The University of Warwick Students' Union is pleased to announce the winners of the Rate Your Landlord awards which recognises the best landlords in the Coventry and Warwick areas who provide quality accommodation to students.

Rate Your Landlord is a partnership between the University of Warwick Students’ Union, Leeds University Union and Unipol Student Homes.

Every year, students are invited to rate their renting experiences by leaving an online review about their student accommodation, for future student tenants to learn from their experiences.

Students rate their experiences of:

• The signing and letting process
• Customer service
• Efficiency of repairs
• Safety and security
• Value for money
• Whether the house feels like a home
• The moving out process
• Deposit handling
  
  

The winners were chosen by students at the University of Warwick based on their excellent ratings and feedback from their tenants, and include Warwick Accommodation, Cryfield, as the winner for best purpose-built accommodation.

Adele Brown, Director of Student Experience at the University of Warwick said: “At the University of Warwick, we recognise the importance of good student landlords in providing a positive and safe living environment for our students.

“We congratulate the winners of the awards and encourage all landlords to strive towards the high standards set by them.”

Five Tips for being a great student landlord

According to this year’s winners of the Rate your Landlord awards, the key to being a top student landlord is to be attentive to your tenants' needs, communicate effectively, and provide a safe and comfortable living environment.

A good student landlord should:

1. Communicate openly

Rate Your Landlord’s Landlord of the Year, Terry Hudson, Charming Estates Ltd, said “Every student house should have a WhatsApp group chat for the house. Most students use WhatsApp and it’s a very good communication method that allows Students and Landlords to effectively communicate. And, information about what should and shouldn’t be put in the bins. I’ve gradually come to the conclusion that bins are invisible to students.”

2. Learn from their own experiences:

Happy Rooms CEO, winner of Best Landlord and Best Managing Agent, who is also a Warwick Alumni, said: “I had plenty of experiences living in private, rented accommodation, most of which were not so good, which was not ideal for my studies. Therefore, we try to do our best to provide top quality and home-like accommodation, fair and transparent processes and be responsible in communications so that students can focus on what’s important.”

3. “Run a property that they’d be happy for their own children to live in,” advises landlord Mark Evans, winner of 1 property category and runner up for Landlord of The Year.

4. Understand that it’s more than renting a room

Thomas Bush from AXO Student Living said: “It means a lot more than simply providing a room. For many students, this is their first time away from home and often they don’t know anyone in the city. It’s really important that as landlords, we make those initial weeks as welcoming and enjoyable as they can be to help them feel at home as soon as possible.”

5. Welcome feedback

Cat from Earlsdon Student Homes, Landlord of the Year runner up, said: “Challenges are only problems that don’t yet have a solution, we work with our tenants to find a solution. Hopefully Rate your Landlord will provide students with reassurance you are in a safe pair of hands with us.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:
University of Warwick press office contact: 
Bron Mills
Communications Officer | Press & Media Relations
Email: bron.mills@warwick.ac.uk 
Phone: 07824 540720

The 'Rate Your Landlord' awards covers all landlords in Coventry and Warwick district, and nominations can be submitted by their student tenants on the 'Rate Your Landlord' website. The winners will be chosen based on the ratings and feedback provided by their tenants.
More information can be found at rateyourlandlord.org.uk.

Full list of winners 2023:

Best Landlord for:
10+ Property reviews (Accommodation provider has received reviews on at least 10 properties on Rate Your Landlord)
Winner, Happy Rooms
Runners Up, Ann Jones & Handles Property

2-9 Property reviews (Accommodation provider has received reviews on between 2 and 9 properties on Rate Your Landlord)
Winner, Sandeep Mohindra
Runners Up, Earlsdon Student Homes & Gerry Cocannon & Terry Hudson - Charming Estates

1 Property Review (Accommodation provider has received reviews on 1 property on Rate Your Landlord
Winner, Mark Evans
Runners Up, Hardeep Aujla & Homemaker Properties

Best Purpose Build Student Accommodation Provider
Winner, Unite Student (Coventry)
Runners Up, AXO Student Living (Sherborne) & Warwick University Accommodation

Best Purpose Built Building
Winner, Cryfield (Warwick Accommodation)
Runners Up, Arthur Vick (Warwick Accommodation) & Tocil (Warwick Accommodation) & Queens Park House

Most Improved Landlord
Winner, Student Homes
Runners Up, Warwick University Accommodation & Unite Student (Coventry)

Best Managing Agent
Winner, Happy Rooms
Runners Up, Earlsdon Student Homes

Landlord Of The Year
Winner, Terry Hudson
Runners Up, Earlsdon Student Homes & Mark Evans