minimum bedroom size and building regs

1andrea · Joined: 10 Dec 2005 Posts: 52 Location: United Kingdom

Hi, Can anyone help?

Is there a minimum size a bedroom legally has to be?

I have just purchased a studio flat and I want to move the kitchen into the living room and make the kitchen into a bedroom. It measures 6ft x 15ft.

Do I need building regulations or any other approval to do this?

Thanks

Andrea

jeds · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:55 am

Nothing under building regs but minimum room sizes under the environmental protection act are 70 square feet for a 1/2 person (defined as a child under 10) and 90 square feet for one person.

Your 6 x 15 room is therefore just big enough.

Of course in your own house (flat) you can more or less do what you want - live in a cupboard if that turns you on. But you might have trouble selling if the room sizes are below the minimums.

^woody^ · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:48 am

There are no 'legal' requirements for a bedroom to be any particular size, but the leading authority is the 'Parker Morris' report from the early 60's which recommended (not stipulated) a size of (IIRC) 8 sqm and a minimum width of 2.5m.

This report really only applied to social housing, but can be used as a reference for new build. But, some people think this report to be outdated now, as lifestyles have changed so much.

Size does not matter for building regs purposes (but quality does, lol), but it may be part of planning policy for new build or extensions.

As yours is a flat, you may need your landlord/freeholders permission for any conversion - and landlords commonly refer to the P-M report.

You will need bregs approoval for the kitchen conversion, and any work which affects means of escape (the lounge conversion)

jamiedl · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 33 Location: United Kingdom

Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't there a section in the regulations stating a bedroom must be able to accommodate 1 single bed, 1 wardrobe an bedside table/drawers. With all associated activity spaces for each.
Or are these just recommendations?

jenna24 · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:22 pm

[quote="jeds";p="552397"]Nothing under building regs but minimum room sizes under the environmental protection act are 70 square feet for a 1/2 person (defined as a child under 10) and 90 square feet for one person.

hi i seen your reply to another post and i am in the same situation. im in a 2bd flat and the council want my two girls to share a bedroom which is 81 square feet. can you tell me which chapter in the enviromental act this comes under because i have tried looking for it to prove this to my council but cannot find it. thanks

jenna24 · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:06 pm

[quote="jeds";p="552397"]Nothing under building regs but minimum room sizes under the environmental protection act are 70 square feet for a 1/2 person (defined as a child under 10) and 90 square feet for one person.

can you tell me how i can get a copy of this act as i need to prove to the council that my 81 square foot room is too small for my 2 girls to share. thanks

^woody^ · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:43 pm

jenna24 wrote:

can you tell me how i can get a copy of this act as i need to prove to the council that my 81 square foot room is too small for my 2 girls to share. thanks

The EPA 1990 wont help.

The Housing Act 1985 s.324-326 deals with overcrowding, as does the 2004 legislation - which may require the council to do an assessment under the HHSRS (housing health and safety rating system)

You should also get hold of any specific housing policy of your council, which may help.

As I understand it, most councils have a shortage of properties and many tenants are in small rooms. But none of the legislation seems to help - or they would be moving people out. Having same-sex children does not help you at all I'm afraid

See a local Solicitor - you may get legal aid to pay for advice and for him to deal with the council on this matter

ohsodifficult · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:34 pm

firstly sorry if i am butting in, have not quite got the hang of these forums thingys! I am trying to sell our 4 bedroom house which we purchased 5 years ago. It was advertised at the time as a 4 bed roomed house. Although small 10'10" x 5' (3.3m x1.52m) with 2 velux windows and radiator. The people we purchased from were indeed using this room for their children with bunk beds in place. Our surveyor carried out his survey in his words on a 4 bed roomed house. Our buyer has now been told that his lender will not lend him the aquired amount for a four bed roomed house as they see our property as a 3 bed roomed with a study? and have tried to drop the price by £21,000. Because they say it does not conform to buildings regulations (size wise). But it seems there are no building regs in place for this? Can any one help?

noseall · Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 6:21 pm

ohsodifficult wrote:

firstly sorry if i am butting in, have not quite got the hang of these forums thingys! I am trying to sell our 4 bedroom house which we purchased 5 years ago. It was advertised at the time as a 4 bed roomed house. Although small 10'10" x 5' (3.3m x1.52m) with 2 velux windows and radiator. The people we purchased from were indeed using this room for their children with bunk beds in place. Our surveyor carried out his survey in his words on a 4 bed roomed house. Our buyer has now been told that his lender will not lend him the aquired amount for a four bed roomed house as they see our property as a 3 bed roomed with a study? and have tried to drop the price by £21,000. Because they say it does not conform to buildings regulations (size wise). But it seems there are no building regs in place for this? Can any one help?

Blarney! Sounds like you are being shafted. Unless.....

Is this room a conversion?

freddymercurystwin · Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:37 am

As mentioned in the thread already there is no minimum size for a bedroom in the building regs, get your solicitor to ask the purchasers surveyor where it states this in the regs?

marc401 · Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 1:10 pm

I have just come across this site, so it maybe a little late to leave a reply, judging by the date of the question.

Anyway, I though that I had better put the record straight, the correct miniums are 50 sqft for a child under 10 and 70 sqft for one adult ! So most boxrooms aren't really bedrooms !

Pedro26 · Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 2:41 pm

Interesting!
So the third bedroom in the old 1970s Wimpey houses just creeps in at ~53 square feet

^woody^ · Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 7:49 pm

marc401 wrote:

Anyway, I though that I had better put the record straight ...

What record are you attempting to straighten?

You had better quote the source for your information, as this seems to be a revelation which has crept in unbeknown to anyone

RonnyRaygun · Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 9:10 pm

^woody^ wrote:

marc401 wrote:

Anyway, I though that I had better put the record straight ...

What record are you attempting to straighten?

You had better quote the source for your information, as this seems to be a revelation which has crept in unbeknown to anyone

Here you are Woody...
http://www.tameside.gov.uk/planning/dwellings/standards

See Part C, under "Housing Acts", although I believe this refers to houses of multiple occupancy, and not family homes...

Part D goes on to say that new builds have no such limits imposed relating to room size...

stuart45 · Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 10:19 pm

It does also say in section B just above that the Building Regs do not specify minimum room sizes. The sizes are for rental properties.