SUNDERLAND’S INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION as a leading University city has been boosted with regional awards for student accommodation.
The annual North East Student Housing Awards launched in 2015, recognise and celebrate those landlords providing students with top quality housing.
Finalists from Sunderland in the regional awards, included members of the city’s Accredited Landlords scheme.
For the second consecutive year BedeBrooke won in the ‘Small Student Landlords’ category, and the University of Sunderland’s Scotia Quays Halls in Residence for ‘Student Hall of the Year’.
The founder of the NESHA housing awards is Paul Allison who used to be a student in Sunderland, and recognises the positive effect quality accommodation can have on student life in the region’s University cities for the tens of thousands of young people from around the world who call them home while they are studying here.
Members of the judging panel invited by the awards organisers to share their accredited, specialist knowledge and experience of improving the student and private rented sector, include representatives from Sunderland City Council and other public and private sector housing and accommodation teams.
Sunderland City Council works extensively with private landlords, large and small, providing practical help and support to improve and maintain high standards of accommodation with 1,340 accredited properties and 196 accredited landlords with numbers continuing to grow.
Portfolio Holder for Health, Housing and Adult Services, Councillor Graeme Miller said: “Firstly I’d like to congratulate BedeBrooke and the University of Sunderland for being finalists in the NESHA awards, and secondly to encourage more private landlords to come forward to enter the awards next year.
“As a city we work hard with housing partners to make sure students have access to high quality accommodation, and these awards recognise landlords’ contribution to this continual process.”
Paul Allison, housing specialist and student housing magazine publisher, said: “These awards provide recognition for the hard work and innovation in student housing and accommodation, with more and more private landlords going ‘above and beyond’ statutory housing legislation.
“The standards of entries in these annual awards gets higher ever year, which is helping encourage even more people to improve their rental properties.”
Categories in The North East Student Housing Awards include; Small Student Landlord of the Year; Student Property Manager of the Year; Student Landlord of the Year; Student Letting Agent of the Year; North East Student Letting Agent of the Year; Student Lettings Negotiator of the Year; Student Hall of the Year; Student Tenant of the Year; and Innovation and Environmental Impact Award.
Philip Shaw from BedeBrooke said: “As a small student landlord it is fantastic achievement to be recognised by our peers and our students for the services we provide. We are proud of the award, which has made us even more determined to help raise and maintain standards.
Accommodation Services Manager at the University of Sunderland Denise Ridley added: “As a University city we all work hard to provide high quality, safe and secure accommodation for all our students.
“ The NESHA awards help reinforce the message to students that the standards of housing they need and expect are being met and even exceeded here in Sunderland.”