Our Requirements
Our property management scheme (University Leased Houses) is popular with students, who consider The University of Manchester a world class institution and a trustworthy landlord. To maintain the scheme’s excellent profile and to safeguard the welfare of our tenants and improve standards in Manchester, we ask that properties accepted on the scheme meet all of the requirements below.
General
- Vacant possession must be guaranteed.
- Properties must comply with all applicable legislation and regulations.
- Mortgage holders must provide proof of permission to rent from their mortgagor.
- Properties must be covered by landlord’s insurance and insurance policies must note the University’s interest.
Security
- The house should be fitted with 5 lever mortise locks on all external doors (with
the exception of the final exit door which needs to be fitted with a thumb
turn lock) and wood to wood window locks on all ground floor windows and any
first floor windows
where access could be gained (e.g. via the roof of an extension). - A burglar alarm should be provided to all houses and ground floor flats. A panic button fitted next to the front door is recommended.
- We recommend that all external doors are of solid core construction: the
front door should have a secure door chain and door viewer and the rear door
should have
mortise security dead bolts. Glass partitions should be of laminated or wired glass.
Where locks are fitted to bedroom doors, these also need to be thumb turn locks. - All gates must be of solid construction and must be securely bolted and padlocked.
- The provision of security lighting to the rear of the property is recommended.
Fire Safety
- The property must be provided with a mains interlinked fire detection system, which complies with BS 5839, before the property is let. The fire detection system should be maintained on an annual basis.
- Each kitchen should be fitted with a fire blanket manufactured to BS EN3: 1996 and a minimum of one 2kg dry powder or carbon dioxide fire extinguisher manufactured to BS EN3: 1996.
- All exit routes within a property, such as hallways, landings and staircases, must be maintained safe, unobstructed and free of fixtures and fittings to enable evacuation of the property in the event of fire.
- Kitchen and bedroom doors should be provided with quality assured, closely fitting half hour fire doors fitted with an overhead hydraulic self closer. Each door must be fitted with intumescent strips and cold seal smoke seals. Existing fire doors fitted without intumescent strips with cold smoke seals would be acceptable provided that the frame is fitted with a 25mm minimum door stop.
Environmental Health
- Houses need to have one toilet, one washbasin and either one bath or one shower for every 4 residents. For properties for 5-8 residents, two of each facility is required.
- For kitchens, there should be one cooker and one sink for every 4 residents and sufficient storage space.
Electrical Safety
- You are responsible for ensuring that installations for the supply of electricity are maintained in repair, good condition and proper working order.
- You will therefore need to ensure that all electrical installations are certified as safe by an approved electrician, in accordance with the current edition of Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) wiring Regulations and that a verification document is issued to you every five years. This document, usually a safety certificate, should be kept as a record and be made available for inspection on request by the University.
- Any repairs or improvements must be in accordance with the current IEE Wiring Regulations and must be carried out by an approved contractor.
Gas Safety
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, require a private landlord to:
- Maintain all gas fittings/appliances and flues in a safe condition at all times. (All maintenance work must be carried out by a CORGI registered engineer).
- Ensure that an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance/flue and ensure that these checks have been carried out before any tenancy starts. (All safety checks must be carried out by a CORGI registered engineer).
- Keep a record of the dates of inspection and of any defects identified and any remedial action taken. (These records must be kept for two years).
- Ensure that records and all certificates are available for inspection by the tenant at the start of the tenancy and on request.
- Supply a copy of the safety check record to the tenant within twenty eight days of the check being completed.
- Not assume that an annual service inspection meets the safety check requirements or that a safety check will be sufficient to provide effective maintenance.
- Take all reasonable steps to gain access to the premises for the purposes of carrying out a safety check and the effective maintenance of each gas appliance/flue.
- To keep a record of the steps taken.
For more advice, ring:
The HSE Gas Safety Advice Line on: 0800 300 363
Soft Furnishings
We ask that you are aware of The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989 and 1993).
Upholstered furniture supplied in new tenancies with a starting date of after January 1997 must comply with the regulations. (Furniture which can be proved to have been constructed prior to 1950 is exempt).
Examples of such furniture are:
- Sofas and upholstered easy chairs
- Beds, headboards, mattresses
- Sofa-beds, futons
- Scatter cushions and seat pads
- Pillows
The regulations also apply to loose and stretch covers for furniture.
(They do not apply to curtains, carpets, bed-clothes, however, such items are
covered by other regulations. Check with your supplier before you purchase)
All new furniture must be manufactured to comply with these regulations and must carry the appropriate labels.
Fixtures and Fittings
As a minimum, your property should have:
- Light bulbs & shades throughout
- A secure banister rail and well-fitted stair carpet
- Fitted carpets in all areas except bathroom and kitchen where a washable floor covering is required
- Vacuum cleaner
- Curtains or blinds throughout with net curtains also in the lounge and downstairs bedrooms
- Telephone point in the lounge or hallway
- Plumbing for a washing machine or washing facilities
- Humidity extractor fans in kitchen and bathroom
- Notice board in kitchen or hallway
The following requirements are specific to the type of property you want to let with us, whether it is for a group of students or a family.
Groups
Gas central heating or Economy 7 heaters throughout
Each bedroom should have:
- A Minimum 3’ bed base and mattress
- 1 chest of drawers
- 1 wardrobe
- 1 desk/table and desk chair
- 1 waste paper bin
- 1 bookcase or bookshelves
The living room should have:
- Dining table and chairs if not in kitchen
- Sofa and easy chairs
- TV aerial point and TV stand
- 1 coffee table
The kitchen should have:
- Cooker (secured to the wall if it is free standing)
- Fridge/freezer or two separate appliances
- Fitted cupboards
- Waste bin
- 1 fire blanket (affixed to wall near cooker)
- 1 fire extinguisher
- Broom, dustpan and brush
- Washable floor covering
- Dining table and chairs (if not in living room)
The bathroom(s) should have:
- 1 WC and washbasin to every 5 students
- 1 shower which can be fitted over the bath, with shower curtain and rail
- Toilet brush and holder
- Toilet roll holder and towel rail
- Mirror and shelf
- Waste bin
- Washable floor covering
Family houses
Gas central heating or Economy 7 heaters throughout
Each bedroom should have:
- A minimum 3’ bed base and mattress for a single bedroom or a 4’6” bed base and mattress for a double bedroom
- 1 chest of drawers
- 1 wardrobe
- 1 waste paper bin
One of the bedrooms should also have:
- 1 bookcase or bookshelves
- 1 desk/table and desk chair
The living room should have:
- Dining table and chairs if not in kitchen
- Sofa and easy chairs
- TV aerial point and TV stand
- 1 coffee table
The kitchen should have:
- Fridge/freezer or two separate appliances
- Cooker (if free standing it must be secured to the wall)
- 1 fire blanket (affixed to wall near cooker)
- 1 fire extinguisher
- Broom, dustpan and brush
- Washable floor covering
- Fitted cupboards
- Dining table and chairs (if not in living room)
- 1 waste bin
The bathroom(s) should have:
- 1 shower which can be fitted over the bath, with shower curtain and rail
- 1 WC and washbasin
- Lavatory brush and holder
- Toilet roll holder and towel rail
- Mirror
- Waste bin
- Washable floor covering
Optional items
The following are optional for either type of house but may make your property more attractive to prospective tenants:
- Microwave
- Washing Machine
- Tumble Drier
- Double Glazing
- Provision of an internet connection in all bedrooms
- Portable dehumidifiers
Recommendations
We recommend that the following should also be considered:
- Provision of prepayment gas and electric meters ( you would need to provide instructions on how to obtain a supply).
- A hard floor surface and half height boarding or lamination to decorated walls in the hallway.
- A personal visit from you or your agent at the start of the tenancy.
