Emergency lighting in a flat conversion, required or not?

[kdavies3]

Hi all,

I'm currently doing a conversion of a Victorian terraced house to two apartments one upstairs and one downstairs, they share a short hallway entrance from the front door (mostly glass door) of the property before splitting.

The local building control officer is asking for emergency lighting in what he described as "dark areas".

Is he correct in asking for this or do the regs not apply to domestic dwellings?

If at all I think there could be a requirement in the shared area?

Your help would be appreciated.

Thanks Kevin.

 

[breezer]

Answered your own question

The local building control officer is asking for emergency lighting

 

[kdavies3]

I guess you're probably right, I have had other "issues" with him too.

Last one cost me £175 in extra calculations to prove him wrong.

At the end of the day I guess he can demand what he likes?

Cheers Kevin

 

[EdwardCurrent]

Hello Kevin.

The 'regs' do apply do domestic wiring, but as you say , your local building control may have their own demands, (I was once asked to fit all boxes on joining walls onto wood etc, so that the neighbours could not hear the owner plugging stuff in and out ! ).

They will also be able to tell you where 'they' require any extra smoke/heat detectors etc.

Be friendly and put the kettle on, try and get on his good side or he might keep on your case !

As you wont have a landlords board I dont know how you would go about making it one occupiers responsibility, but I'm sure some bright spark on here can enlighten us !

Ed

 

[bernardgreen]

He may be happy with one emergency lamp inside each of the internal "front doors" connected to that flats lighting circuit.

If either flat has a power failure their lamp will come on. For the upstairs flat this will illuminate the stairs.

For an emergency evacution when power has failed both doors are lit and the common area is lit when either door is opened.