HMO standards

These are where some or all of the residents have no other home and include local authority emergency accommodation.

Space Standards

Bedrooms

There shall be prominently displayed in each bedroom, a notice in all relevant languages, setting out the maximum number permitted to sleep in the room).

All bedrooms to be as follows:

• 1 person - 8.5 square metres

• 2 persons - 11 square metres

• 3 persons -15 square metres

For each additional person there should be an additional 4.5 square metres of floor area.

For the purpose of calculating these standards, a child under the age of one shall be disregarded, and a child more than one and less than 10 years of age shall count as half person.

Lounge

A minimum provision of 3 square metres per person will be required.

Dining

A minimum of 2 square metres per person will be required.

Combined lounge/dining areas

A provision of 4 square metres per person will be deemed to be adequate if the floor areas of lounge and dining rooms are combined.

Kitchens

To be in accordance with the requirements of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970.

Natural lighting

All habitable rooms shall be provided with an area of clear glazing situated in either a window and/or a door, equivalent in total area to at least 1 tenth of the floor area of the room.

Underground rooms used as habitable rooms shall comply with paragraphs 7 and 8 of Model Regulations-Series XXII.

All kitchens, bathrooms and water closet compartments shall comply with the information about all habitable rooms, above. Where this is not practicable, adequate artificial lighting shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of part C, to the satisfaction of the Head of Community Services.

Artificial lighting

All habitable rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, water closet compartments, staircases, landings and passages shall be adequately lighted by electricity, none of which will be provided via a time switch, and shall be available at all times.

There shall be sufficient switches to operate the artificial lighting on each landing, corridor or passage and each switch should allow all corridors, passages and stairways to be illuminated at the same time.

Ventilation

All habitable rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and water closet compartments shall have a minimum floor to ceiling height of 2.3 metres (7'6"), except in the case of existing underground rooms, which shall have a minimum height of 2.14 metres (7'0") and attic rooms, which shall have a minimum height of 2.3 metres over an area of the floor equal to not less than half of the area of the room, measured on a plane 1.5 metres (5'0") above the floor.

All habitable rooms shall be ventilated directly to the external air by a window, the openable area of which shall be equivalent to at least 1 twentieth of the floor area of the room. Neither an openable door giving access directly to the external air nor a louvered opening in such a door will be acceptable for the purpose of this requirement.

Underground rooms used as habitable rooms shall comply with paragraphs 7 and 8 of Model Regulations-Series XXII.

All bathrooms and water closet compartments shall comply with the information about all habitable rooms, above but where this is not practicable, mechanical ventilation providing a minimum of three air changes per hour shall be provided. Such an installation shall be fitted with an overrun device for a minimum of 20 minutes and be connected to the lighting circuit of the room.

Kitchens provided in self-catering hostels shall comply with the information regarding bathrooms and water closets, above.

Kitchens provided in hostels where meals are provided shall comply with the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970.

Permanent means of ventilation in the form of a flue, airbrick, hit and miss ventilator or louvered window shall be provided in all kitchens, bathrooms, water closet compartments and any other rooms containing either cooking and/or washing facilities.

Water supply

Each bedroom shall be provided with a supply of cold running water suitable for drinking purposes, either directly off the rising main or by such other means as are acceptable to the relevant water authority. Where this is not practicable and subject to the agreement of the Head of Community Services, such supply shall be provided at a tap accessible on each floor, but not in a bathroom or water closet compartment. The tap shall be suitably marked 'Drinking Water'.

The water pressure to all fitments shall comply with the minimum requirements laid down by the relevant water authority at all times.

All water supplies shall be suitably protected from frost damage.

Personal washing facilities

Each bedroom shall be provided with a wash hand basin together with its own supplies of hot and cold running water, and of minimum dimension 560 mm by 430 mm.

Where an en-suite bathroom is available, such wash hand basin may be provided in that bathroom.

In self-catering hostels, where a sink is provided to comply with the requirements of paragraph H. 1 (j), a separate wash hand basin will not be required.

A readily accessible bathroom or a shower room shall be provided on every floor where bedroom accommodation is located. The bath/shower shall be sited in a proper room and shall be provided in the following ratios for each occupied floor:

• 1-5 person - bathroom or shower room

• 6-10 persons - 2 bathrooms or shower rooms

• 11-15 persons - 3 bathrooms or shower rooms

Baths are to be 1.67 metres in length. Shower trays are to be 800 mm x 800 mm and of a standard compatible with the authority's renovation grant specification.

The hot and cold water supplies shall be exclusive (unless the rental or charge for accommodation includes the supply of hot water), and available at all times.

Drainage and sanitary conveniences

All above and below ground drainage shall comply with the requirements of the building regulations currently in force.

A readily accessible water closet shall be provided on every floor where bedroom accommodation is located. The water closet shall be sited in a proper room and shall be provided in the following ratios for each occupied floor:

• 1-5 persons - 1 water closet

• 6-10 persons - 2 water closets

• 11-15 persons - 3 water closets

External water closets shall not be reckonable for this purpose. Additional water closet accommodation to the satisfaction of the Head of Community Services shall also be required to be provided on floors used for communal purposes.

Each water closet shall be situated in a room separate from the bathroom or shower room.

Separate male and female accommodation shall be required to the satisfaction of the Head of Community Services.

Any water closet accommodation provided for the above purpose is to be exclusive of any requirements under the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970.

A wash hand basin shall be provided in each separate water closet together with its own supplies of hot and cold running water. The hot and cold water supplies shall be included in the rental or charge for the accommodation and available at all times.

Facilities for storage, preparation and cooking of food and for the disposal of waste water

Self-catering hostels

Each occupancy shall have its own kitchen separate from the sleeping room, and of an area 4 square metres.

Where this is not practicable, each occupancy shall have its own kitchen facilities within the unit of accommodation and 4 square metres shall be added to the floor areas in A (1).

Shared kitchens may be provided for single person occupancies, but on the same floor as the accommodation provided for those people sharing this kitchen.

Food storage

Each separate occupancy shall be provided with a proper food store of adequate size ventilated to the external air, with the unit of accommodation. A refrigerator of at least 3.5 cubic feet shall be considered to be a proper food store for the purpose of this requirement.

The space in a sink unit below the sink will not be accepted, ventilated or otherwise.

Where shared kitchens are provided, each occupancy sharing shall have its own facility either within the unit of accommodation or in the kitchen. If in the kitchen, the facility shall be lockable.

Preparation

Each separate occupancy shall be provided with a suitable work top.

In shared kitchens a work top of sufficient size shall be provided.

Cooking

Each separate occupancy shall be provided with a proper cooking appliance. The minimum acceptable will be:

• two rings or hot plates together with either a grill or oven for a one person unit of accommodation' or

• a cooker with three or four rings or hot plates together with a grill and an oven for units of accommodation for more than one person

In shared kitchens, one cooking appliance shall be provided for each user in accordance with the information above. It shall be shared by not more than three one-person units.

Disposal of waste water

Each separate occupancy shall be provided with its own sink complete with drainer and provided with its own supplies of hot and cold running water.

In shared kitchens, sinks shall be provided in the ratio of one sink per three one-person units of accommodation.

Hostels providing meals

The facilities for preparation, cooking and serving food shall comply with the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970. Kitchen facilities for the cooking and preparation of food for residents as part of the service provided by the establishment shall not be allowed to be used by residents.

Separate provision for residents to prepare and cook their own food shall be provided within the property.

A suitable area for this purpose will be provided on each occupied floor and will contain the following facilities:

• cooker with four burners, oven and grill

• sink with constant hot and cold water supplies, properly connected to the drainage system

• four 13 amp electric power outlets

• a worktop of sufficient size

Kitchen facilities for the purposes above shall be available for use 24 hours a day and the cost of running the appliances will be included in the residential charge.

Separate provision as required above will not be required in circumstances where it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Head of Community Services, either by virtue of the scale of their provision of meals or because of the manner in which the premises are occupied, that such provision would be excessive. In these cases a lesser standard may be applied.

Space heating

A fixed heating system capable of heating the room temperature to 65 degrees F (18.3 degrees C) shall be provided and properly fitted to all rooms. The system shall be capable of attaining this temperature when the outside temperature is 30 degrees F (-1 degrees C). The cost of running the heating system is to be included in the residential charge, and shall be under the exclusive control of the manager.

A full central heating system shall be deemed to be adequate for this purpose.

Refuse, storage and disposal

Refuse storage containers shall be provided, sufficient for the needs of the hostel and of a type acceptable to the local authority. This will depend on the frequency of collection and it may well be that it is necessary for person having control to arrange for twice weekly collection of refuse. Storage facilities shall be hygienic and regularly maintained.