Does a bedroom legally require a window

Aquasplash101 · 19 Jul 2009

I live in a ground floor maisonette.
I am thinking of splitting my large lounge into 2 bedrooms.
If I split it width ways ( which is the preferred choice ) only one of the bedrooms will have a window. I read on another site all bedrooms need a window but in the building regulations 2.3 it states all habitable rooms on the ground storey should either open directly onto a hall leading to a suitable exit or to be provided with a window.

Which is correct?

Can anyone point me in the direction of a definitive answer ?

Thanks in advance !!!

onebobo · 19 Jul 2009

My estate agent told me recently that Bedrooms must have a window to be called a Bedroom.

^woody^ · 19 Jul 2009

onebobo said:
My estate agent told me recently that Bedrooms must have a window to be called a Bedroom.

LOL .... is that the same requirement that a person must be clueless tw@t to be an estate agent?

Anyway, I've plagiarised this from a BC guidance note ...

"Means of escape requirements from a dwelling.
All habitable rooms to dwellings and extensions shall have first floor windows suitable for means of escape. This also applies to all ground storey habitable rooms, which do not connect to a hallway leading directly to an outside door."

Technically its not correct as there may be other ways to achieve fire safety, or the window could in fact be a door, but a window is the simplist

CortinaV8 · 20 Jul 2009

Dont know about the current regulations.

By my gran lives in a fairly large house partially built into the side of a hill, a number of rooms in the underground section have no windows at all.

Besides the obvious problem of escape in the event of a fire, it's just a bizzare experience not knowing which direction you are facing or having no natural light at any time of the day. Something about it doesnt feel right, kind of like the old "Megatron"/McDonalds Resteraunt at Alconbury

My grandad was an architecht and designed and built the place in the early 70's, looks a bit like Austin Powers penthouse....

jeds · 20 Jul 2009

Putting fire escape regulations aside, all habitable rooms must have purge ventilation. This can only be achieved via a window or, if the room has no external wall, then through an adjoining room that does have a window. In the latter case the opening to the adjoining room must be permanent and is sized based on the floor areas - basically you are talking about a permenant door sized opening here. So you wouldn't have a separate room - you'd have two rooms with an opening between.

Mechanical ventilation is not an option for habitable rooms.

Shytalkz · 20 Jul 2009

Are you Lebanese by any chance?

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Does a bedroom legally require a window

Aquasplash101

onebobo

^woody^

CortinaV8

jeds

Shytalkz

DIYnot Local

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