The Build to Rent Code of Practice, the Association for Rental Living-led initiative delivered in response to requests from its membership and wider stakeholder groups, has entered a new consultation phase.
First launched in March 2024 for road testing by Association for Rental Living members, the Build to Rent Code of Practice has received universal endorsement of its seven principles and rationale.
The Code of Practice aims to elevate standards across the Build to Rent sector, establishing a social contract with consumers and building trust with all stakeholders, including the public sector. It defines a new benchmark for service, quality, sustainability, security and good governance across Build to Rent, demonstrating the standards and culture of the sector to government, policymakers and local authorities, as well as other stakeholders.
The road testing of the Code of Practice has resulted in a number of amendments to the document, all focused on making its principles even more robust. Those principles are designed to embed fairness, professionalism, quality, sustainability, community, transparency and responsibility across the Build to Rent sector.
With more than 50 Association for Rental Living member organisations already having contributed their feedback, the Code of Practice is now open for consultation with the wider rental living sector and stakeholder groups. Feedback is invited until 31st March 2025.
The consultation phase will engage government, policymakers and consumer groups for their views on how the Build to Rent Code of Practice will meet the aims it sets out to achieve, while also garnering support and advocacy for its future implementation. One key development being shared as part of the consultation is the inclusion of a Build to Rent Customer Charter.
Devised by the sector, the Customer Charter lays out the Build to Rent sector’s commitment to affording every resident respect, fairness, security and transparency. It spans rents and affordability, security, housing standards, sustainability, liveability, consumer standards and transparency.
“As the membership body for all institutionally backed, professionally managed purpose-built rental living sectors, we are delighted to support the Build to Rent Code of Practice and Customer Charter to progress to this broader consultation phase," said Brendan Geraghty, CEO, Association for Rental Living, "The principles of the documents highlight the robustness and quality of the Build to Rent sector, particularly in how residents are treated, the community-creation that is at the heart of the sector, the approach to climate change and the quality of design and product that Build to Rent showcases.”
Alongside this consultation process for the Code of Practice and Customer Charter, the Association for Rental Living will be developing a monitoring approach to ensure adherence to the documents’ principles.
