New regulations - Bathrooms

[Blobby]

Hi I have a few HMO's - all with 5 tenants! Up until now any HMO with 6 tenants had to have two bathrooms(or one bathroom and seperate WC). I received info from my local council yesterday saying that all HMO's with 5 people will require a 2nd bathroom/WC under new licensing conditions. Is this a national thing or just my local council?? I will conact my local council in due time, but wanted to find out before speaking to them.
If enforced I can't see where I can put an extra WC in any of them apart from building an extension which is going to cost me a fortune!
If true this is going to be a majpr headache to a number of landlords around here as many houses are 5 person HMO's(i.e. 3bed, 3reception tce houses)
Any advice appreciated. THanks

[red40]

Schedule of Amenity Standards In Relation to Number of Persons

1-4 persons

No requirement for wash hand basins in sleeping rooms.

At least 1 bathroom and 1 WC (the bathroom and WC may be combined)

5 persons

1 WHB required in each sleeping room plus

1 bathroom AND

1 separate WC and WHB (but the WC can be contained within a second bathroom)

6-10 persons

1 WHB required in each sleeping room plus

2 bathrooms AND

2 separate WCs with WHBs (but one of the WCs can be contained within one of the bathrooms)

11-15 persons

1 WHB required in each sleeping room plus

3 bathrooms AND

3 separate WCs with WHBs (but two of the WCs can be contained within 2 of the bathrooms).

[Blobby]

NO mention from my local council of requirement to ahve WHB in each room. Has this changed recently??

[red40]

Nope the regulations haven't changed and as its in Schedule 3, section 2(2) of Statutory Instrument 373 below, it is still a requirement

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20060373.htm

Although saying that I do know there are many local authorities and landlords associations that are basically 'up in arms' about this requirement.