The standards set out in Statutory Instrument 2006 No 373,
schedule 3 stipulate the following:
- An adequate means of space heating must be provided in each
letting and in bathrooms, whether shared or not
- Kitchens and bathrooms must be adequately ventilated, including
extractor fans in kitchens
- Kitchens, bathrooms and toilets must be of adequate size and
layout and be suitably located in the HMO in relation to the
lettings
- All baths, showers, wash hand basins and sinks must be fitted
with taps supplying cold water and a constant supply of hot
water
- For up to 4 occupiers, there must be at least one bathroom and
toilet (which can be in the bathroom). This has been amended by
Statutory Instrument 2007 No 1903 to say that there must be an
adequate number of bathrooms, toilets and wash hand basins for
personal washing for the number of persons sharing those
facilities, and where reasonably practicable there must be a wash
hand basin with appropriate splash back in each unit.
- For five or more occupiers, there must be at least one bathroom
for every 5 sharers, and a separate toilet for every 5 sharers.
This has been amended by Statutory Instrument 2007 No 1903 to say
that there must be an adequate number of bathrooms, toilets and
wash hand basins for personal washing for the number of persons
sharing those facilities, and where reasonably practicable there
must be a wash hand basin with appropriate splash back in each
unit.
- Adequate size and layout kitchen for the number of sharers,
containing sinks with draining boards, cooking equipment, worktops,
storage cupboards, for food and crockery and utensils,
fridge/freezers (combined or separate), and electrical sockets
- Adequate refuse disposal facilities
- Adequate fire precautions including fire doors and fire
blankets as appropriate
We use a set of recommended standards which will satisfy these
legal requirements. Officers will also assess the property against
the Housing
Health and Safety Rating System and will take the
appropriate enforcement action to ensure any deficiencies are
rectified.
Heating
The normally accepted standard is a central heating system
(preferably gas fired), or fixed heaters (electric heaters should
be hard wired, not plugged into the room sockets). Portable
electric fires, convector heaters or oil filled radiators, gas
cylinder powered heaters or paraffin heaters are not
acceptable.
Space
Letting rooms should be not less than 10m2 for a single letting,
which can be reduced to 7m2, if there is a communal lounge. Double
rooms should be 15m2 and 11m2 respectively.
Natural light and ventilation
Clear glazing equivalent in area to 10% of the floor area of the
room should be provided in each letting. Openable windows
equivalent in area to 5% of the floor area of the room should be
provided in each letting. Doors to open air cannot be included in
the reckoning.
Fire Safety
Fire safety provisions and equipment should be provided as
appropriate to the accommodation in line with the fire safety in houses
recommendations.
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