Off Campus Management

February 2022: Off Campus Management Sent on behalf of the Manchester Student Partnership; Incorporating Manchester Student Homes on behalf of the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police.

At this time, the health and safety of our Manchester community continues to remain paramount. The Manchester Student Partnership are committed to supporting all residents’ on key off-campus issues. Below is a summary of activity that each of the partners is undertaking to proactively and reactively respond to issues in off campus communities.

The Role of the Partners is as follows: Noise & Anti-social Behaviour How to report noise (linked to student properties) Manchester City Council’s Licensing and Out of Hours Team are operating between the hours of 8am and 4.30am every night. All new cases need to be logged online, which you can do via this link and a Compliance Officer will make contact with you. Should you have an open case and wish to report ongoing noise nuisance please contact 0161 234 5004. This is a city wide service, although for any student related incidents, a full investigation will be undertaken by Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Police and Manchester Student Homes.

The team will endeavour to attend incidents if noise is ongoing and having a significant impact. All noise monitoring will be undertaken from the street or if you feel comfortable from inside your home.

Please be assured that Manchester Student Homes will be informed of any student related incidents by Manchester City Council. In real time, please do not report these directly to MSH. It is really important that the Council are made aware of noise related incidents as they are occurring in order that they can endeavour to respond quickly.

How to report Anti-Social Behaviour Please see as follows a web link for how to report, at Manchester City Council: https://secure.manchester.gov.uk/forms/form/102/report_anti_social_behaviour Examples of Anti-Social Behaviour which can be reported could include: • • • • •

hate crimes/hate incidents; use or threatened use of violence; repeated abusive language or behaviour; harassment; damage to property; or domestic abuse and violence.

Following all complaints relating to student properties, Manchester Student Homes cross reference these address on our landlord list. If the property is accredited, we can then work with the landlord to ensure appropriate messages are disseminated to student tenants. Manchester City Council will make contact with all landlords following a complaint.

More information about our Accreditation Scheme can be found here: our code of standards (manchesterstudenthomes.com) Following any complaints linked to students or specific addresses, please be assured that the partnership will work together to devise an action plan to follow up and engage with the individual(s) in a timely manner.

In the first instance, Manchester City Council will visit the property to engage with the tenants, and where appropriate take the necessary follow up action. Where there is evidence of persistent or extreme incidents, enforcement action will be taken, and the students will be referred to their place of study, by Manchester Student Homes for disciplinary proceedings.

For more information about how our partnership works: http://www.makingmanchestersafer.com/homepage/3/safety_advice_for_students Community Night Time Support Patrols The Universities are continuing to fund the Community Night Time Support Patrols. The Patrols will run for the full duration of September 2021 and thereafter every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights between 10pm - 6am. Officers are equipped with branded jackets, liveried vehicles and body cameras. Direct numbers of patrol officers will not be provided to residents. Please report any issues as highlighted above.

Transient Noise (street noise) Street noise can also be reported on the Manchester City Council website: https://secure.manchester.gov.uk/info/100006/environmental_problems/2956/tackle_a_noise_problem/5 Top 12 Streets As with previous years, the partnership is delivering a specific and targeted piece of work known as ‘The Top 12 Streets’. These are areas that have historically attracted the highest number of noise complaints linked to student properties, based on the complaints we receive. This is another reason why it is imperative to report any concerns via the correct channels, so we can allocate resources effectively. If you are a long-term resident living on one of the Top 12 Streets, you will have already received a letter outlining our approach at the start of the academic year. We also wrote to all student tenants on these streets to welcome them to the area, highlight expectations of behaviour and highlight reporting channels should they need support. This information is also provided to all landlords with student properties within the specified area.

The Top 12 Streets are: Amherst Road Brook Road Cawdor Road Clifton Avenue Derby Road Egerton Road Furness Road Granville Road Lombard Grove Victoria Road Wellington Road Whitby Road If any resident is made aware of a party being planned or a gathering due to take place, please contact myself or Manchester City Council, and we will coordinate an approach for intervention. After 5pm please contact the Out of Hours team on 0161 234 5004. This has previously proven to be successful in preventing incidents occurring.

Please be assured that our partnership works closely with local licenced premises and retail providers to manage off campus issues.

Safety Operation Student Safe 2021 is being delivered by Greater Manchester Police for the duration of the academic year, with additional patrols on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The focus of Operation Student Safe is to engage with all members of the community living in areas with a high density of students, to help serve, protect and educate on personal safety and property security as well as other crime related issues.

Any concerns from members of the community in relation to safety should be reported through to Greater Manchester Police via the channels highlighted above.

Please note that from 5pm Tuesday 7th September 2021, MSH Offices in Fallowfield will be closed.

Please be assured that all aspects of our service will continue to be delivered whether this be in terms of housing advice for students, our landlord accreditation scheme or off campus management. Members of our team will be based at the University of Manchester Students’ Union.

Waste and Recycling Messages continue to be to student landlords by Manchester City Council asking that they ensure that they have sufficient waste receptacles and bin collection dates displayed within their properties. The letter outlines landlord responsibilities under the terms of a HMO license to ensure there is sufficient information and facilities within the let to dispose of waste. There will be a further distribution of bin calendars and recycling

information to student properties and split recycling bags will be provided to assist students to recycle.

Properties will be door knocked to remind students how to dispose of waste correctly.

Neighbourhood Officers, including Compliance Officers, will be out and about in off campus areas to identify and investigate the build-up of waste in gardens, around containers and households not presenting their waste properly. Where households are not complying correctly, notices and fines can be issued.

The quickest and most effective way of ensuring that waste issues are investigated is by reporting incidents through the Councils website. Fly-tipping and improper presentation of waste, including the build-up of waste around containers, can be reported via the following link: https://secure.manchester.gov.uk/forms/form/1599/en/report_dumped_rubbish Manchester Student Homes’ Code of Standards has specific clauses relating to environmental matters, with which we expect accredited landlords and agents to comply with. We identify issues at properties via our Community Audits and also following direct reports. If you have concerns about these issues please do report to the Council, but also get in touch with the team so we can check to see if the property is accredited.

If you do not have access to the internet, please phone Manchester City Council’s Environmental Helpline on 0161 234 5004.

A few other points Please note that Manchester Student Homes runs a landlord accreditation scheme. Further details about Manchester Student Homes can be found here: www.manchesterstudenthomes.com. Please contact MSH if you have any concerns about student properties; the team will check to see if the property is accredited - and will liaise with the relevant partnership agencies. MSH continue to communicate with all our accredited landlords and agents on all aspects of off campus living and provided information for inclusion in tenant Welcome Packs relating to /noise/safety/housing/waste and recycling/signposting to support services.

The Universities have and will continue to issue specific communications to outlining behaviour.

expectations of

For more information about messages provided to students living off campus by the Universities please visit: Manchester Metropolitan University Safety · Manchester Metropolitan University (mmu.ac.uk) Student Code of Conduct · Manchester Metropolitan University (mmu.ac.uk) The University of Manchester www.manchester.ac.uk/covidstudentsafety https://www.manchester.ac.uk/collaborate/communities/promise/students-community/

Please note that our partnership is meeting regularly to review incidents relating to student activity and we will shape our responses to off campus management and communications in line with emergeing issues. You have our full commitement that we are doing all we can to respond in a timely and effective manner to any concerns raised