House Categories

CATEGORY A HOUSES

Houses occupied as individual rooms, where there is some exclusive occupation (usually bedroom/living room) and some sharing of amenities (e.g. bathroom and/or toilet and/or kitchen). Each occupant lives otherwise independently of others.

Space Standards

One person units of accommodation

one room units:-
13m² including kitchen facilities
10m² where provided with a separate shared kitchen
two or more roomed units:-
each living room/kitchen 11m²
each living room 9m²
each bedroom 7m²

Two or more person units of accommodation

one room units are not normally suitable for persons who are not a married couple or co-habitees. In other cases for two persons only, not less than 20m²
two or more roomed units:-
each living room/kitchen 15m²
each living room 12m²
each living/bedroom 14m²
each bedroom 11m²

Separate kitchens, whether shared or used exclusively in connection with a particular single tenancy shall be of sufficient size for their purpose, with the following minimum.

used by 1 - 3 persons 5m²
used by 4 persons 6m²
used by 5 persons 7m²

Dining/Kitchens

used by 1 - 3 persons 10m²
used by 4 - 5 persons 12m²

No staircase or landing, nor any room which has been appointed as a kitchen or bathroom, shall be deemed suitable for sleeping accommodation.

CATEGORY B HOUSES

Houses occupied on a shared basis. These would normally be occupied by members of a defined social group, e.g. students or a group of young single adults. The occupiers each enjoy exclusive use of a bedroom but would share other facilities including a communal living room which is not a kitchen.

The anticipated duration of the occupancy will often be finite and occupiers may spend periods of it (e.g. vacations) away. Numbers of occupiers above about five are probably more suggestive of Category A accommodation.

Space Standards

One person units of accommodation

each bedroom/study: 10m² except where a separate living room is provided which is not a kitchen/dining room, in which case the bedroom shall be 7m²

Two or more person units of accommodation

each bedroom/study: 15m² except where a separate living room is provided which is not a kitchen/dining room, in which case the bedroom shall be 11m²

Note: in no case shall a bedroom be occupied by more than two persons.

Shared Rooms

kitchens shall be of suitable size. The following is a guide:

used by 1-3 persons 5m²
used by 4 persons 6m²
used by 5 persons 7m²

Note - the above are minimum space standards based on optimum shape and layout. In practice, it may be necessary to have a larger rooms to ensure there is sufficient space to fit in all the facilities required and provide a circulation area which permits safe use of the kitchen for the number of users.

Dining/Kitchens

used by 1-3 persons 10m²
used by 4-5 persons 12m²
Living rooms and Dining rooms

used by 1-3 persons 9m²
used by 4-5 persons 12m²

CATEGORY C HOUSES

Houses with some degree of shared facilities, occupied by people whose accommodation is ancillary to their employment or education and is made available through their employer or in connection with a recognised educational establishment. Occupancy has more permanence than Category B accommodation.

Space Standard

All bedrooms to be as follows:-
1 person 7m²
2 persons 11m²

More space may be required where a bedroom is used also as a study, or where there is no common room in addition.

No bedroom shall be used by more than two persons, irrespective of its total floor area.

CATEGORY D HOUSES

Houses generally referred to as "hostels" and "bed-and-breakfast hotels' or the like. These will provide accommodation for people with no other permanent place of residence, as distinct from hotels which provide accommodation for temporary visitors to an area. This category would include establishments used by local authorities to house homeless families, pending permanent placement, and similar establishments which provide accommodation for people who would otherwise be homeless.

It also includes bonafide hotels and boarding houses used for such purposes, even on a casual basis, and hotels housing a mixture of homeless households and visitors.

Space Standards

General needs accommodation

Rooms shall not be shared by people who are not from the same family unless the individuals concerned consent to share the room.

No persons over the age of 12 years and of opposite sexes shall be required to sleep in the same room unless they are co-habitees.

In the case of bonafide hotels and boarding houses providing 'family rooms' no room shall be occupied by more than five persons being of the same family.

Bedrooms

where cooking facilities are provided in a separate room/kitchen:-

(Where Children are defined as follows:-

Up to 1 year - Nil
Up to 10 years - ½ person
10+ years - 1 person)

1 person 7m²
2 persons 9m²
3 persons 12m²
4 persons 17m²
5 persons 22m²

where cooking facilities are provided within the room:-

1 person 10m²
2 persons 14m²
3 persons 19m²
4 persons 23m²
5 persons 28m²

Common rooms

A common room shall be provided of minimum size 15m² Additional space for 15+ people shall be at the rate of 1m² per extra person.

Long-stay hostels

The type of accommodation envisaged here will generally be quite small, often warden-assisted and, perhaps, intended for people with disabilities or for rehabilitation purposes.

In no case should a bedroom be occupied by more than two persons and rooms shall not be shared unless the individuals concerned consent to share. In any event, no persons above the age of 12 and of opposite sexes shall be required to sleep in the same room unless they are cohabitees.

Bedrooms

1 person 7m²
2 persons 11m²

Common rooms

A common room shall be provided of minimum size 15m². Additional space for 15+ people shall be at the rate of 1m² per extra person.

CATEGORY E HOUSES

Houses which require registration under the Registered Homes Act 1984, as amended, providing both board and personal care for persons in need of it by reason of old age, disability, past or present drug or alcohol dependence or past or present mental disorder.

Registered (care) homes have increased considerably in number since the advent of "community care" policies. Many thousands of such premises now exist in both the public and, increasingly, the private sector. They are diverse in size and nature and cater for a wide range of clients, the common characteristic of whom is their need for personal care.

These premises are subject to by registration and inspection by authorities such as Social Services and to regulation according to the Registered Care Homes Regulations 1984. These specify standards which not only cover the physical environment pertinent to the care of the client (including standards for amenities) but requirements too for management systems, including provisions for record-keeping, complaints procedures, etc. Means of escape in case of fire are also dealt with by registration authorities after consultation with the fire authority. Guidance on standards for these houses is available from the Social Services Department. Notwithstanding this, the following minimum standards shall apply.

CATEGORY F HOUSES

Most houses or other buildings, which, by erection or conversion, comprise dwellings which are self-contained, all such dwellings comprising accommodation to which access is had via a single "front door" from any common area. Such dwellings would normally contain all the standard amenities but where any might not - and be in an "unimproved" state - there would nevertheless be no sharing of amenities with the occupiers of neighbouring dwellings.

Space Standard

While Part X of the Housing Act 1985 currently applies to individual self-contained flats as the statutory minimum standard, the following scale is to be achieved where practicable:-

Minimum floor areas for conversion of existing buildings into self-contained flats

One-person, flatlet with separate kitchen

Living/bedroom 14m²
Kitchen 6m²
Total habitable floor area 20m²

One-person, flatlet with separate bedroom

Bedroom 7m²
Kitchen/Living room 15m²
Total habitable floor area 22m²

One person, four roomed flat

Bedroom 7m²
Living room 12m²
Kitchen 6m²
Total habitable floor area 25m²

Two-person, one bedroom flat

Bedroom 11m²
Living room 13m²
Kitchen 6m²
Bathroom 3m²
Total habitable floor area 33m²

Further space standards for conversion of existing building

Three-person, two-bedroom flat

Main bedroom (not more than 2 persons) 10m²
Second bedroom (single person) 7m²
Living room 16m²
Kitchen 7m²
Total habitable floor area 40m²

Four-person, three-bedroom flat

Main bedroom (not more than 2 persons) 10m²
Second bedroom (single person) 7m²
Living room 18m²
Kitchen 7m²
Total habitable floor area 49m²

For a two-bedroom, four-person flat, the bedroom floor space must comply with the main bedroom criteria.

All bedrooms and living rooms are to be directly accessible from a common access lobby and not from another room.

Flats provided with more than one bedroom should provide bedrooms of minimum sizes in accordance with the relevant provisions above. In all cases, "habitable floor area" is the usable floor area of any room used as a bedroom, living room or kitchen. It does not include the area of any bathroom, staircase, passageway, landing or access lobby.