Landlord Accreditation Scheme

Oxford City Council's Landlord Accreditation Scheme is a voluntary scheme that private residential Landlords and Letting Agents are encouraged to join.

We have now launched the scheme following a consultation period and are promoting it to Landlords and Letting Agents across the City.

Aims of the scheme

The aims of the scheme are to improve the condition and management of the private rented sector in Oxford. We will encourage, acknowledge and actively promote good standards of privately rented accommodation with the aim of assisting Landlords, Letting Agents and tenants to undertake their respective responsibilities to each other.

We will be pleased to give guidance to Landlords and Letting Agents about the standards required by the scheme.

The scheme comprises an element of self-regulation and accordingly relies on a degree of goodwill and trust on the parts of Landlords, Letting Agents, tenants and the Local Authority.

The scheme applies to the private rented sector only and not to Local Authority owned or Housing Association properties where other Service Level Agreements apply.

It is a requirement of the scheme that:
(a)    the Landlord or Letting Agent is a 'Fit and Proper' person
(b)    the Landlord and a suitable representative of the Letting Agent attends a training course run by the Council
(c)    the physical condition of all the properties they own or manage meet minimum legal standards
(d)    that management practices are fair and reasonable and meet the management code of practice requirements
(e)    community relations are maintained

Compliance with the scheme will ensure that:

• Landlords, Letting Agents, tenants and local residents enjoy the benefits of good property conditions, competent management standards and considerate neighbourly behaviour;
• Misunderstandings and disputes are reduced;
• Where problems do occur they are promptly resolved.

How the scheme operates

On application, Landlords and Letting Agents will:

• Complete a form declaring their 'Fit and Proper' status
• Provide the Council with a list of properties they own and copies of the relevant safety certificates which will be held in strictest confidence by the Council. This requirement is relaxed for Letting Agents due to the number of premises they manage, however Letting Agents must agree that their records will be made available for inspection at any time by the Council,
• Ensure that all their properties meet the requirements of the Scheme and are not in a condition that is liable to be hazardous to the health and safety of tenants, visitors or members of the community;
• Provide access to properties for the Council to carry out random compliance checks.
• Be given a date for the next training course due to be held by the Council

Accredited Landlords and Letting Agents

On receipt of an application for accredited status, the Council will undertake a checking procedure to be satisfied, as far as is reasonably practicable, that the Landlord or Letting Agent is responsible, competent and suitable to be a member of the scheme.

The Council will run regular training courses involving a variety of agencies that Landlords and Letting Agents are required to attend.

Following successful checking, attendance at a training course owners will be awarded the status of accredited Landlord.

Some random property condition and management compliance checks will be undertaken by the Council to maintain the reputation of the scheme.

For those signatories complying with the scheme, the Council will provide a package of inducement benefits exclusively available to participating Landlords and designed to enhance their business and we aim to provide access to a range of Council Services.

All accredited Landlords and Letting Agents will be provided with a certificate and Letting Agents will also be provided with a sticker for their office window.

A list of accredited Landlords and Letting Agents can be found below:

Accredited Letting Agents - April 2012 (11kB PDF)
Accredited Landlords - April 2012 (7kB PDF)

Application Forms and Guidance

Guidance and Application forms can be downloaded below:

Oxford City Landlord Accreditation Scheme Guidance (1200kB PDF)
Agent Application Form - PDF (27kB PDF)
 Agent Application Form - Word (315kB DOC)
Landlord Application Form - PDF (27kB PDF)
Landlord Application Form - Word (315kB DOC)
Agent Fit and Proper Person Declaration - PDF (28kB PDF)
Agent Fit and Proper Person Declaration - Word (316kB DOC)
Landlord Fit and Proper Person Declaration - PDF (27kB PDF)
Landlord Fit and Proper Person Declaration - Word (315kB DOC)
Accredited Property Checklist - PDF (33kB PDF)
Accredited Property Checklist - Word (318kB DOC)

Contact Us

You can contact us using the details in the 'Contact Us' menu at the top of the page.

Telephone: 01865 252887
Email: Email Us
Address: Oxford City Council
Environmental Development
Oxford City Landlord Accreditation Scheme
St Aldate's Chambers,
109 St Aldate's,
Oxford, OX1 1DS

Page last reviewed 4 April 2012