Student rented accommodation provider Unite Group has agreed to change a ‘misleading statement’ on its website after a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority.

The ASA received a complaint about a page on the Unite website that advised students to contact the Housing Ombudsman if they had concerns about their rental home.

The complainant challenged this statement as Unite wasn’t signed up to the Ombudsman service.

After being approached by the ASA, Unite agreed to change the wording on its website, and the issue was resolved.

Misleading

A spokesperson for the ASA told The Neg: “We received a complaint about a page on the Unite Students website which implied that students could contact the Housing Ombudsman if they had concerns about the building safety of student accommodation operated by Unite Students.

“The complainant, who understood that Unite Students weren’t signed up with the Housing Ombudsman, challenged whether this was misleading.

“We approached the advertiser about the concerns that had been raised and they agreed to amend the claim without being subject to a formal ruling. On that basis we resolved the case informally.”

Censured

Earlier this year, NW of England agency Town & Country also reached an informal agreement with the ASA after a complaint about one of its ads.

The ASA had received a complaint that a property was advertised on Rightmove as freehold when it was in fact leasehold.

And the ASA censured Gascoigne Halman over a direct mailing leaflet which featured a property it suggested was on the market when it was not.

The complainant was said to be upset at having their property appearing in the direct mail as it was not even for sale at the time, and they wanted it taken off the agency’s database.