Landlords Welcome Room Size Guidance

Councils are getting new guidance on rented home room sizes – and landlords are making it welcome. Since October 2018, rooms used for sleeping by one person over 10 years old have had to be at least 6.51 square metres, and those slept in by two people over 10 years old will have had to at least 10.22 square metres. Rooms slept in by children of 10 years and younger have had to be at least 4.64 square metres. While the RLA believes that tenants should never face the dangers of overcrowded accommodation, it was concerned that the changes could have seen councils required to take action against landlords where a tenant gave birth and as a result there were two people in a room sized for one. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/landlords-welcome-room-size-guidance/

Minimum Room Size Plans ‘Fundamentally Flawed’

The Government’s impact assessment into plans to introduce minimum room sizes are ‘fundamentally flawed’, with the RLA warning that unless the shortcomings are addressed the regulations are open to challenge by judicial review. As of October this year, a national minimum bedroom size will be introduced for all licensed HMOs, in a bit to tackle overcrowding, with councils required to stipulate how many people can sleep in each room. However, the RLA believes decisions have been made based on inaccurate information – and that little consideration has been given to the negative impact the changes will have on tenants, landlords and the sector as a whole. Read more on the RLA website.

https://news.rla.org.uk/rla-writes-to-mhclg-over-licensing-of-hmos/

Minimum Room Sizes For Shared Homes

New minimum room sizes for HMOs have been announced by Housing Minister Gavin Barwell. The new rules have been brought in in a bid to tackle overcrowding and the criminal landlords who pack tenants into tiny spaces. The proposals will close a loophole which lets some landlords let out rooms far too small for an adult to occupy. The new minimum standard of 6.52sqm, around 70sqft will apply for each person or couple sharing a room – to prevent landlords from bringing in bunk beds. Read more on the RLA website.

New Minimum Room Sizes Risk Cambridge's Social Housing Supply

A plan to enforce minimum room sizes across the city risks the supply of much-needed affordable housing, it is claimed. Cambridge City Council is considering introducing a rule whereby one-bed accommodation would be no smaller than 37 sq m, which the council says will "encourage provision of enough space in dwellings to ensure that homes can be used flexibly by a range of residents". But local developer Alistair Green claims such a move has already had a direct impact on the provision of the affordable housing he is preparing at a site off Histon Road. Read more on the Cambridge News website.