have the opportunity to complete the Durham Students’ Union Housing Survey towards the end of the academic year. This survey provides vital information on the student renting experience across the whole student housing market and helps us make informed decisions when targeting our resources, developing campaigns and communications etc.

Renters Rights Bill

New legislation, the Renters Rights Act, will come into effect in the 25/26 academic year.

In its current form, the Renters Rights Bill aims to transform the experience of private renting. In the case of housing standards, the bill aims to:

• improve tenant-landlord complaint resolution with the introduction of a private rented sector landlord ombudsman,
• provide renters with better information to make informed decisions when entering into a tenancy agreement with the creation of a Private Rented Sector Database,
• give renters safer homes by applying the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector, and,
• set clear legal expectations around landlord action where homes contain serious hazards by applying Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.

The government Guide to the Renters’ Rights Bill provides more information on this transformational change to the current system experienced by over 11 million private renters.

Safety & Standards

Housing standards in the private rented sector are governed by a legal framework which includes the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 .

How to rent a safe home is a government provided publication that will support you to understand your, and your landlord’s obligations, when it comes to renting a safe home.

There is also specific guidance available from the government on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the rented sector.

Local Authority Enforcement

Durham County Council, as the local authority here in Durham, has an important role in enforcing housing standards in the private rented sector.

Many student houses in the city, and other parts of the DH1 postcode area (where most students rent) are classed as Houses in Multiple Occupation. Student houses with 5 or more bedrooms are licensed by Durham County Council. Details of these properties can be viewed online in the House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing Register.

Student renters can complain to Durham County Council if their landlord is doing something wrong or if they are unhappy with their behaviour. An example might be that the landlord is not doing repairs that they are responsible for.

Durham County Council provides a simple way to report such issues through its Do It Online service, using the Private Landlord Repairs Referral form.

Sometimes, Durham County Council’s Environmental Health team will ask to carry out an inspection of your rented home as part of their duties. Their officers are experienced in conducting these inspections, and will always carry identification. If an initial visit is inconvenient, they will be able to make an appointment with you at a better time.