Manchester Student Homes has created a new stream of accredita on specifically designed to work with Le ng Agents in Greater Manchester. Due to the diversifying and growing private rented sector within Manchester we have recognised a need to develop the types of accredita on currently on offer to Students through Manchester Student Homes.
Furthermore Manchester Student Homes is facing an increasingly buoyant student market with a growth in the numbers of students using our service to seek accommoda on. This academic year we have seen a record with a marked increase in the amounts of students u lising our services. The website has seen a spike in traffic with the following sta s cs reported year by year:
(up to 15 September 2023)
In order to meet this increased demand we want to expand accredita on to ensure student demand is met with good quality accommoda on and a reliable service. There is also growing trend for student renters to look in the City Centre and other ‘non-tradi onal’ student areas such as Hulme and East Manchester. We are opening our doors to expand our accredita on to include further reaching Agents who can offer our students a more diversified range of accommoda on.
We have now created a new accredita on that is geared towards Le ng Agents rather than individual proper es or landlords. Our Agent Accredita on comes complete with a specially designed Agent Code and bespoke Agent page on the website.
This document will provide you with all the informa on you need to know about joining the only University-run housing service for student living off campus. We hope to welcome you into the academic community and together build a stronger and sustainable private sector which is mutually beneficial to both Students and Landlords.
The benefits you will receive on becoming a Manchester Student Homes Accredited Agent are as follows:
· Access to adver se your Agency to one of the largest student popula ons with unlimited presence within the following partner Ins tu ons:
¨ The University of Manchester
¨ Manchester Metropolitan University
¨ The University of Salford
¨ UCEN
¨ BIMM University
¨ BPP University
· Access to support, media on, advice and guidance on any housing or tenancy issues.
· Access to support from the Off Campus Student Affairs Officer and the Good Neighbours Team including management of ASB.
· A dedicated space on the Manchester Student Homes website to promote your Agency and brand and the func onality to make your agency searchable on the Manchester Student Homes website.
· Inclusion and access to any housing events or fairs within the Universi es or associated colleges including a specialist Agency Fair at the Universi es at peak house hun ng season.
· Inclusion to the wider partnership network at Manchester Student Homes such as GMP, MCC, MF&RS as well as a chance to join our Landlord Working Party.
· Opportunity to a end any training sessions, mee ng, forums or conferences held by Manchester Student Homes.
· Use of Manchester Student Homes Accredited logo and cer ficates.
· Eligibility to apply for the Interna onal Friendly Standard and use of logo.
· Opportunity to be included in any Manchester Student Homes marke ng material.
· Regular updates and communica ons on important issues affec ng the student sector.
How your Agency will be adver sed through Manchester Student Homes
Upon registering as an Accredited Agent you will be given a bespoke sec on on the Manchester Student Homes website. The following screenshots give an indica on of what the pages will look like:
There will be a lis ng under the ‘Accredited Agent’ sec on, by clicking on the ink it will take you through to the below page, where your company logo will be displayed along with contact details and informa on on the type of proper es you have.in your por olio.
This page is bespoke to you, but, as a minimum, should contain your contact details, a descrip on of your services and a number of images. We will require the pantone code to ensure your colours are displayed accurately. The web link should go directly to your business website.
In conjunc on with our web developers, we will are also aiming to provide a searchable advert under the main property search on the website. The proposal is that students searching for proper es will be able to select ‘Agent’ under Accredita on Type. The following screenshot is an indica on of the search results page, once ‘Agent’ is selected:
It should be noted that all Agents registered will appear in a list and will be sorted according to the cheapest weekly rental. Should a user wish to browse further, they would click the ‘details’ bu on and the following page would display:
This page would display any images you wish to use, the number of proper es and the range of rent as well as your contact details. Please note that the searchable aspect of the adver sing is under development and may not look exactly as above.
Agents will be invited to a end and take part in addi onal adver sing opportuni es throughout the academic year that may include but not be limited to the following:
· Accommoda on fairs within the Universi es
· Inclusion into accommoda on guides and other promo onal materials
· Addi onal banner adverts
· Addi onal window adverts in office
· Sponsorship of MSH community ac vi es
Manchester Student Homes as the only University led housing service is included on all the partner Ins tu ons websites and prospectuses sent directly to prospec ve students, returning students, home students and interna onal students. We are the only off campus housing service that has a endance at the Universi es and Colleges open days and we work closely with the internal departments to secure a range of housing op ons for our students. In joining the Manchester Student Homes Agent Accredita on you will have the opportunity to be represented on an unparalleled level to the Student community.
How to Accredit your Agency
Included in this pack is a copy of our Agent Accredita on Code and a Code Declara on form as well as some terms and condi ons. Please read our Code and feel free to ask us any ques ons you may have, we want you to be comfortable and happy about becoming an Accredited Agent and we treat all our accredited members as partners, so we are happy to discuss any elements of accredita on with you.
Once you are happy and have signed the forms and returned them to us, they will be checked by our dedicated Housing Caseworker and pending payment you will be accredited to Manchester Student Homes. The administra on and adver sing team will then be in touch with you to discuss your adver sing requirements and ensure you get the best advert possible. We will provide you with an Accredited Agent cer ficate and logo for your use.
Throughout the year we will be in touch to discuss addi onal adver sing and marke ng opportuni es and we will be on hand at all mes to offer support, advice and guidance as well as providing you with relevant updates and news on the student sector.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Manchester Student Homes Accredita on Scheme and the Universi es network.
If you wish to discuss any of the above with us in more details please contact us on 0161 275 7680 or by email manchesterstudenthomes@manchester.ac.uk
MSH Pod
University of Manchester’s Students’ Union Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PR
Telephone: 0161 275 7680
Email: manchesterstudenthomes@manchester.ac.uk
Website: www.manchesterstudenthomes.com
www.facebook.com/ManchesterStudentHomes
@Man_Student_Hme
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