Does a rented bedroom need a window?

[fieryred84]

Hi there,

I would like to add another bedroom into my home which is rented. The bedroom wouldn't have a window but would have glass bricks in the top of the wall allowing loads of natural daylight to flood into it, The room is also large measuring 9.5m2 so not a box room. The exit would be onto the hallway and not into a lounge or kitchen (high risk of fire rooms).

Does anyone have any experiences with windowless bedrooms?. I stayed in a well known hotel this weekend without a window so it seems that it not illegal!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well I vaguely recall that I read on here sometime that if the room is rented it needs to have a window, now whether glass bricks can be defined as a window for these purposes I am not 100% sure on, I wouldn't have thought it would be OK though but not sure.

Otherwise it will be the lack of background ventilation that will let you down, have a read through this baby: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_AD_F_2010_V2.pdf page 39 7.7-7.9 you will need background and purge ventilation. Better off asking in the Building Regulations Section tbh.

Escape I think you are OK on.

 

[Nigel_Cro]

Ooooooh... This is interesting.

Youngest Daughter rents a room in a shared house in London. The room is a good size and clean and well decorated, it even has a decent TV fitted to the wall, but...

The room has no window - nothing! I don't think it has any kind of extra ventilation either.

Hmmmmmmm

 

[fieryred84]

I honestly don't think that it is illegal as so many hotels have rooms with no window/ventilation. Good to hear peoples responses to this. I just need confirmation that I can have an extra bedroom in my rented house with no window!!!!

 

[planenut]

It is dependent on whether you are letting legitimately, i.e. declaring it to any official. A means of escape should be investigated, I.M.O..

 

[fieryred84]

The bedroom door comes directly out onto the hallway and to the front door so I am hoping that this is sufficient for fire escape.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Hotels are commercial property not dwellings, so the regulations will be a bit different. I don't know how they get away with windowless bedrooms, although windowless offices and other 'habitable' rooms wouldn't cause comment.

For renting, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System may apply, which includes space and lighting requirements. I don't know if it requires windows in bedrooms.