Worldlife
08-05-2006, 13:16 PM
From Environmental Health Practitoner - May 2006
Hand basin rules 'excessive'
Most local authority EHP's do not believe wash hand basins should be provided in each room of a house in multiple occupation (HMO) even though the Housing Act requires it, according to a survey by Neil Marsden, services development officer at Leeds City Council.
The research was carried out to find out view on the Housing Act. One of its requirements is to provide a wash hand basin in student housing where there are five or more occupiers in the property. Most respondents agree that the requirement to provide basins in all rooms is excessive.
Most also said they will set bathroom/separate WC standards to suit their own local circumstances because the wording in section 373 in the Housing Act allows local authorities this flexibility.
Commenting on the debate among EHP's Andrew Griffiths. CIEH (Chartered Institute Environmental Health) principal policy officer told EHP The key principle that should be applied to this conundrum is risk.
"In our view, local authorities should, in the absence of prescribed amenity levels, be requiring wash had basins to be installed if a risk assessment can justify such a requirement. Policies that are 'flexible' should be based on such risk assessments."
Hand basin rules 'excessive'
Most local authority EHP's do not believe wash hand basins should be provided in each room of a house in multiple occupation (HMO) even though the Housing Act requires it, according to a survey by Neil Marsden, services development officer at Leeds City Council.
The research was carried out to find out view on the Housing Act. One of its requirements is to provide a wash hand basin in student housing where there are five or more occupiers in the property. Most respondents agree that the requirement to provide basins in all rooms is excessive.
Most also said they will set bathroom/separate WC standards to suit their own local circumstances because the wording in section 373 in the Housing Act allows local authorities this flexibility.
Commenting on the debate among EHP's Andrew Griffiths. CIEH (Chartered Institute Environmental Health) principal policy officer told EHP The key principle that should be applied to this conundrum is risk.
"In our view, local authorities should, in the absence of prescribed amenity levels, be requiring wash had basins to be installed if a risk assessment can justify such a requirement. Policies that are 'flexible' should be based on such risk assessments."