Article 2
Space standards for sleeping accommodation
| Floor Area of Room | Maximum No of Persons |
|---|---|
| Not less than 6.5 square metres | 1 person |
| Not less than 10.2 square metres | 2 persons |
| Not less than 14.9 square metres | 3 persons |
| Not less than 19.6 square metres | 4 persons |
| Floor area of room | Maximum No of Persons |
|---|---|
| Not less than 10.2 square metres | 1 person |
| Not less than 13.9 square metres | 2 persons |
| Not less than 18.6 square metres | 3 persons |
| Not less than 23.2 square metres | 4 persons |
For the purposes of the room size calculations above, a child less than 10 years old is treated as a half person.
(a)No room to be occupied by more than 4 persons, except where the occupants consent.
(b)No sharing of rooms for those of opposite genders, aged 10 or above unless they are living together as partners and both are over the age of consent, or where a parent or guardian elects to share with an older child.
(c)All rooms must have a floor to ceiling height of at least 2.1 metres over not less than 75% of the room area. Any part of the room where the ceiling height is less than 1.5 metres must be disregarded when calculating the floor area.
(d)Separate kitchens and bathrooms are unsuitable for sleeping accommodation.
2. The accommodation must have adequate provision for heating. All habitable rooms and bath- or shower-rooms must be capable of maintaining the room at a minimum temperature of 18°C when the outside temperature is minus 1°C.
3.—(1) In a unit of accommodation accommodating more than one person, the food preparation area provided within the unit must include the following facilities:
(a)four burners/hobs, conventional oven and grill, or two burners/hobs and a microwave with a built in oven and grill;
(b)a sink and integral drainer, with a constant supply of hot water and cold drinking water;
(c)a storage cupboard of a minimum capacity 0.2 cubic metres excluding storage beneath the sink;
(d)a refrigerator;
(e)a minimum of four 13 amp sockets (single or double) situated over the worktop;
(f)a worktop for food preparation of minimum dimensions 1 metre x 0.6 metre; and
(g)a minimum of 1 metre circulation space from facilities to other furniture in the room.
(2) In a unit of accommodation accommodating one person, the food preparation area provided within the unit of accommodation must include the following facilities:
as (a) – (g) above but (a) to have a minimum of two burners/hobs.
4.—(1) Where food preparation areas are shared between more than one household there must be one set of kitchen facilities for:
(a)every 3 family households or fewer;
(b)every 5 single-person households or fewer (for between 6 and 9 single-person households an additional oven or microwave is required);
(c)every 10 persons or fewer where there is a mixture of family and single-person households within the same premises.
(2) Each set of shared facilities must provide the following facilities:
(a)as those in paragraph 3(1)(a) to (g) except that cooking facilities must consist of 4 burners or hobs, and a conventional oven, a grill and a microwave;
(b)an electric kettle; and
(c)a toaster.
(3) The food preparation area used by the manager may be included when calculating the ratio, provided it meets the criteria for storage, preparation and cooking of food in a shared facility.
(4) Where residents have no access to kitchen facilities and the manager provides at least a breakfast and evening-meal for residents, the requirements for shared kitchen facilities will be deemed to have been met.
(5) Additional facilities to be provided in each bedroom or within the total accommodation occupied exclusively by each household must include;
(a)a refrigerator; and
(b)lockable storage.
Alternatively, these may be provided elsewhere within the building.
5.—(1) Facilities for the exclusive use of the person or household must include:
(a)a bath or shower;
(b)a wash hand basin with a constant supply of hot and cold water; and
(c)a water-closet either en-suite or in a separate room reserved for the exclusive use of a person or a household.
(2) Shared facilities must include:
(a)one water closet and wash hand basin with a constant supply of hot and cold water within the building for every five households or fewer. This must be located not more than one floor away from the intended users. For the first five households the water closet and wash hand basin may be in the shower or bathroom. All additional water closets and wash hand basins for occupancies of six households or more must be in a separate compartment;
(b)one bathroom or shower-room to be provided for every five persons. This must be located not more than one floor away from the intended users; and
(c)in premises accommodating children under the age of 10, at least half of the bathing facilities must contain baths suitable for children.
(3) The number of persons occupying a unit of accommodation with a water closet facility provided for their exclusive use must not be included in the calculation for shared water closets.
6. The entrance door to each unit of accommodation must be lockable and be capable of being unlocked from inside without the use of a key.
7. Every premises must have a common room of at least 12 square metres unless all households have a living area separate from their sleeping area that is available for their exclusive use, or the premises are for single person households only.
8.—(1) Each household must be issued with written ‘house rules’ which include details as to how sanctions for breach of the rules will be applied. The house rules must be approved by the authority placing homeless households in the premises.
(2) Each household must be issued with written information relating to the premises including how to operate all installations, for example heating and hot water appliances and fire fighting equipment.
(3) Written information must be made available to residents relating to the local area including the location or contact details of local facilities, laundrettes, doctors’ surgeries and schools.
(4) Residents must have access to their rooms at all times except when rooms are being cleaned or otherwise maintained. Provision must be made to accommodate residents at these times.
(5) Access must be allowed for the appropriate officers of the local housing authority in whose area the premises are situated, and officers of any authority placing homeless households in the premises, to inspect the premises as and when they consider necessary, to ensure that the relevant standards are being complied with; and that the manager will allow such inspections to take place, if necessary without notice.
(6) Access must be allowed for the officers of the local authority and authorised health and community workers for the area in which the accommodation is situated, to visit the homeless households occupying the accommodation and interview them in private in the room(s) they occupy.
(7) A manager with adequate day to day responsibility to ensure the good management of the property who can be contacted at all times. A notice giving the name, address and telephone number of the manager must be displayed in a readily visible position in the property.
(8) A clear emergency evacuation plan must be in place setting out action required upon hearing the fire alarm, escape routes and safe assembly points. A manager must ensure that each person newly arriving at the premises is told what to do in the event of a fire and about fire precautions provided.
(9) Each household must be issued with a complaints procedure which specifies how a complaint can be made. This information must also include where the complainant can obtain further advice and assistance.
The management standards are in addition to the standards contained in the Housing (Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Regulations 1990.